To the Love of My Life

They had no relationship anymore, so why was he still being so kind to her?

But when the words got to her lips, she thought of the bottle of long-term contraceptive pills he had given her to take, and remembered the straightforward words he had said when he didn’t want their child. Ruby’s confidence wavered, and in the end, she merely moved her lips before swallowing down the question she wanted to ask. Silently, she turned her head to look out the window, her hand quietly resting on her belly.

He could obviously treat her so well, but why, then, didn’t he want their child, and why was he so heartless in making her take those long-term contraceptive pills? Didn’t he fear that taking the pills for too long might result in her being unable to conceive in the future?

Steve Burton did not speak out loud. Although he seemed to be driving attentively, his thoughts were on his own affairs.

Ruby’s latest encounter with him had been because he got injured trying to save her. So after this interaction, would he and she still have to return to the state where they didn’t disturb each other, as if they were strangers?

Just thinking about it alone made Steve’s heart feel heavy and uncomfortable. He couldn’t help but slow down his driving, wanting to stretch out their remaining time together, just a little longer, a little further.

But no matter how slow Steve drove, the journey would eventually end. When the car stopped steadily at the entrance to the Gregorys’ mansion, Steve’s eyes were slightly moist, and within him surged an impulse to grab Ruby, force her to leave her secret shelter, and return to his side.

Only God knew how much self-control he had exerted that day to say those four words to cancel their marriage.

Only God knew how determined he was to let go of her hand and let her pursue her own happiness.

Before Ruby unbuckled her seat belt and pushed open the car door, her fingers paused for a moment. Turning her head towards Steve, she said, “I’ll go in first.”

Upon hearing those words, Steve tightly gripped the steering wheel, his gaze fixed straight ahead. He nodded slightly and gave a faint “Mm.”

The next moment, he heard the car door being pushed open and the sound of her getting out of the car.

His grip on the steering wheel grew tighter, his knuckles turning white as he forced himself not to turn his head to look at her.

For he was afraid that if he caught a glimpse of her, he wouldn’t let her leave.

About five seconds later, he heard the soft sound of the car door being closed, and it hurt deep inside his heart.

Steve continued to stare straight ahead. Only after roughly five minutes did he slowly turn his head.

The view outside the car window was empty as she had already left, and only the yellow light from the street lamps scattered on the ground. Slowly raising his head, he saw that the yard of the Gregorys’ house was empty, indicating she must have entered the house.

Everything that transpired tonight was like fireworks at the stroke of New Year’s Eve—brilliant for an instant and leaving behind endless sorrow and loneliness.

Steve sat in his car for a while longer before stepping on the gas and driving into the Burtons’ mansion. Exiting the car, he instinctively raised his head as he locked it with the key, and glanced at Ruby’s bedroom before walking into the house.