When Love Came Too Late

Bethany Cole and Shane Stafford were supposed to get married in two weeks, but Shane was thinking about postponing the wedding again. It was all because his stepsister, Yelena White, had another episode and was crying for him to drop everything and take her to Maldivea to see the ocean. The wedding had been planned for two years, and Bethany had had enough. If Shane did not want to get married, she would find someone else to take his place. Chapter 1 Shane Stafford quickly took off the suit he was trying on and grabbed his phone to book the next flight to Maldivea. “We’ll postpone the wedding for a few more days. Talk to your parents and explain it to them.” They had been together for six years, but Bethany Cole had lost count of how many times Shane had left her because of Yelena White. A moment ago, she had been filled with happiness thinking about the wedding, but the joy in her eyes faded quickly. Because of Yelena, the wedding had been postponed repeatedly. Bethany had become a joke among her family and friends. The frustration boiled in her chest until she could hardly breathe. Tears filled her eyes, even though she tried to hold them back. After booking the tickets, Shane turned around and saw the tears in Bethany’s eyes. His heart sank, and he spoke with a trace of guilt in his voice. “You know Yelena is sick. If we don’t go along with her wishes, she’ll hurt herself. I can’t just leave her alone.” Before Bethany could say anything, Shane’s phone rang. It was Yelena calling to urge him to hurry over. Shane spoke gently to calm her down. He told her the tickets were booked and that he would come to pick her up soon. He told her to start packing her things. When he hung up and looked at Bethany again, the guilt in his eyes was gone. “I have to go now, or I’ll miss the flight. You can finish trying on the dress and take a cab home.” Bethany’s hands clenched tighter as she watched Shane stride off. Back in college, Shane had been known in his department for being proud and distant. Many women chased after him. Bethany pursued him for two years before she finally won his heart. She cherished the relationship she had worked so hard for. She was always gentle and understanding toward him and never lost her temper like other women. But no matter how much she tried, Shane was always distant. They were a couple, yet there was always a distance between them. She thought that was just the way Shane was. But when she saw how anxious he became after Yelena got hurt, she realized he was not an aloof man at all. Everyone knew Yelena had feelings for Shane, but because of their family ties, Shane’s father would never approve of them being together. Yelena used her illness as an excuse to come between them. And every time, Shane would just speak to her softly and appease her. Sometimes, Bethany felt like she was nothing more than a part of their twisted game. The thought made her sick. She had thought about leaving many times over the past six years. But whenever she tried to walk away, Shane would give in and beg her to stay. It had happened so many times that her heart was filled with despair. All the warmth and hope were gone. All that was left was loneliness. She had not always been like this. She used to be cheerful and full of life. She had become easily upset and irritable recently. She spent her days bitter and full of self-pity. Her constant compromise had made her lose who she used to be. The woman in the mirror looked unfamiliar and pitiful. She did not want to keep wasting her time on Shane. If he did not care about their relationship, then she could replace the groom before the wedding even began. Chapter 2 Thinking it over, Bethany picked up her phone and called her mother. “Hi, Mom. I don’t want to marry Shane anymore. Remember the match you arranged for me? I’m ready to go ahead with it. Can you ask him if he still wants to marry me?” Bethany thought her mother would find her sudden decision rash, but her mother laughed instead. “That’s great! You finally came to your senses! I’ll contact Hudson right away.” Hudson Smith was not a stranger to Bethany. They had grown up together and had been childhood friends. Later, Hudson went abroad with his parents, and they gradually lost touch. Bethany felt a sense of relief. At least it was not some stranger because she knew Hudson. Their families were well-matched, and they knew each other’s backgrounds. Hudson seemed like the perfect choice for a shotgun wedding. Soon, she received a message from Hudson. [Your mom contacted me. When are you free? I’ll pick you up from Sea City.] Bethany already had Hudson’s number. Her mother had given it to her back in college when she was preparing for exams, but she had never contacted him. She paused for a moment before replying. [Give me two weeks. I’ll take care of everything first and contact you.] Since she had decided to break things off with Shane, she wanted to do it completely. When Shane left the bridal shop, he had even left their wedding rings behind. Shane was never forgetful, which showed how much of a hurry he had been in to leave. Shane was on vacation in Maldivea with Yelena. She had provocatively posted many intimate photos of the two of them on social media. Bethany knew Yelena was showing off. Bethany’s attention was drawn to the rose-pink beach dress Yelena was wearing. It was the dress Bethany had received a few days ago. It was the one she had planned to wear for her honeymoon photos. The dress was a new Palis collection. Bethany had stayed up several nights to get it in the first release. Shane knew how much she liked it. Yet, he had given it to Yelena without telling her. Bethany’s hands shook with anger. She sent Shane a message. [How could you take it without asking me? Even if you’re trying to please your stepsister, you should not give her my dress!] She waited a long time before Shane finally replied. [I’ve been meaning to tell you. Rose-pink color is for little girls! At your age, it looks tacky. It’s just a dress! There’s no need to make a big deal out of it.] Bethany’s heart sank. ‘How could he say that?’ She was only two years older than Yelena. In Shane’s mind, Yelena was a little girl to be cherished, and she was the tacky one. Just as she was about to argue, Shane sent her some money. [Here’s the money for the dress. Don’t argue with Yelena. She is finally happy! I don’t want anything to ruin that.] Bethany accepted the money without hesitation. She wanted neither the dress nor the man. She suddenly realized something. The more Shane belittled her, the more she needed to love herself. She did not want to waste any more time on Shane. She had bigger things to do. She needed to get back the wedding invitations she had already sent out. Shane had been worried that a lavish wedding would upset Yelena, so he did not want to make a big deal out of it. Bethany had agreed and had planned a small celebration with just close friends and family in Sea City. When people found out that the wedding was canceled and the invitations were being withdrawn, everyone was shocked. “Why’s the wedding canceled? You’ve been planning it for so long, right?” Bethany gave a wry smile. It had indeed taken her a long time to plan, but she had done all the work herself. Shane had never even paid attention. She felt that Shane had never really wanted to marry her. She had been chasing him all this time alone. This back-and-forth game of him running and her chasing him had left Bethany exhausted. She did not hide the truth. She said truthfully, “I’m still getting married, but the groom has been replaced.” Everyone laughed it off as a joke. No one believed she would marry someone else. They all knew how deeply Bethany loved Shane. After finally winning his heart, how could she give him up? Shane had postponed the wedding more than once. Bethany had been hurt by it but never showed it, so people naturally assumed she would tolerate whatever he threw at her. Bethany did not explain herself. She had spent six years on this, only to realize that loving a man who did not care about her in return was incredibly painful and exhausting. The love she had given him could not be regained. All she could do was stop the loss in time. Chapter 3 Bethany finally managed to get back all the wedding invitations she had sent out. She was about to head home when Shane called. His voice was hoarse. “Get back all the invitations you sent out. We can talk about the wedding later. Yelena’s still unstable. I don’t want her to get upset right now.” Shane had already thought of what he would say if Bethany refused. He would try to guilt-trip her like usual. However, Bethany showed no emotion. She simply said, “Okay.” Shane was stunned. Even over the phone, he could sense the change in her. He knew Bethany hated anyone touching her personal things, yet he had crossed that line for Yelena. He had sent her money for the dress to stop her from arguing. That trick had always worked before. This time, she accepted it quietly, which felt strange. Shane licked his dry lips and said awkwardly, “I know Yelena’s behavior bothers you. I promise I’ll make her cooperate with the doctors and get better as soon as possible.” “Shane, the water is ready. It’s your turn to shower!” Yelena hollered at exactly the wrong moment. Shane opened his mouth to explain, but Bethany had already hung up. Bethany found it almost laughable. Yelena’s report clearly stated she had bipolar disorder, yet she had never received any real treatment. Every time, she clung to Shane and demanded he stay with her. Shane’s promises were empty. He would never keep them. Thinking about that, Bethany felt her heart grow cold. She started packing. She had only a few clothes, so just one suitcase was enough. After six years in this house, her belongings were everywhere. Photos of her and Shane were on the nightstand. Her pink apron hung in the kitchen. The couple’s toothbrush cups were in the bathroom. She threw all of her belongings into the trash. She cut herself out of the photos on the nightstand and left only Shane. Shane’s gifts, no matter their value, were all discarded. Anything burnable went into the fire. Everything else went into the trash. Even the wedding ring, a symbol of their everlasting love, was sold. She donated the money she got from it. Sea City had grown colder. Bethany developed a high fever that night, probably from the chill. Living with Shane instead of her parents had taught her to take care of herself. Even with a burning, dizzy head, she called an ambulance. Bethany did not know when she fell asleep or how long she had slept. When she woke, Shane was at her bedside. He looked worried. Yelena had not come. Shane’s voice was hoarse, but his concern was real. “Why didn’t you tell me you were sick? I called you, but you didn’t answer. If the security downstairs hadn’t called me, I wouldn’t have known you were in the hospital. Were you trying to scare me?” Bethany smiled, but her eyes were cold. “What’s the point? Weren’t you with your dear sister Yelena?” Whenever she needed Shane, he was never there. His care and warmth had never been for her. She had learned to rely on herself over the past six years. Shane frowned. “Are you blaming me? When I found out you were sick, I booked a flight back immediately. What more do you want from me?” Bethany sneered. “I didn’t need you to come. I can take care of myself.” Shane’s heart sank. Was this still the Bethany who had relied on him? He stayed silent until his phone rang again. It was Yelena. Bethany could hear her angry voice clearly over the phone. “Shane, you left me alone in Maldivea just for Bethany?!” Shane glanced at Bethany lying pale in the hospital bed and lowered his voice. “Bethany is sick and in the hospital. We’ll talk about this later.” Yelena snorted and said, “She conveniently fell sick right now? There’s no way that’s a coincidence! Don’t be fooled. She’s faking it!” Bethany could hear Yelena’s words clearly. She held back her anger and looked at Shane. Shane frowned and, as always, said softly, “Don’t worry. I’ll come back to you after she is discharged. Be a good girl, okay?” Chapter 4 Yelena did not stay in Maldivea to wait for Shane. The next day, she flew back and went straight to the hospital. When she saw Bethany lying in bed with an IV drip, Yelena smiled mockingly. “Nice act! Is pretending to be weak all you can do? Only Shane would fall for something that lame!” Bethany knew exactly what she meant. Years ago, she had stood outside the boys’ dorm all night in the pouring rain while waiting for Shane. She remembered clearly how hard it rained that night. She stood there in the storm with a guitar she had carefully chosen for Shane. The rain soaked her thin shirt and drenched her face. She fainted before Shane showed up. After that, she told herself it was not the end of the world. Loving someone who did not love her back was not the worst thing that could happen. Just as she decided to give up, Shane finally gave in. He said he would give their relationship a try. That was how she finally got the man she had wanted for so long. That rain brought her love, but it also brought her pneumonia. She got better later, but it left her with a lingering cough. Whenever the weather turned cold, she would start coughing. Bethany looked at Shane. For just a moment, she hoped he would step in to defend her. But she knew he would not. Yelena was pushy, and Bethany had put up with her long enough. She was about to break up with Shane anyway, so there was no need to keep pretending to be nice. Bethany said, “When it comes to pretending, I could never compare to you. All your tricks are pointless. You’ll always only be Shane’s sister.” The words hit Yelena like a slap. She lost her temper and threw herself at Bethany. Bethany raised her arm to block her. The IV needle snapped. A sharp pain shot through her hand, and she let out a cry. Blood mixed with the IV fluid and splashed onto her white hospital gown. Yelena had started it, so Bethany did not plan to back down. She ignored the pain in her hand and raised her arm to slap Yelena. Before she could, Shane stepped between them. The sound of the slap filled the room, and a red mark bloomed on Shane’s face. His brows furrowed, and his face darkened. “Bethany, what’s wrong with you? You know Yelena has problems. She can’t control herself. Why would you hit her?” Bethany stared at him. Her hands clenched tightly as she tried to stay calm. She said with a bitter laugh, “She’s sick, and I’m not? Why do you always have to be such a hypocrite?” Shane opened his mouth but said nothing. It was like something was stopping him from speaking. Yelena wiped her eyes dramatically. “Shane, I knew it! You don’t care about me! I don’t want to live anymore!” She ran out of the room crying. Shane went after her without a second thought and left Bethany standing there in silence. Bitterness filled Bethany’s heart. She laughed at herself. Why was she even sad? It was not like this had not happened before. Bethany was still feeling down when her phone rang. Hudson’s name flashed on the screen. Chapter 5 Bethany had not texted Hudson for several days, and it made him uneasy. He asked, “Bethany, I’ve started planning the wedding. How are things on your side?” Hudson felt nervous. He was afraid that she would say she had changed her mind and that she was not going to marry him. Bethany took a deep breath and forced herself to sound as normal as possible. She sniffled lightly and said, “I’m almost done here. I just need to wrap up a few things with work before heading back. Thanks for taking care of the wedding plans.” Hudson let out a quiet sigh of relief. Still, he could tell something was off. “Your voice sounds hoarse. Are you feeling okay? It’s been getting cold in Sea City lately. Wear a few more layers when you go out. You’ve always been a bit weak since you were young.” His gentle voice filled Bethany’s heart with warmth. “If anything comes up, call me right away. You don’t have to deal with everything alone. You have me now. I won’t let you suffer anymore.” Bethany said softly, “I’ll take care of myself. Don’t worry.” After hanging up, she looked out the window. The dark clouds had cleared, and the sky was bright again. Her mood felt better, too. Shane drove Yelena home. The whole way, he had a bad feeling that something was about to happen. He said somberly, “Yelena, you can’t keep doing this. No matter what, Bethany’s your future sister-in-law.” The moment Yelena heard “future sister-in-law,” tears streamed down her face. She looked at Shane and asked in a shaky voice, “Shane, do I even matter to you?” Shane could not stand seeing her cry. His heart softened right away. “That’s not what I meant. She’s been with me for six years. If I don’t side with her, people will talk.” Yelena stopped crying and smiled. She held onto Shane’s arm intimately. “You want to marry her just to stop the gossip? I’m still the one who matters most to you? I’ll always come before her, right?” Shane distractedly answered in the affirmative, but he felt uneasy. Maybe he had chosen Bethany out of impulse at first, but over the years, he had seen her sincerity. He knew she was the right person for him. In love, she gave him everything without holding back. At work, she could give him all the support he needed. When she had brought up marriage, he agreed. But every time Yelena cried, he could not help but give in. They had grown up together, and he could not stand seeing her sad. He always thought Bethany was stronger, so he chose to comfort Yelena instead. He kept telling himself that once Yelena got better, he could finally settle down with Bethany. As time went by, he forgot something. His favoritism toward Yelena was hurting Bethany. But he was sure that Bethany would never leave him. People who were loved always thought they would never lose it. Chapter 6 Bethany stayed in the hospital for two days, but Shane never showed up again. She opened his social media page. As expected, he was glued to Yelena again. His cover photo was Yelena’s selfie, and every single post was about her. It was almost funny. Bethany was his actual girlfriend, yet she had never appeared on his page once. In the past, thinking about it would always send her emotions spiraling. During her six years with Shane, she had turned into a bitter, miserable woman. “This terrible relationship… Maybe letting go is its own kind of relief.” Bethany smiled wryly. Once she felt well enough, she packed her things and checked out of the hospital. She was about to leave Sea City, but she needed to meet up with Mia Sanders first. Mia was her best friend. After graduation, the two of them stayed in Sea City together. Bethany stayed for love, while Mia stayed to start a business. They co-owned a coffee shop. “Mia, I can sell you my share of the coffee shop at a low price. I already promised my parents I’d go back home and get married. I won’t be coming back to Sea City.” “Are you serious? You’re giving up on Shane and marrying someone else?” Mia stared at her in disbelief. She could not believe what she had just heard. Bethany had expected that reaction. She had been so loud and bold about her love for Shane. She had even sworn that she would marry no one else. Thinking back, she found herself foolish. She tried to brush it off. “Yeah. I’ll head back after I finish tying up a few loose ends. You’ll have to be my bridesmaid.” The coffee shop had taken a lot of effort from both of them. Mia figured that if Bethany was willing to sell her share, she must have really made up her mind to leave. “Alright. I’m glad you’ve finally figured it out. No point hanging on to something that’s already broken.” Mia asked Bethany to draft a contract. Once they signed it, Bethany officially cut her last tie to Sea City. As she stepped out of the coffee shop, her phone rang. It was Shane. “My dad’s back. He wants you to come over for dinner. The chef’s already preparing the food. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.” Bethany did not want to go, but then she thought about it again. Shane’s father still did not know that he wanted to postpone the wedding again. She was leaving soon anyway. She might as well tell his father in person so that everything would be settled properly. Not long after, Shane arrived to pick her up. Bethany was texting her mother about the wedding. He glanced over and saw the word “wedding” on her screen. His face darkened. “I told you to let your parents know we’re postponing it. You didn’t tell them?” His tone made Bethany’s chest tighten. He knew that constant delays would make them unhappy, so he had simply dumped the problem on her. Whenever things got hard, she was the one taking the hit, while he just stood by and watched. Bethany chuckled. “I already told them. Don’t worry. I’m not clinging to you any longer.” Shane froze and tried to explain himself. “You’ve got it wrong. That’s not what I meant! I just—” “Forget it. It doesn’t matter anymore.” Bethany did not give him the chance to explain. She opened the car door and got in. She rolled down the window and looked outside. The wind brushed against her cheek. Neither of them said another word. When they first got together, Bethany always had so much to say. But her desire to talk had faded along with her love. When they arrived at the Stafford villa, Bethany and Shane walked in one after another. Shane’s father, Gavin Stafford, was a businessman. He was strict with Shane but always kind to Bethany. “Bethany, you’re here! I asked the chef to make your favorite food. Dinner’s almost ready.” As soon as he said that, Phoebe Lawson and Yelena came down the stairs, arm in arm. Neither of them looked happy to see Bethany. At dinner, Yelena insisted on sitting between Shane and Bethany and kept asking Shane to serve her some food. “They grew up together, after all. Their bond is just special,” Phoebe said and shot Bethany a meaningful look. Bethany felt sick. She set down her spoon and turned to Gavin. “Mr. Stafford, the wedding has been put on hold. Shane must’ve mentioned it to you, right?” Chapter 7 Gavin froze for a moment. It was clear he did not know anything about it. “What do you mean it’s been put on hold? Didn’t you already send out the invitations?” Shane lowered his head. He had not found the right time to tell Gavin about postponing the wedding, and he did not expect Bethany to bring it up first. Bethany threw the question to Shane. “You should ask Shane about it. It was his decision.” Gavin’s face hardened. “What could be more important than your marriage? The invitations are already out. Do you want to make this family a joke in front of everyone?” Before Shane could speak, Yelena chimed in and said, “Dad, don’t blame Shane! He postponed the wedding to take care of me.” “That’s ridiculous!” Gavin snapped. “You’re not a child anymore! When will you learn to behave? I don’t know what your mother’s been teaching you.” Yelena was not Gavin’s biological daughter, but ever since Phoebe married into the Stafford family, he had treated her like his own. He adored her and rarely raised his voice at her. Yelena could not handle it and ran out of the house crying. “Are you happy now? Look what you’ve done!” Shane did not hesitate to go after her. “Did you have to yell at her like that? If something happens to Yelena, I’ll never forgive you!” Phoebe shot Bethany a glare before walking upstairs. “Bethany, you wait here. I’ll talk to her,” Gavin said and followed Phoebe upstairs. Bethany had seen this many times before. It no longer surprised her. She suddenly felt tired. This whole situation had dragged on for too long. She was sick of it. Yelena always came between them because Shane always took her side, and Phoebe never set any limits on her child. Yelena was her parents’ precious daughter, but Bethany was loved just as much by her parents. She wanted to leave, but her manners would not let her walk out without saying goodbye. She went upstairs to thank Gavin in person. But when she reached the door, she heard his voice from inside. “You’re so foolish! The company’s short twenty million. The bank won’t lend us another cent. The Cole family has money. Once Bethany marries into our family, they’ll invest in the company. If it goes under, how will you afford all your luxuries? “I know Yelena likes Shane, but can’t you tell her to wait a little longer? Why does she keep causing a scene? Once the company stabilizes, I won’t stop them from being together. For now, keep her in line! I don’t want her causing trouble.” Bethany’s face went pale. The man she once thought was kind and fatherly turned out to be just as selfish and calculating. Was this why Shane had agreed to marry her in the first place? Her hands felt cold. She quietly backed away and left the Stafford villa. She did not want to stay there any longer. The thought of Shane and his family made her sick. Six years of her life had gone to waste! When she got home, Shane arrived soon after. He looked rushed. He went straight to the bedroom and grabbed a few clothes. Then, he noticed a suitcase by the closet. “What’s this?” Bethany came up with an excuse. “It’s the clothes I don’t wear anymore. I’m planning to donate them.” Shane nodded. He did not think much of it. “Yelena hurt herself again. She’s in the hospital. I’ll stay there for a couple of days to look after her.” He left in a hurry. He did not even realize that half the things in the house were gone. When the door closed behind him, Bethany felt a quiet sense of relief. She blocked his contact, then wrote him a note. [Shane, let’s break up. I’m marrying someone else.] She placed the note and her key on the shoe cabinet, took her suitcase, and headed straight to the airport. From that day on, Shane’s world no longer had Bethany in it.