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Chapter 21

Author: Nameless
The familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar voice froze Shermaine in her tracks. She turned around and, as expected, saw Ezra's face—half sorrowful, half joyful.

More than four years had passed, and it seemed like he had aged nearly ten years.

He was still handsome, but his eyes carried a heaviness, a deep melancholy that wasn't there before. It was hard to believe that this was the same man who had been the confident CEO of Yarbrough International five years ago.

Ezra's grip on Shermaine's hand tightened slightly.

The delicate, cool face of the woman before him gradually came into focus, no longer the blurred image from his dreams. This meant he wasn't dreaming.

It was as if the emptiness inside him had been filled in an instant, and all the unease and panic he'd carried for the past few years evaporated in that moment.

"Shermaine." Ezra whispered her name again, his eyes reddened at the corners, as if on the verge of tears.

Shermaine snapped back to reality. She frowned slightly, he
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    In his hand, he held a black blazer, clearly not a match for Shermaine's white mermaid gown. It looked more like a man's jacket. "It's a bit chilly inside. Do you want to put this on?" Eddie asked, his voice casual, but already he was draping the jacket over Shermaine's shoulders.As he lowered his gaze, his expression softened, and for a brief moment, there was a tenderness in his eyes.Ezra recognized that look instantly. What made it even harder for him to accept was that Shermaine, who had always been so careful about boundaries with others, didn't pull away. She allowed Eddie to drape the jacket over her without hesitation. She even lifted her soft, delicate face to smile slightly at him. "Thank you."The scene hit Ezra like a sharp blow, and his chest tightened in pain. He felt a sudden rush of anger and jealousy, his breath coming in heavier bursts. He stepped forward quickly, wanting to separate them, but just as he did, Eddie turned to face him.Ezra froze. His e

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    As soon as Shermaine got into the car after leaving the event, she instinctively sensed that she was being followed.She glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the familiar license plate. Her face remained unchanged, and her voice was calm as she said, "Drive on."Ezra followed her to the apartment complex where she now lived. It was an unremarkable neighborhood, nothing special about it at all.Shermaine acted like she hadn't even noticed his presence. But just as she was about to enter the building, she suddenly stopped.Turning around, she looked at Ezra, her eyes colder than the night air around them."Mr. Yarbrough, if you keep following me, it's going to start looking bad, don't you think?"Shermaine allowed him to follow because she knew there was nothing he could really do to her. After all, she was under national protection now. She didn't have to be afraid of any trouble or threats.Only then did Ezra step forward. The cold, desolate night seemed to make his lone figur

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    There was still nearly half a month before the results would be out. Shermaine had only told her parents about this. No one else knew, not even Nikki. After a restless night, she slept in the next morning, and when she woke up, she felt much more refreshed. She pulled open the curtains and immediately spotted Ezra still standing down below. He seemed to be truly freezing, his body trembling slightly, his eyes bloodshot with a look of deep despair. Shermaine took one glance at him before quickly closing the curtains. For a moment, she almost forgot about his bothersome presence.Having finished up her work at the research institute, Shermaine still had to go to her regular job. She had kept her professor position at Judgeton University, which meant she could return to work there anytime.On her way to work, she took the back gate of the apartment complex to avoid Ezra. She also made sure to stop by a real estate agency, asking them to help her find a better place to live.Ezr

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 25

    The child in front of Shermaine seemed around three years old, his wide, curious eyes locked onto her. He seemed to think bumping into people was a fun game, as he awkwardly shuffled his short legs backward, ready to charge at her again. Shermaine rubbed the spot where he'd collided with her. She didn't want to make a fuss with a toddler, but there was a flicker of irritation rising in her chest. "Whose kid is this? Where are his parents? Children shouldn't be here." "That's my son." A familiar, sweet voice rang out, laced with a hint of challenge. "Other people's kids aren't allowed, but my special status allows me to bring him." Melanie clicked her heels over to them, her high heels tapping loudly on the floor. Compared to years ago, she was no longer the naive girl she once was. Now, she looked much more polished and mature, though her eyes had become sharper, with an edge of bitterness. Shermaine hadn't expected to run into Melanie here. Judging by the time, Melanie s

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    Melanie lost her composure immediately, screaming from across the room, "Are you all crazy or blind? I'm Mrs. Yarbrough! She's the one you should be taking away! Let go of me! You'll regret this when Ezra hears about it!" Normally, the security guards would be wary of her name-dropping Ezra. But things were different now. Ezra wasn't as important as Shermaine. The school staff and security were all well aware of Shermaine's status, though they kept it confidential for her safety and privacy.After Melanie and her child were dragged off as Melanie hurtled insults, the head of security approached Shermaine with a respectful greeting. "Professor Stout, Melanie is a recent hire, so she doesn't know the rules. Should I help you report this to the dean?" Shermaine lazily lifted her eyelids. "No need. I understand the dean's situation. Since Ezra pushed her into this role, there's no real harm in keeping her around as long as she doesn't cause much trouble. I won't be here for long a

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 27

    Upon hearing Shermaine's words, Melanie's face twisted with a fleeting look of rage. The anger and bitterness in her eyes grew stronger.Shermaine realized she been right all along. Ezra wanted to have it both ways.The thought of him pretending to be so deeply in love with her earlier made Shermaine's stomach churn. It was hard to believe she had once been taken in by his act.Melanie, clueless about Shermaine's meaning, assumed she was simply reluctant to divorce and grew more smug."Yes, Ezra's exact words were that if you hadn't left without a word and then disappeared without a trace, he would have divorced you long ago. You ran off in such a hurry because you were avoiding Ezra bringing up divorce, huh? So, all those times you acted so aloof and composed were all just an act. The truth is, you can't let go of Ezra."Laughter rippled through the crowd of onlookers.The drama between the three of them had caused quite a stir back then. Ezra had publicly admitted to his affair

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    Melanie nearly couldn't hold back her smile. She quickly moved forward while holding the child, and in a sweet, high-pitched voice, called out, "Ezra, why did you take so long to get here? If you were any later, your son and I would've been bullied."But to her surprise, Ezra didn't stop beside her. He walked straight past, heading for Shermaine.Ezra's handsome face was filled with concern, his usually indifferent dark eyes now showing rare humility. He lowered his voice as he cautiously spoke to Shermaine, "Shermaine, she didn't do anything to you, did she? I'm sorry I'm late. Don't be angry. Whatever it is, I'll explain it at home. I'll do anything you want."The atmosphere suddenly grew tense and awkward. The bystanders, who were too far away to hear Ezra's words, could still tell something unusual was happening from his submissive posture in front of Shermaine. A few people who were closer exchanged shocked glances, their faces a mix of panic and disbelief. They hadn't expect

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 29

    Under Ezra's hopeful gaze, Shermaine gently lifted her hand and touched the crying boy's small face.Ezra's eyes visibly lit up with excitement. He thought, perhaps, Shermaine had already forgiven him.But what he didn't expect was what came next."In the past, I did want to have a child with you," Shermaine said as she slowly pulled her hand away, her tone light yet cold, carrying an air of indifference. "But then, I realized something. I'm actually glad we didn't have a child. If we had one, it would have only tied me to you longer."Shermaine smiled at him, but the smile was filled with distance and coldness."Looking back, I don't even hate you for drugging me and causing me to lose the child. In fact, maybe I should thank you.""No, that's not what happened," Ezra choked, the weight of regret and pain threatening to overwhelm him. "I never meant to cause you to miscarry. It's all my fault. If you really feel nothing for me anymore, why did you leave me all those things to re

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  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 30

    The situation unfolded suddenly.Melanie, in a frenzy, slammed her car toward the two of them.Ezra reacted quickly, shoving Shermaine aside, but he was caught under the wheels. In an instant, he was left fighting for breath, barely alive.Before Shermaine could fully process what happened, Melanie, in a wild, frantic state, jumped out of the car, clutching a fruit knife in her hand.But this time, she didn't get the chance to get close to Shermaine.As she neared and was about ten feet away, she was swiftly restrained by the bodyguards who had been lurking nearby.Melanie screamed and cursed, her voice filled with madness, as she struggled against the guards.Shermaine, still in shock, couldn't tear her eyes away from Ezra, whose blood pooled on the ground. Her expression was mixed—conflicted and unreadable.Ezra was still alive, but just barely. His breath was labored as he looked at her with a pleading gaze, his lips parting as if he wanted to say something.But Shermaine t

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  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 27

    Upon hearing Shermaine's words, Melanie's face twisted with a fleeting look of rage. The anger and bitterness in her eyes grew stronger.Shermaine realized she been right all along. Ezra wanted to have it both ways.The thought of him pretending to be so deeply in love with her earlier made Shermaine's stomach churn. It was hard to believe she had once been taken in by his act.Melanie, clueless about Shermaine's meaning, assumed she was simply reluctant to divorce and grew more smug."Yes, Ezra's exact words were that if you hadn't left without a word and then disappeared without a trace, he would have divorced you long ago. You ran off in such a hurry because you were avoiding Ezra bringing up divorce, huh? So, all those times you acted so aloof and composed were all just an act. The truth is, you can't let go of Ezra."Laughter rippled through the crowd of onlookers.The drama between the three of them had caused quite a stir back then. Ezra had publicly admitted to his affair

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 26

    Melanie lost her composure immediately, screaming from across the room, "Are you all crazy or blind? I'm Mrs. Yarbrough! She's the one you should be taking away! Let go of me! You'll regret this when Ezra hears about it!" Normally, the security guards would be wary of her name-dropping Ezra. But things were different now. Ezra wasn't as important as Shermaine. The school staff and security were all well aware of Shermaine's status, though they kept it confidential for her safety and privacy.After Melanie and her child were dragged off as Melanie hurtled insults, the head of security approached Shermaine with a respectful greeting. "Professor Stout, Melanie is a recent hire, so she doesn't know the rules. Should I help you report this to the dean?" Shermaine lazily lifted her eyelids. "No need. I understand the dean's situation. Since Ezra pushed her into this role, there's no real harm in keeping her around as long as she doesn't cause much trouble. I won't be here for long a

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 25

    The child in front of Shermaine seemed around three years old, his wide, curious eyes locked onto her. He seemed to think bumping into people was a fun game, as he awkwardly shuffled his short legs backward, ready to charge at her again. Shermaine rubbed the spot where he'd collided with her. She didn't want to make a fuss with a toddler, but there was a flicker of irritation rising in her chest. "Whose kid is this? Where are his parents? Children shouldn't be here." "That's my son." A familiar, sweet voice rang out, laced with a hint of challenge. "Other people's kids aren't allowed, but my special status allows me to bring him." Melanie clicked her heels over to them, her high heels tapping loudly on the floor. Compared to years ago, she was no longer the naive girl she once was. Now, she looked much more polished and mature, though her eyes had become sharper, with an edge of bitterness. Shermaine hadn't expected to run into Melanie here. Judging by the time, Melanie s

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 24

    There was still nearly half a month before the results would be out. Shermaine had only told her parents about this. No one else knew, not even Nikki. After a restless night, she slept in the next morning, and when she woke up, she felt much more refreshed. She pulled open the curtains and immediately spotted Ezra still standing down below. He seemed to be truly freezing, his body trembling slightly, his eyes bloodshot with a look of deep despair. Shermaine took one glance at him before quickly closing the curtains. For a moment, she almost forgot about his bothersome presence.Having finished up her work at the research institute, Shermaine still had to go to her regular job. She had kept her professor position at Judgeton University, which meant she could return to work there anytime.On her way to work, she took the back gate of the apartment complex to avoid Ezra. She also made sure to stop by a real estate agency, asking them to help her find a better place to live.Ezr

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 23

    As soon as Shermaine got into the car after leaving the event, she instinctively sensed that she was being followed.She glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the familiar license plate. Her face remained unchanged, and her voice was calm as she said, "Drive on."Ezra followed her to the apartment complex where she now lived. It was an unremarkable neighborhood, nothing special about it at all.Shermaine acted like she hadn't even noticed his presence. But just as she was about to enter the building, she suddenly stopped.Turning around, she looked at Ezra, her eyes colder than the night air around them."Mr. Yarbrough, if you keep following me, it's going to start looking bad, don't you think?"Shermaine allowed him to follow because she knew there was nothing he could really do to her. After all, she was under national protection now. She didn't have to be afraid of any trouble or threats.Only then did Ezra step forward. The cold, desolate night seemed to make his lone figur

  • A Weight She Refused to Carry   Chapter 22

    In his hand, he held a black blazer, clearly not a match for Shermaine's white mermaid gown. It looked more like a man's jacket. "It's a bit chilly inside. Do you want to put this on?" Eddie asked, his voice casual, but already he was draping the jacket over Shermaine's shoulders.As he lowered his gaze, his expression softened, and for a brief moment, there was a tenderness in his eyes.Ezra recognized that look instantly. What made it even harder for him to accept was that Shermaine, who had always been so careful about boundaries with others, didn't pull away. She allowed Eddie to drape the jacket over her without hesitation. She even lifted her soft, delicate face to smile slightly at him. "Thank you."The scene hit Ezra like a sharp blow, and his chest tightened in pain. He felt a sudden rush of anger and jealousy, his breath coming in heavier bursts. He stepped forward quickly, wanting to separate them, but just as he did, Eddie turned to face him.Ezra froze. His e

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