Love Too Late, Ashes Too Soon

Chapter 6

I had fallen for him fifteen years ago.

We first met in high school. I was dirt poor, surviving off scholarships I'd earned by studying like my life depended on it. Those scholarships were my lifeline, my only way to afford food, rent, and books.

But somehow, I managed to offend the school's golden girl, top of the class, beautiful, rich, and mean as hell.

To get back at me, she rallied her posse of girlfriends and lovesick fanboys to spread the nastiest rumors imaginable. They claimed I had slept with the principal and the dean to land my scholarship.

They even photoshopped my face onto explicit photos and plastered them around campus. The looks people gave me, disgust, contempt, like I was some kind of parasite.

Some guys even had the nerve to tug at my backpack straps and ask, "How much for a night?"

I went to the school for help. You'd think someone, anyone, would step in. Instead, they blamed me. Said I must've done something to deserve it, that no one gets hated like that for no reason.

I was done. I dragged myself to the rooftop of the teaching building and stood there, ready to end it all.

And that's when Frank found me. He was on his lunch break, and somehow, he just knew.

He pulled me back.

Then he dragged me down to face the queen bee and her clique, demanding they admit what they'd done.

No one dared defy Frank, not with the kind of family he came from.

Thanks to him, I managed to make it through high school in one piece.

I asked him once why he helped me. He smiled, the kind of smile that made you believe everything might be okay.

"Because your eyes told me you weren't lying," he said.

"You're a good person. Not like what they say. I couldn't stand seeing them tear you down like that."

Thinking back to his face in that moment, I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

Back then, he trusted me, no questions asked.

But now, he blindly believes Jennifer. Takes every word she says as gospel. Thinks I'm some jealous, vindictive monster.

Why? Because Jennifer matters more to him now.

The one who loves more always ends up getting hurt worse.

Frank later posted an update on the company's official account. His way of showing "sincerity."

It was a wedding photo of him and Jennifer.

The caption: "After everything, it's still you."

He wrapped up the day's affairs quickly and took Jennifer home.

Jennifer clung to him like always, but he gently nudged her toward the bedroom. Then he stood on the study balcony, chain-smoking, scrolling through his phone again and again, like he was looking for someone. Or maybe something.

"Damn it," he muttered, tugging at his hair. "Where the hell is Autumn? Why can't I find her anywhere?"

He paced, agitated.

"I'm getting married tomorrow. What if she shows up and ruins everything? She will. She's so jealous of Jennifer, there's no way she'll just let it go."

I almost laughed.

Relax, Frank. I don't have it in me anymore.

Then, almost out of nowhere, his tone softened into a strange kind of nostalgia.

"She's just causing trouble because she still loves me," he said, smiling faintly. "I haven't been thinking about her feelings lately. I've been too busy trying to make Jennifer feel better."

"If she does show up tomorrow, I won't be mad. Maybe I've been too harsh. Maybe I should try something softer next time. Be a little more patient with her."

I stared at him, stunned.

Even now, he was still thinking about how to discipline me.

Like I was some misbehaving child he needed to tame.

How absurd.