Chapter 241 – Until You Say Sorry Novel

“You live nearby, right? I can help you take them back.”

“Thank you.” The old woman accepted their help and began showing them the way.

Kendrick smoothly held Niamh’s hand in his before following.

Niamh’s attempt to break free was to no avail.

“The two of you sure are a loving couple, coming to the seaside despite how cold it is.” The old woman looked back with a smile that deepened when her eyes fell on Niamh and Kendrick’s interlocked hands. “You sure are a lucky lady to have such a loving husband. I remember how he ran all the way when you hurt your leg years ago, panting when he arrived at the health center. Oh, how worried he must have been. I knew right then that the two of you would end up together, and I was right.”

Niamh’s lips curled mockingly at the words as she looked at Kendrick.

“All you see is just the surface of the truth, old madam.”

“This old madam saw nothing short of love and affection in this handsome young man’s eyes when he looks at you,” the old woman teased, saying, “Quarreling is not uncommon when it comes to married couples. I used to nag my late husband every day too, but I found the world growing too quiet the moment he passed.

“Life is much shorter than you think, so cherish the people in front of you now.”

“You’re right, old madam. I’ll definitely cherish my wife and make her happy,” Kendrick quickly piped up.

The old woman turned to look at him hopefully.

Soon after, the trio arrived at the old woman’s house.

Niamh took the chance to pull away from Kendrick’s hold and bid her farewell, but the old woman seemed passionate about inviting them for lunch.

Realizing Niamh was about to reject her, Kendrick agreed before she could.

The old woman began to prepare lunch joyfully. “My children are all in the city and they don’t return very often. I’m glad that there’s finally someone who’d spend time with good old me today.”

Half an hour later, a table of simple yet delicious home-cooked dishes was made.

Placing some of the dishes on Niamh’s plates, Kendrick had never felt such a simple meal to be so fulfilling.

It seemed like Niamh’s presence made anything he did satisfying.

Niamh helped the old woman with the dishes after lunch and made a move to leave.

The winter afternoon sun was pleasantly bright and warm today. Niamh returned quietly to the beach.

Turning around, she stared at the man who followed her here.

Kendrick’s smile was gentle, his eyes never once leaving her today.

“You have half a day left, Kendrick. Is there anything else you would like me to do?” Niamh’s tone was cold as she took the entire situation as it was—a business deal.

There was not a shred of patience in her eyes, for she complied merely for the sake of her child.

Kendrick slowly walked toward her, an enchanting smile gracing his ethereal appearance.

“Anything you want to do, as long as I get to spend the day by your side.”

“Hmph.” Niamh raised a delicate brow at the absurdity of his words. “Since when have you cared when I stayed wide awake for nights waiting and hoping for you to come home to me? Now you’re telling me that you want to spend the day with me? Kendrick Waldburg, don’t look so satisfied with yourself. Don’t you realize how shallow you’re acting?”

Kendrick’s sharp brows pinched. “Yes, it is shallow. I can’t believe I’m stooping so low either, but what else am I supposed to do?

“I can’t turn back time. I can’t go back to when you first returned to my life so that I can hug you and tell you I like you.”

The light in Kendrick’s eyes dimmed as his shoulders grew heavy with gloom.

Suddenly, he reached out to hold Niamh’s shoulders.

“What’s done is done, Niamh. I can’t force you to forgive me because I can’t bring myself to forgive me either. I’d be a fool to believe that you could love me again, so the only thing I can do is to make you hate me. At least then, you’ll still keep me in your heart.”

At that, Niamh broke into a mocking chuckle.

Even so, her eyes grew wet as the sea wind blew despite her laughter.

“Do you even hear what you’re saying, Kendrick?” She scoffed, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “You’re telling me that you loved me since the moment we met again, yet you’ve taken a part of my flesh away?”

Niamh’s expression darkened the most at the mention of ‘love’.

“Is this what it means to love someone, Kendrick? Being in love means that you wish the best for that person! Not to break, destroy, and torture them!”

Niamh let out the rage within as her tears began to trickle from the corner of her eyes with the sea breeze.

They fell on the back of Kendrick’s hand, the warmth of the tears searing his flesh.

“You don’t need to lie to yourself, Kendrick, and I don’t need you to lie to me. The one you’ve loved this entire time has been Nevaeh all along, I can see it in the way you protect her despite the evil things she has done. Yet what did you do when I was slandered and scolded? You left me outside by the road in the pouring rain. You left me to die!”

Kendrick choked in silent agony at the words.

He opened his arms to hold Niamh in them. “Stop talking, please…” He pleaded softly, his tone weak.

Niamh struggled to get out of Kendrick’s embrace, but it was to no avail.

Infuriated, she raised a fist to hammer it against his chest. “Let me go, Kendrick! Why can’t I keep talking, hmm? If you had the galls to do it, then why can’t you have the galls to hear it from me?

“You crushed me under your foot time and time again when I was so irrevocably in love with you! Even until the day I ‘died’, you were still getting happily engaged with Nevaeh. Do you have even the slightest idea what it feels like to have your heart pierced? I wish I had actually died because even that would hurt less!”

Kendrick’s arms tightened as he took in every word of rage Niamh threw at him.

Each one of them cut into his heart like daggers, bringing him to a whole new height of unbearable pain.

He dared not revisit that blood-filled memory, let alone watch her ‘die’ in his arms again.

Tears fell freely from Kendrick’s eyes silently while his throat ached with every gulp.

Not knowing what comforting and apologetic words he could offer, Kendrick tightened his hold in fear that she would once more slip away from his life again.

Niamh took a deep breath to calm the raging storm of emotions within her, but she seemed to be unable to hold her tears back.

Her heart ached as she relived the past.

Void of the strength to struggle and hit him, she resorted to light scoffs.

“I was so happy when I met you the first time. You were my friend and the first boy who I impulsively decided I would live forever with. Yet, the fact that I love you is of the past, just like the rainbow shell I gifted you back then. It doesn’t exist anymore!”

Kendrick’s hold finally relaxed, only to have him procure something from his pocket and display it on his palm.

Niamh was stunned to find that it was the rainbow shell she had previously thrown away in the busy street.

Did he get it back?

“I still have the shell you gifted me.” Kendrick’s reddened and wet eyes rushed with joy. “Does that mean we still have a chance, Niamh?”

Niamh reached out to take the shell.

Looking at the hope in Kendrick’s eyes, Niamh’s heart growled crudely before she moved to fling it at the ocean.

“Niamh, no.” Kendrick immediately tried to stop her, his hand lifting her off the ground by her waist as the other reached for her hand.

“Let go of me, Kendrick. There’s no future for us anymore!” Niamh struggled furiously. “I’m not going to believe your lies about loving me either! I’ll never believe you, not even if I die!”

Kendrick immediately tried to comfort her. “Listen to me. Niamh, I mean what I said. I love you, I do.”

“No! Let go of me, Ken… Mmph?”

Niamh had not expected Kendrick to lean over to kiss her amidst her struggles.

His overpowering scent was all she could breathe in. It was tender and greedy as it overwhelmed the fragrant and sweet scent of her own.

---