LOGINShare
Chapter 13
Last Updated:
2024-12-25 18:28:00Related chapters
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 14
Why? Dominic didn’t have an answer. It had been a moment of impulsiveness. But if he hoped to convince his strict parents to approve this decision, he needed a compelling reason—one that couldn’t be dismissed so easily. He lowered his gaze, letting memories of his time with Valerie flood his mind. He had thought their first meeting was at the bar outside their university, but in reality, they had crossed paths countless times four years earlier.He had believed she fell for him at first sight, drawn by his looks, but her love had long since taken root—sprawling and steadfast, like an ancient tree. He had assumed they would part ways eventually, but six years later, her presence had become an irreplaceable part of his life. The moments replayed vividly: her tentative hand reaching for his in the snowstorm, the warm embrace she gave him at their graduation as she stood on tiptoes, the daily exchanges of “good morning” and “goodnight” once they began living together. Scene af
Last Updated : 2024-12-25A Reluctant Promise Chapter 15
Satisfied with the outcome, Dominic left his parents’ room and returned to his own. He picked up his phone, which had been sitting untouched on the desk for days, and pressed the power button. The ten-second boot-up felt agonizingly long. His anticipation soared. He couldn’t wait to share the news with Valerie. His left hand, still slightly trembling, keyed in the password. As the network struggled to reconnect, he opened the dial pad first, manually entering her number and pressing call. Each ring stretched endlessly, teasing his patience, until a cold, automated voice greeted him: "The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later." Unavailable? Could she be stuck in an elevator with no signal? It didn’t seem likely. Countless possibilities raced through Dominic’s mind. He placed the phone back on the desk and switched to WhatsApp.The app opened to an overwhelming flood of red notification dots, his screen cluttered with unread messages. Ea
Last Updated : 2024-12-25A Reluctant Promise Chapter 16
Dominic did not follow the doctor’s advice. He left the hospital and went straight home. He stood in his once cozy apartment, now empty and desolate, and watched as the familiar warmth of his life seemed to slip further away. A sense of panic that had gripped his heart spread outward, invading every inch of his body. The living room, the bedroom, the study—all the remnants of his life with Valerie were gone. Not a trace remained. She had completely erased herself from his life. Dominic felt like a lost ship adrift in the dark night, aimless and helpless, his mind a chaotic mess. He tried reaching out through his friends to contact Valerie but discovered that she had removed every connection to him. Every person tied to him, every thread of familiarity, was obliterated. She had made up her mind to sever all ties. Her resolute and unyielding attitude drove Dominic into a spiral of confusion. His reason and composure crumbled. Unable to think clearly, he dragged his inju
Last Updated : 2024-12-25A Reluctant Promise Chapter 17
Samson, who had been standing to the side, heard the words and instantly leaped to his feet, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief. “You’ve only been broken up with Dom for a few days, and you’re already going on blind dates? You—” Valerie took two steps back, creating some distance between herself and Dominic. She glanced at Samson, her voice calm and unbothered. “We’ve broken up. Whether I go on blind dates or not isn’t any of your concern.” Dominic stared at his outstretched hand, his throat working as though trying to swallow his emotions. He turned to face her, pain and sorrow evident in his eyes. “If you want to get married, shouldn’t I be the one you’re marrying?” A faint smile appeared on Valerie’s face. “Sorry. I’m the type of person who doesn’t go back to old relationships,” she said lightly. The words hit Dominic like a punch to the gut, and his face visibly darkened. Samson hadn’t expected to hear the words coming from her. He immediately took a stan
Last Updated : 2024-12-25A Reluctant Promise Chapter 18
After dinner, it was exactly six o’clock. Mrs. Stonecutter sat on the sofa, sipping her tea, while Valerie and her husband were in the kitchen washing dishes and tidying up. Mr. Stonecutter wiped the grease off the counter and glanced at Valerie, hesitating as if to say something. “Val, Callum asked me to ask you. What do you think of Tiberius?” Valerie paused for a second with her hands in the dishwater, squinting slightly as she began to consider the question. Tiberius? She recalled their first meeting four days ago—their mutual shyness and politeness—and then thought of their recent conversations, which had grown easier as they began discussing the past. It could be considered rapid progress, she thought. She nodded slowly, her voice laced with hesitation. “He’s…nice. Why did he ask?” “Why? Of course, because he likes you, my girl. He wants you to be Tiberius’s wife. He’s been hoping for you to return to Elara. “When he heard we were setting you up on blind dates,
Last Updated : 2024-12-25A Reluctant Promise Chapter 19
Valerie didn’t feel sleepy until three in the morning. At ten the next day, the alarm she had set went off on time, pulling her out of her half-asleep state. She groggily got out of bed and realized her parents had already gone to work. The kitchen still held the warm aroma of breakfast. After washing up, Valerie ate her breakfast while looking at the two interviews she had scheduled for the afternoon. One was at 2 PM, and the other at 4:30 PM—both located within a half-hour's distance from her home. Having figured out the routes, she went back to her room, tidied up her things, and began preparing. At 1 PM, she grabbed her bag and went downstairs, only to find the two figures still waiting below. They looked as if they hadn’t slept all night. The moment he saw her, Dominic stood up and blocked her path. His voice was laced with exhaustion and desperation. “Val, can we talk?” Valerie looked at the time.“Sorry, I have things to do. I’m busy,” she said flatly.Rejected
Last Updated : 2024-12-25A Reluctant Promise Chapter 20
After her second interview, Valerie didn’t see Dominic and Samson outside, so she finally let out a sigh of relief. She looked at the setting sun on the horizon, hesitating between having a meal out or heading home. Just then, her phone pinged. [Finished your interview? How did it go?] It was Tiberius. She recalled the conversation, which had been relatively pleasant, and she felt confident about the outcome. She sent a cute dog meme in response. Not long after, he replied: [Since it went so smoothly, let’s celebrate. I’ll take you to dinner.] She instinctively wanted to refuse. However, remembering that he had given her a referral for her second interview, she felt obliged to accept. She deleted the initial response: [That’d be too much trouble for you] and replaced it with [I should treat you instead.] Then sent it without a second thought. [Then I’ll gladly accept. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up. Send me your address. Take a moment to think about what you’
Last Updated : 2024-12-25A Reluctant Promise Chapter 21
At eight o'clock in the evening, dark clouds gathered in the sky, heavy and ominous. The air was thick with the scent of dust and moisture, hinting at rain. Samson, burdened with dark circles under his eyes, glanced at the weather forecast and, with a weak voice, said, “Dom, the doctor said this afternoon that you need rest. It’s going to rain tonight. Just come back to the hotel with me and see Valerie tomorrow, alright?” Dominic's gaze remained fixed on the entrance as he answered in a hoarse voice, “If you’re tired, go rest. Don’t worry about me. I know my limits.” Samson felt a wave of helplessness come over him. His pleas fell on deaf ears, and knowing he couldn’t persuade Dominic, he gave up and headed to a nearby store to buy some food and rain gear. As soon as he stepped inside, Dominic caught sight of that familiar car entering his line of vision. Memories of that man from the other day came flooding back, and all his nerves tensed. His body radiated a powerful, inst
Last Updated : 2024-12-25
Latest chapter
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 25
Valerie and Tiberius chose to get married in late autumn.Dominic flew to Tarvos a day earlier. He spent the entire night alone in a hotel room. At 10 a.m. the next day, he changed into a formal suit and made his way to the wedding venue alone. The person assigned to collect the wedding gifts was from Tiberius’s side of the family and did not know him. Upon seeing him, they asked his name. Dominic didn’t give his name. Instead, he simply said that he was an ex-classmate sending a gift on behalf of their group and asked them to record him as such. After his brief introduction, Dominic reached into his pocket, pulled out a card, and, amidst the astonished glances of onlookers, calmly said, “Valerie knows. Please ensure she accepts this. It’s a small token from an ex-classmate wishing her happiness.” The wedding took place at a hotel nestled in the mountains. The venue was surrounded by a sea of pink roses, and the air buzzed with laughter and joy. Dominic casually found an e
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 24
Dominic refused to listen to advice, insisting on standing in the rain downstairs, waiting for Valerie to change her mind. By noon, however, he could no longer hold on and collapsed in exhaustion. Samson took him to the hospital that very night. After an examination, the doctor confirmed that the wound had become infected and instructed Dominic to be sent to Elara City Hospital as soon as possible. Terrified, Samson was on the verge of collapsing himself as he frantically called the Parker family to explain the situation. By 3 a.m., with a high fever that showed no signs of abating, Dominic was on a plane bound for Elara. Before sunrise the next day, he was already in the operating room. After only an hour of surgery, the doctor emerged hurriedly, bringing devastating news. “The wound infection is severe. Despite medical advances, the only way to save his life is to amputate his right hand. If we could transfer him to a specialist overseas right now, there might still b
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 23
Dominic understood but chose to pretend otherwise. He couldn’t accept the reality that she had let go, and so he shook his head desperately, his face full of pain and despair. “I don’t understand, Valerie. Please don’t say things like that.” For the second time, she saw that same fragile, helpless expression on his face. She remembered the last time, on the day she discovered the truth. She had been dazed and confused as she helped a drunken Dominic back home. He had clung to her, calling out “Camilla” all night. By the time morning came, he had fallen asleep, and so had her heart—completely and irreversibly. It had only been a little over a month, but when she thought about it now, it felt so distant, as if it had happened in a past life. Time truly was the best medicine for healing wounds. Faced with his unreasonable attempts to cling to her, she remained calm, her heart untouched. She looked down quietly at his injured hand.“Denying it won’t change anything. It
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 22
Valerie did not want to be endlessly entangled by Dominic, and a growing thought emerged in her mind: she needed to make things clear with him. She found a reason to send her parents home first, then, under the intense gaze that burned through her, she took the initiative to walk up to Dominic.“If you have something to say, you better say it now. I’ll give you ten minutes. Once you’re done, leave. Don’t show up in front of me again.”When Dominic saw her approach he thought he had grasped a sliver of hope but after hearing her words, he wasn’t so sure anymore.Still, no matter what it was, he just wanted to cling to it and never let go. Without wasting a moment, he poured his heart out to her.“Val, on your birthday, didn’t you say you wanted to get married? I know you said that to me. I just needed some time to think it through, and now I’ve made up my mind. I want to marry you. Will you give me another chance to build a life with you?”These were the words Valerie had longe
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 21
At eight o'clock in the evening, dark clouds gathered in the sky, heavy and ominous. The air was thick with the scent of dust and moisture, hinting at rain. Samson, burdened with dark circles under his eyes, glanced at the weather forecast and, with a weak voice, said, “Dom, the doctor said this afternoon that you need rest. It’s going to rain tonight. Just come back to the hotel with me and see Valerie tomorrow, alright?” Dominic's gaze remained fixed on the entrance as he answered in a hoarse voice, “If you’re tired, go rest. Don’t worry about me. I know my limits.” Samson felt a wave of helplessness come over him. His pleas fell on deaf ears, and knowing he couldn’t persuade Dominic, he gave up and headed to a nearby store to buy some food and rain gear. As soon as he stepped inside, Dominic caught sight of that familiar car entering his line of vision. Memories of that man from the other day came flooding back, and all his nerves tensed. His body radiated a powerful, inst
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 20
After her second interview, Valerie didn’t see Dominic and Samson outside, so she finally let out a sigh of relief. She looked at the setting sun on the horizon, hesitating between having a meal out or heading home. Just then, her phone pinged. [Finished your interview? How did it go?] It was Tiberius. She recalled the conversation, which had been relatively pleasant, and she felt confident about the outcome. She sent a cute dog meme in response. Not long after, he replied: [Since it went so smoothly, let’s celebrate. I’ll take you to dinner.] She instinctively wanted to refuse. However, remembering that he had given her a referral for her second interview, she felt obliged to accept. She deleted the initial response: [That’d be too much trouble for you] and replaced it with [I should treat you instead.] Then sent it without a second thought. [Then I’ll gladly accept. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up. Send me your address. Take a moment to think about what you’
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 19
Valerie didn’t feel sleepy until three in the morning. At ten the next day, the alarm she had set went off on time, pulling her out of her half-asleep state. She groggily got out of bed and realized her parents had already gone to work. The kitchen still held the warm aroma of breakfast. After washing up, Valerie ate her breakfast while looking at the two interviews she had scheduled for the afternoon. One was at 2 PM, and the other at 4:30 PM—both located within a half-hour's distance from her home. Having figured out the routes, she went back to her room, tidied up her things, and began preparing. At 1 PM, she grabbed her bag and went downstairs, only to find the two figures still waiting below. They looked as if they hadn’t slept all night. The moment he saw her, Dominic stood up and blocked her path. His voice was laced with exhaustion and desperation. “Val, can we talk?” Valerie looked at the time.“Sorry, I have things to do. I’m busy,” she said flatly.Rejected
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 18
After dinner, it was exactly six o’clock. Mrs. Stonecutter sat on the sofa, sipping her tea, while Valerie and her husband were in the kitchen washing dishes and tidying up. Mr. Stonecutter wiped the grease off the counter and glanced at Valerie, hesitating as if to say something. “Val, Callum asked me to ask you. What do you think of Tiberius?” Valerie paused for a second with her hands in the dishwater, squinting slightly as she began to consider the question. Tiberius? She recalled their first meeting four days ago—their mutual shyness and politeness—and then thought of their recent conversations, which had grown easier as they began discussing the past. It could be considered rapid progress, she thought. She nodded slowly, her voice laced with hesitation. “He’s…nice. Why did he ask?” “Why? Of course, because he likes you, my girl. He wants you to be Tiberius’s wife. He’s been hoping for you to return to Elara. “When he heard we were setting you up on blind dates,
A Reluctant Promise Chapter 17
Samson, who had been standing to the side, heard the words and instantly leaped to his feet, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief. “You’ve only been broken up with Dom for a few days, and you’re already going on blind dates? You—” Valerie took two steps back, creating some distance between herself and Dominic. She glanced at Samson, her voice calm and unbothered. “We’ve broken up. Whether I go on blind dates or not isn’t any of your concern.” Dominic stared at his outstretched hand, his throat working as though trying to swallow his emotions. He turned to face her, pain and sorrow evident in his eyes. “If you want to get married, shouldn’t I be the one you’re marrying?” A faint smile appeared on Valerie’s face. “Sorry. I’m the type of person who doesn’t go back to old relationships,” she said lightly. The words hit Dominic like a punch to the gut, and his face visibly darkened. Samson hadn’t expected to hear the words coming from her. He immediately took a stan
