Love Too Late

I loved Lana Winchester for five years, and she became my fiancée.

But when my grandfather was on the brink of death, Lana offered no help.

It was all because of that adopted son of the Davis family, who suggested she use the opportunity to toughen me up and smooth out my rough edges.

My grandfather died helplessly, and as she wished, I shed my edges and grew stronger, no longer clinging to her.

Naturally, I stopped loving her too.

1

When I limped back to the city, I became the laughingstock of our circle.

People said the long-lost young master the Davis family took back had little talent but plenty of pride, daring to clash openly with the adopted son already established in the company, even threatening his parents, only to end up running away from home penniless, forced to borrow a few thousand dollars.

The rich kids who once humiliated me somehow got wind of my return, swaggering into the city with a crowd, snapping photos of me without hiding their intent.

I didn't even raise a hand to shield my face to preserve my dignity, for all my dignity had been ground away bit by bit by the loan sharks.

After being forced to kneel and slap myself, my heart no longer stirred for so-called pride.

The old Aydan Davis, always stirring trouble, hiding his insecurities under a prickly exterior, was dead.

The Davis family and Lana Winchester killed him.

Suddenly, a few black SUVs pulled up brazenly, and the rich kids scattered upon seeing the license plates.

The lead vehicle was understated but commanding, and I knew who sat inside.

Lana Winchester, the head of the Winchester family, my fiancée.

I stared at the car, stopped in my tracks, and turned to take a detour.

The door opened, and a woman in a suit stepped out.

When she saw my face and appearance, surprise flickered in her eyes for a moment.

I knew I looked pathetic.

I still wore the white shirt from my grandfather's funeral, wrinkled and stained with clear shoeprints.

My face was swollen from being slapped the day before, the swelling yet to fade, my nails caked with dirt, my hands trembling slightly.

One foot wore a shoe scavenged from a dumpster, the other bare and red from the cold.

Lana's secretary lowered her gaze to hide her shock and made a polite gesture. "Mr. Davis, Ms. Winchester requests your presence."

I stepped back, my voice hoarse and painful to use. "No, I'm going back to the Davis family."

With that, I moved to walk past her.

The secretary looked stunned.

I had seen Lana as my salvation, trailing her for five years, finding excuses to be near her despite her cold demeanor, but now I viewed her as a venomous beast, which clearly shocked the secretary used to my shameless persistence.

"Aydan!"

A sharp, cold voice made me freeze instinctively.

The secretary saw my lips tighten, hesitated, then gestured again.

I straightened my back as best I could, ignoring the pain in my left leg and the secretary's hesitant glance, and slowly climbed into the car.

Lana sat inside.

She looked up from her papers, saw my wretched state, and instead of concern, her brows knitted tightly, her tone sharp with displeasure.

"Are you playing at being a beggar? Dressed like that, aren't you embarrassed?"

My heart didn't ache as it once would have at her biting words, nor did I feel disappointed that she missed the injuries on my body. I just lowered my head and murmured softly. "Sorry."

But I didn't want this. I didn't want to be tricked into borrowing from loan sharks to pay for a funeral, to be beaten and kicked on the ground, to be forced to slap myself, to be chained like a dog to a wall, or to be made to lick food off the floor with my tongue.

But more than that, I didn't want my grandfather's coffin dug up from the grave, denying him peace even in death.

Her hand paused over her papers, and she glanced at me, her tone carrying a hint of approval.

"Alexander was right. A bit of hardship and suffering finally changed you, made you stronger."

Before the Davis family took me back, Alexander Davis had lived in my place within the family.

Meanwhile, I, the true son of the Davis family, had lived with Alexander's biological grandfather, depending on each other.

My mind was slow, and I didn't dwell on why Lana mentioned Alexander.

Perhaps feeling I met her expectations, she beckoned me as if rewarding me. "Come closer."

I sat as far from Lana as possible, not once looking at her since boarding, my eyes fixed on the carpet beneath my feet.

Her tone, like calling a dog, filled my eyes with resistance, and I didn't move.

2

Lana saw I didn't budge and sharpened her tone. "I said come here."

I didn't respond, my spine rigid, as if trying to salvage my fragile dignity.

Though my dignity had vanished the moment the loan sharks beat me until I begged.

With no response from me, the car fell silent.

Perhaps Lana wasn't used to the atmosphere, or maybe she grew impatient. She reached out toward me.

As her hand neared my arm, my back stiffened. But I was pressed against the window, nowhere to escape.

The moment she touched me, I caught a faint whiff of her perfume.

It was her usual scent, a gift from Alexander.

That very bottle of perfume had once offended me, sparking a conflict with Alexander, after which my parents cut off my bank card, and I returned to my hometown with the little cash I had.

Back then, my grandfather's kidneys were failing, but he avoided the hospital due to lack of money.

I got him to the hospital, but I couldn't afford the surgery, and my calls to my parents went unanswered.

Later, those rich kids who had it out for me showed up in Teroto, smirking as they spoke. "Heard you're short on cash, Aydan. Here's the deal. We're not heartless. Crawl under our legs, and we'll give you the money. How about it?"

I knelt without hesitation, bent my waist, and crawled step by step under their legs.

My grandfather raised me, and I wouldn't miss any chance to save him.

The room was silent, save for the sound of my clothes scraping the floor.

They filmed my humiliation, then tossed three red bills on the ground, laughing as they left arm in arm.

"Aydan, look at yourself, acting like some pathetic mutt, and you still chase after Ms. Winchester."

"Your so-called love for her is worth just this much."

That desperation drove me to borrow from loan sharks.

In the end, my grandfather passed away due to delayed treatment.

After his funeral, when it came time to repay the debt, I called Lana to borrow money, but she brushed me off, telling me to go back and apologize, then hung up.

These memories choked my breath, and her touch sent goosebumps crawling up my arm, like a snake coiling around me, a cold dread rising in my chest.

Dizzy, nauseated, I wanted to vomit.

I shook off her hand, hunched over, one hand gripping the front seat, the other covering my mouth, retching violently in the car.

I hadn't eaten much in days, so nothing came up.

A faint sour smell filled the car. Lana covered her nose with a tissue, her voice laced with disgust. "Aydan!"

My ears blocked out sound as I kept retching until the urge passed.

Lana said nothing, just stared at me coldly.

I knew her well; she was on the edge of fury.

I didn't play dumb or joke to smooth things over as I used to.

I knew I had no leverage to make a scene.

My body trembled from weakness, my head hung low, my grip on the front seat's backrest tightening.

"Sorry... I'll help clean the car when we get to the Davis house. I can get out and walk. I'm really sorry for dirtying your floor mat."

Lana paused, eyeing me with suspicion.

After a tense moment, she suddenly reached out to touch my forehead.

As her hand drew closer, my body stiffened.

I knew I shouldn't pull away; after all, I once craved nothing more than Lana's affection.

But she was domineering, always looking down on me, and if I made her uncomfortable, she'd tear me apart with words, leaving me humiliated and hurt.

I stayed rigid in my seat, silently urging myself not to dodge, not to anger her.

But the moment her cool fingers touched me, that sickening feeling of being coiled by a snake returned, and I couldn't help but jerk my head away.

Lana's hand froze midair, unmoving. When her eyes met mine, I felt her irritation and impatience.

Dizziness flooded my mind again.

I shook my head, and Lana's face vanished, replaced by the image of my grandfather lying in a hospital bed.

Because of them, I lost the only person who ever cared for me.

I blinked, and a tear fell.

3

Lana swallowed the scolding words she'd meant to say. She saw my tear-streaked face but said nothing, only coldly urging the driver to speed up.

I wiped my tears roughly with my sleeve, shrinking quietly to one side, trying to make myself invisible.

The scenery outside blurred, and I stared at it, lost in thought.

If Lana had helped me back then, could my grandfather have been saved?

I wouldn't have borrowed from loan sharks, and none of this would have happened.

But life had no what-ifs.

When the car stopped, inertia made my forehead bump against the seatback.

Lana, uncharacteristically, asked me a question. "Are you okay?"

I pressed my forehead, said nothing, and shook my head.

She didn't press further, got out of the car without a glance, and walked into the Davis house.

Upstairs, I quickly showered.

I peeled off my filthy suit pants, revealing my injured left leg.

My knee bore several bloody holes, the blood crusted black, looking horrific.

They did this, hammering nails into my knee despite my pain.

They laughed as I writhed on the ground, then told me to pull the nails out myself if I wanted scraps of leftover food.

It was a nightmare.

After changing into clean clothes and tending to my wounds, I went downstairs.

It was dinnertime, and my mother saw me immediately, her expression a mix of disbelief and slight reproach as she beckoned me. "You finally came back. Gone so long without even a phone call."

I felt a surge of grievance, wanting to pour it out, but as I opened my mouth to speak, I was cut off.

"Mom, Mrs. Anderson invited you for afternoon coffee. Don't be late again." Alexander, dressed in a sharp suit, strolled in casually.

My mother's attention shifted to him, her gaze leaving me. "Oh, right, I almost forgot. Good thing you reminded me, Alexander."

Alexander sat on the sofa and gave me a slight, mocking smile. "What made you come back, Aydan? Don't fight with Mom and Dad anymore. It's time to grow up and stand on your own."

Everyone's eyes followed his words to me.

I met Alexander's taunting gaze, my heart jolting, but I didn't lose my temper like before.

My mother didn't contradict him; she just glanced at him, then said with concern. "Alexander, have you not been eating well these days? You look thinner.

No matter what, your health is more important than work. Besides, your father's handling the company."

Hearing this, I quietly hid my bruised hands behind my back.

I stood so close to her, yet she didn't notice my blackened hands or my odd limp, but when it came to Alexander, she picked up on whether he'd eaten properly.

Alexander smiled. "Aydan's already enough trouble for Mom and Dad. I need to be the responsible one."

My mother glanced at me, hesitated, and sighed.

At the table, she eagerly served me food. I broke from my old habits, quietly thanking her with downcast eyes.

Instead of relaxing, she sighed again, worry in her eyes, and instead of lecturing me, she placed the bank card she'd taken from me back in my hand.

"Aydan, running away worried us sick. We won't restrict you anymore. Here's your card back. Your father put some money in it."

I gripped the card tightly, then let go.

It was too late. The card came too late.

Alexander's knuckles whitened as he gripped his fork, his eyes fixed on me until I met his gaze. Then he smiled again and spoke to Lana beside him. "You're getting more impressive, Lana. I couldn't even outbid you at the auction."

Lana pulled out a gift box, her tone softening. "This is your birthday gift. I was at a conference abroad and couldn't give it to you earlier."

Alexander teased her. "I thought you'd forgotten about me, busy as you are."

He opened the box, revealing a dark green watch.

My hand, reaching for food, froze.

I'd seen that watch in the auction catalog. I fell in love with it at first sight, but I didn't have an invitation to the auction.

Lana noticed my gaze back then and said lightly that if I stayed out of trouble, she'd bid on it for my birthday.

But now, she gave it to Alexander.

She offered no explanation, but I knew it was my punishment.

After dinner, I said goodbye and left.

At the second-floor corner, I ran into Lana.

She stood there in high heels, powerful yet captivating. The old me would've rushed to her side. But now, I felt no spark of excitement.

She didn't notice my change.

"Aydan, you've changed." Lana stepped closer, her heels clicking loudly.

I kept my eyes down, hearing her condescending tone.

"I know you loved that watch, but you caused too much trouble these past two weeks. So, as punishment, you don't get a birthday gift.

But you were obedient today, and I'm pleased. I'll grant you one wish, as long as it's not too much."

4

I lifted my head to look at Lana's face, searching for traces of the past.

The first time I met Lana was at a banquet, where those rich kids, prodded by their families, fawned over the shabby, out-of-place me.

Because of my clothes, they mocked me at the event.

Back then, I was deeply insecure, unable to retort or even speak loudly.

Lana stepped in to defend me, slapping one of them across the face and scolding them for being idle. They slunk away in shame.

She frowned at me then and said, "You're the young master of the Davis family. You don't need to cower. They're the ones who should be pleasing you. Show some backbone."

"I'm... I'm afraid they'll hate me," I stammered.

"Hate? Listen, as long as your name is Davis, you could slap them, and they'd still praise your swing. Got it?"

I held onto those words for over five years, but later, Lana publicly berated me, calling me a lunatic who exploded at the slightest spark.

Yet it was they who provoked me first.

The protectiveness she once showed me was gone from her face. She urged me impatiently. "Have you decided? Don't get greedy. I'm in a hurry."

I leaned against the wall, a faint pain in my left leg keeping my mind sharp.

Because of her, I endured unimaginable torment.

When I begged for mercy, I revealed my identity and gave them Lana's phone number, a string of digits etched in my heart, only to face crushing disappointment.

She grew more irritated. "What game are you playing now? Hanging around with those spoiled brats all day, you're completely aimless. The Davis family has no place for someone like you."

Her words brought back memories of how she also scolded the loan sharks, angering them further.

They took it out on me, forcing me to slap myself until my cheeks swelled beyond recognition, my gums aching, before they stopped.

Because my face was swollen, eating was painful. They bread I got was too hard to chew, so they crushed it under their feet, black and filthy, and shoved it into my mouth.

The thought stirred nausea in my stomach again.

I fought the urge to vomit. "Sorry, I don't want anything."

Lana's brows furrowed, her gaze suspicious and warning. "I gave you a chance. You didn't take it. Don't come crying to me later. I don't have that kind of patience."

I just hoped she'd leave quickly. "I won't."

Lana didn't force me to ask for something, perhaps never intending to give me anything.

"Better not." She took a few steps, then stopped, her back to me. "Stop bothering Alexander. There's nothing between us."

Before I could reply, she walked away.

5

I waited until midnight when my father finally returned from the company.

I dragged my suitcase to find him.

The suitcase held only a few rough, outdated clothes, stuffed in by my grandfather the day before the Davis family found me.

I wiped my tears, zipped it up, left it by the door, and went to my father's study.

After getting his permission, I turned the doorknob and entered.

"Dad." I stood to the side, eyes lowered.

My father looked me over, his lips trembling when he saw the bruises on my exposed skin. "Aydan, I know everything. It's our fault. If we hadn't taken your card, you wouldn't have..."

I didn't want to hear about those nightmarish experiences and interrupted him, losing composure for the first time. "Dad, I want to move out."

My father slumped back in his chair. "Aydan, you still resent us. And you should. We failed to protect you. But your mother will miss you."

I lowered my eyes, my voice bitter. "The family still has Alexander."

"And Lana? Didn't you love her most? Can you let her go?"

I fell silent for a moment.

It was true; my love for Lana was no secret. Because of that one moment when she stood up for me, I couldn't help but follow her.

People in our circle joked that I was Lana's loyal lapdog, her unwavering shadow.

But they didn't know that when I tried to emulate Alexander and ended up costing the company millions, only Lana stood by me, calmly saying business had its ups and downs.

When someone mocked me and I hit back, only Lana was there, pleased, saying I did well.

We'd eat together, she'd accept my flowers, and she remembered my birthday.

But after Alexander returned from abroad, she changed.

She told me a rose's thorns were for protection.

She said to survive, you needed to be sharp, and as the Davis heir, I had the right to be.

Yet later, she found my thorns too prickly, wanting to strip them away and tame me.

"My engagement with Ms. Winchester is over." I looked at my father, speaking to him and to myself. "I won't chase her anymore."

My father sighed deeply, understanding, and pressed a bank card into my hand. "Come back to see us often."

I gripped the card unconsciously, then bowed to him. "Thank you."

"From now on, I'll send you money regularly. If you don't want to live at home, so be it. You'll always be our son. Come back whenever you want."

I didn't respond to his belated care and turned to leave.

"Need a ride?"

I shook my head. I knew clearly that as long as I stayed in the Davis house, near Lana, my mental scars would never heal.

I needed to forget the past to start anew.

My father knew too that after this, a rift had formed between us. To keep me from hating them, he let me go.

As for how Lana would react, I no longer cared.