Love Too Late

r for five years, and

was on the brink of deat

vis family, who suggested she use the opportunit

s she wished, I shed my edges and gre

stopped lov

e city, I became the lau

de, daring to clash openly with the adopted son already established in the company, even threatening

d of my return, swaggering into the city with a crow

o preserve my dignity, for all my dignity had

slap myself, my heart no longe

g trouble, hiding his insecurities

and Lana Winche

p brazenly, and the rich kids scatt

rstated but commanding, a

head of the Wincheste

pped in my tracks, and t

and a woman in a

pearance, surprise flickere

looked

my grandfather's funeral, wrinkled

y before, the swelling yet to fade, my nails

ed from a dumpster, the othe

er shock and made a polite gesture. "Mr. Da

and painful to use. "No, I'm g

moved to wa

ary looked

to be near her despite her cold demeanor, but now I viewed her as a venomous

yd

ice made me free

ips tighten, hesitated

g the pain in my left leg and the secretary's h

sat i

state, and instead of concern, her brows knit

a beggar? Dressed like tha

s, nor did I feel disappointed that she missed the injuries o

y for a funeral, to be beaten and kicked on the ground, to be forced to slap myself, to b

randfather's coffin dug up from the gr

, and she glanced at me, her to

hardship and suffering finally

back, Alexander Davis had live

amily, had lived with Alexander's biologi

didn't dwell on why La

ctations, she beckoned me as i

once looking at her since boarding, my e

g, filled my eyes with resi

e and sharpened her to

rigid, as if trying to sa

hed the moment the loan sha

e from me, the

tmosphere, or maybe she grew impa

stiffened. But I was pressed agai

me, I caught a faint

l scent, a gift

nflict with Alexander, after which my parents cut off my bank c

ys were failing, but he avoided t

uldn't afford the surgery, and my c

s they spoke. "Heard you're short on cash, Aydan. Here's the deal. We're not

bent my waist, and crawled s

e, and I wouldn't miss

e for the sound of my cl

ssed three red bills on the ground,

like some pathetic mutt, and you

ve for her is wort

rove me to borrow

ather passed away due

, I called Lana to borrow money, but she brushed me of

nt goosebumps crawling up my arm, like a snake co

ated, I want

d gripping the front seat, the other coveri

uch in days, so

ana covered her nose with a tissue,

und as I kept retching

ng, just stared

; she was on th

joke to smooth thing

o leverage to

y head hung low, my grip on the f

to the Davis house. I can get out and walk.

eyeing me wit

he suddenly reached out

ew closer, my

after all, I once craved nothi

e, and if I made her uncomfortable, she'd tear me

silently urging myself not

sickening feeling of being coiled by a snake retu

ng. When her eyes met mine, I fe

looded my m

ished, replaced by the image of my g

st the only person wh

, and a t

say. She saw my tear-streaked face but said not

eeve, shrinking quietly to one side

urred, and I stared at

ack then, could my gran

om loan sharks, and none of

had no

ertia made my forehead b

cally, asked me a que

ead, said nothing,

t of the car without a glance, a

I quickly

suit pants, revealing

y holes, the blood crusted

ring nails into my k

then told me to pull the nails out myse

a nig

clothes and tending to my

sion a mix of disbelief and slight reproach as she beckoned me.

ng to pour it out, but as I opened

n coffee. Don't be late again." Alexander, d

gaze leaving me. "Oh, right, I almost forg

le. "What made you come back, Aydan? Don't fight with Mom a

s followed his

e, my heart jolting, but I did

t him, then said with concern. "Alexander, have you

e important than work. Besides, yo

tly hid my bruised h

ckened hands or my odd limp, but when it came to Alex

y enough trouble for Mom and Dad.

d at me, hesitat

ood. I broke from my old habits, quie

er eyes, and instead of lecturing me, she placed

on't restrict you anymore. Here's your car

card tightly

te. The card

ntil I met his gaze. Then he smiled again and spoke to Lana beside him. "You

"This is your birthday gift. I was at a confer

thought you'd forgotten a

x, revealing a d

aching for

I fell in love with it at first sight, but

d lightly that if I stayed out of trou

e gave it t

nation, but I knew i

I said goodb

loor corner, I

aptivating. The old me would've rushed to her

t notice

Lana stepped closer, he

wn, hearing her c

too much trouble these past two weeks. So,

I'm pleased. I'll grant you one w

at Lana's face, searching

here those rich kids, prodded by their famili

thes, they mocked

insecure, unable to reto

of them across the face and scolding them

r of the Davis family. You don't need to cower. They're

id they'll hate

s Davis, you could slap them, and the

ut later, Lana publicly berated me, calling me

ey who provok

from her face. She urged me impatiently. "Have

a faint pain in my left l

I endured unimag

ave them Lana's phone number, a string of digits etch

ing around with those spoiled brats all day, you're completel

of how she also scolded the loan

myself until my cheeks swelled beyond recog

ad I got was too hard to chew, so they crushed it under t

red nausea in my

o vomit. "Sorry, I

"I gave you a chance. You didn't take it. Don't come c

he'd leave qui

or something, perhaps never i

stopped, her back to me. "Stop botherin

d reply, she

when my father finally r

y suitcase

ted clothes, stuffed in by my grandfather

up, left it by the door, and

mission, I turned the

to the side,

bruises on my exposed skin. "Aydan, I know everything. It's o

xperiences and interrupted him, losing composur

ou still resent us. And you should. We failed

oice bitter. "The famil

ou love her most? C

lent for

. Because of that one moment when she stood

that I was Lana's loyal lap

er and ended up costing the company millions, only Lana s

hit back, only Lana was there

accept my flowers, and sh

r returned from ab

se's thorns were

d to be sharp, and as the Davi

ns too prickly, wanting to s

." I looked at my father, speaking to him

ing, and pressed a bank card into m

consciously, then bow

you don't want to live at home, so be it. You'll

his belated care a

d a

long as I stayed in the Davis house, nea

rget the past

a rift had formed between us. To kee

would react, I n