But now I found myself instinctively resisting the idea.
“Why?” Emma jumped up, face filled with displeasure. “James, didn’t you always say you’d only marry me? Why have you
changed your mind now? Are you going back on your word?”
My irritation peaked, and I slammed my hands on the table. “I said no means no! Why are you so desperate?”
She stared at me steadily and asked, “James, have you really fallen in love with Sarah?”
Love Sarah? Memories of our time together flooded my mind.
Back then, Sarah had asked me the same question.
Like Emma, she’d hoped to marry me, and I’d rejected her too.
But why had I always felt secretly pleased whenever she asked?
Seeing my silence, Emma took it as confirmation. She rushed toward me, her voice trembling with urgency.
“James, why aren’t you saying anything? Say something! Tell me I’m still the one you love most, right?”
Looking at her tear–filled face, I spoke slowly, “You’re right. All this time, it was Sarah I loved.”
The moment those words left my mouth, it felt like a weight had been lifted, as if all the confusion that had been plaguing me
suddenly cleared.
Every moment with Sarah had already soaked deep into my heart.
I’d grown so used to her presence that only after she left did I realize my true feelings.
I needed to find her, find Sarah, tell her she was the one I truly loved.
The thought made me urgent. I pushed Emma aside and headed for the door.
I had to go to her apartment. I had to find her!
“James!” Emma pursued me desperately, clutching my arm, “Where are you going? James Carter, you can’t go!”
“Let go!”
I shoved her away just as my phone rang. I turned to answer, “Hello? What is it?”
“Mr. Carter, we’ve found Miss Garnett!”
2/3/
Chapter 9
My whole body tensed, my heart racing. “Where is she? Arrange my trip immediately!”
“We found traces of Miss Garnett in the neighboring city.”
Several photos arrived on my phone. In them, Sarah looked serene, wearing a faint smile, walking down a street with an
unfamiliar man.
The lighting was too dark for me to see the man’s face clearly.
Who was he? Who was Sarah with now?
Urgency and anger surged through me. Ignoring Emma’s calls behind me, I rushed out the door.
Sarah, wait for me. I’ll bring you back to my side!
