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Chapter 10
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Before I Leave Chapter 11
Ethan froze for a second, then let out a breath of relief.He knew it. Stella would never skip out on their wedding; she loved him too much. She was probably playing hard to get, again.The thought irritated him. He was just about to scold her for being childish when he looked up.He stopped cold."Rachel? You…"His eyes widened even more when he saw what she was wearing."Why are you dressed like that?"The bride who had just walked in with the wedding staff was Rachel.She wore the wedding gown she had designed herself. When she heard Ethan's question, she blushed and lowered her head, speaking in a soft, timid voice, "Uncle Ethan, I heard Stella still hasn't shown up. There are so many guests here. Without a bride, the entire Harbouria will laugh at the Shaws."So I put on the dress and came. If Stella's not coming, then let me be the bride. Let me marry you."As she finished, she suddenly looked up, her eyes shining with determination, as if she had summoned all the cou
Before I Leave Chapter 12
Rachel immediately turned pale."Why? Haven't you always liked Rachel?" Ethan's father was stunned.Ethan, without looking at Rachel, calmly replied, "Switching the bride to Rachel might solve today's problem for now, but what about after that?"The Shaws have so many business deals with the Walkers. Even though Stella has left matters to her managers, she still decides."She didn't show up today, but do you really think she'll be happy to see me marry Rachel instead? What if she was just throwing a tantrum and decided not to come, only to find out later we replaced her? What do you think she'll do?"What if she gets angry and pulls all our business deals?"On top of that, changing the bride at the last minute will make people question our reputation."Ethan laid out the consequences clearly and calmly, convincing his father."You make a good point. But what do we do about today's wedding—""It's not that hard to handle," Ethan interrupted. "Didn't the Walker Villa catch fire
Before I Leave Chapter 13
The professor's response stunned Ethan."Where did she go?"The professor honestly replied, "She went to join a classified aerospace research project. She left this morning."Ethan froze.Stella ran off on a business trip just to avoid the wedding?He was livid."When will she be back?" he asked.The professor, who also knew Ethan was Stella's fiance, looked even more puzzled at this point. "She didn't tell you? This is a top-level classified project. There is no exact return date—maybe ten years from now."Ethan's face turned pale instantly.…Meanwhile, at the Northwest Aerospace Base.A private helicopter landed. Stella stepped off, and a senior researcher came up to greet her."Nice to meet you. I'm Mia Ragen. I'll be responsible for guiding you from now on."She led Stella to her dorm, gave her a full tour of the cafeteria and work areas, and then asked, "I heard you're the daughter of the Walkers. Life here is simple. Will you be okay with that?"Stella smiled. "It'
Before I Leave Chapter 14
Ethan returned to the university and went straight to Stella's professor, getting right to the point."Professor Lawson, please give me the contact information for the institute Stella is working at. I need to bring her back."Professor Lawson looked dumbfounded."Surely you're joking, young man. This project is a top-level national priority, not a game of cards! Every researcher was carefully selected. Once accepted, you can't just come and go as you please."Normally composed, Ethan felt an unfamiliar frustration rising inside him. His voice grew more urgent."You don't understand what's going on with Stella. We had a fight a couple of days ago. She acted on impulse just to get back at me. She didn't really want to go."Even at this moment, Ethan still believed that Stella left on a whim because of their issues.He pressed on, "She's probably already starting to regret it. Keeping her there will only slow down the project. It's better if I bring her back now."Professor Lawso
Before I Leave Chapter 15
Ethan froze for a second, then he lit up with hope."You found Stella?""Of course not. Stella's project is top-level confidential. She's completely cut off from the outside world. No one can reach her."Ethan was upset.His father's smile, however, maintained."But it's fine. I've already contacted her cousin. She's still part of the Walkers. If she marries the Shaws, the alliance still stands."I spoke with her, and she agreed. This way, we won't become the laughingstock of Harbouria!""No!" Ethan's expression darkened. "I was engaged to Stella, not her cousin. You can't just swap people like that! And what if Stella finds out and gets angry? What if she cuts ties with us?""What nonsense are you talking about?" his father frowned. "Stella had joined a long-term program. It's clear she wants to call off the engagement. Why would she care who you marry now?"Besides, she won't be back for at least ten years. Her company is already under a manager's care. She's out of the pict
Before I Leave Chapter 16
Ethan froze as he was about to reach the door.He stared, stunned, through the glass panel.Rachel sat at the center of her group of friends, her face caked in heavy makeup—nothing like the sweet, delicate image she usually presented. She looked smug, even arrogant, as she basked in the attention."Of course I pulled it off," she said, flipping her hair. "That old fiancee of his—Stella—joined some top-secret aerospace program. She won't be back for at least ten years."The girls around her burst into applause."You're incredible, Rachel! That engagement between the Shaws and Walkers was basically ironclad, and you still managed to break them up!""Yeah, how did you get Stella to walk away on her own? Teach us!"Rachel smugly smiled. "Oh, I did a lot," she said."First of all, the only reason Ethan agreed to the wedding was because I drugged him. He was messed up, and he ended up sleeping with Stella."Ethan, still outside the door, was shocked.He did sleep with Stella that n
Before I Leave Chapter 17
Rachel panicked and quickly tried to appear the sweet, innocent girl she always portrayed herself to be, but it was too late.Ethan walked over and grabbed her by the throat.The girls in the room screamed and ran out, leaving only Ethan and Rachel."Rachel," hissed Ethan through clenched teeth, "you played me for a fool all these years."He remembered the first time he met her.Her father had just passed away back then. She looked up at him with red eyes and asked where her dad had gone.He had felt sorry for her. He wanted to protect her. That was why he decided to take care of her.At first, it was out of guilt and responsibility.As she grew up, however, she became different from the girls he knew.Those girls always had luxury bags and lived proud, glamorous lives. Rachel, on the other hand, always acted like she did not deserve anything. She was careful, humble, and insecure.That made him want to protect her even more. He had mistaken it for love.He was angry, but he
Before I Leave Chapter 18
Ethan looked at the two piles in front of him.The first pile was the gifts Stella had returned to him. These were things he had given her in the past. Most of them, he had not even remembered. He had casually told his assistant to buy them.His gaze darkened.Stella had already planned to return everything before she left.He then looked at the second pile.These were gifts Stella had once given to him.He finally remembered how Stella loved giving him gifts. She would give him something for his birthday, for holidays, for every little occasion.At the time, he found it annoying. He stopped opening them and would toss them into the basement…His mother brought them out and organized them.Ethan stood there in a daze and slowly opened them, one by one. All of them were covered in dust.There was a lucky charm she spent a lot of effort to get for him during his college entrance exams.There was a scarf she had knitted for his birthday last year. He remembered seeing her pract
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Before I Leave Chapter 25
Stella followed Ethan's mother to the hospital where she finally saw Ethan, lying in a hospital bed, barely hanging on.She was confused. Ethan had lived into his fifties in his previous life until a car accident took him then. At this moment, however, his body looked completely broken as if it had given out far too early."What happened?" she asked quietly.Ethan's mother choked on her words, wiping her tears, and replied, "After you left, he stopped caring about himself. He threw himself into work, never rested, and barely ate. We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen."His body couldn't take it. He has end-stage cancer."Stella stood silently, watching the man she once loved fade into someone unrecognizable.When Ethan lost her, he had lost everything. His health had simply followed.On the bed, Ethan gave her a weak, tired smile."You came back," he whispered."I once told myself, after everything I did to you in the previous life… if I got another chance, I'd wait for
Before I Leave Chapter 24
Ethan froze where he stood.Stella, calm and steady, looked him in the eye and spoke clearly, "Ethan, imagine this: Someone breaks your heart for over twenty years, and you die in the end because of their selfishness."One day, you're given a second chance at life. Would you really waste even one more minute on that person?"Ethan's face went pale. He could not speak a word.Stella gave a quiet sigh and continued, voice soft but firm."Your expression tells everything. That's why I hope you can understand me."Ethan, please stop looking for me."Without another word, she turned and walked away.Ethan stood there, rooted to the spot, as if all life had drained from him.He had always thought that dream was unusually vivid. He finally knew why.Everything he saw in that dream—her pain, her heartbreak, her death—it was all real.Ethan crumpled to the ground as despair overtook him. His body shook as he buried his face in his hands.That dream was never a warning; it was a memo
Before I Leave Chapter 23
Stella finally understood what was happening.She frowned slightly and whispered, "Sir, I think I'd better head back to the lab. I still have some work to finish."Before she could walk away, Ethan reached out and grabbed her arm. "Why are you walking away the second you see me?"She calmly pulled her arm free. "I'm not avoiding you.""Yes, you are," Ethan said, his voice rising. "If you really don't care about me, why won't you even look at me?"Stella sighed, finally meeting his eyes directly—steady, quiet, and composed."I'm looking now, aren't I?" she said plainly. "I'm just done wasting time on you. That's all."Stella meant it.She had enough of all the waiting and disappointment.She wanted to spend the rest of her life on herself and her future, not chasing after a man who only realized her worth when she was gone.Ethan's expression shifted, hurt flashing in his eyes."I'm sorry, Stella," he said, his voice almost a whisper.The once-proud man stood before her, hea
Before I Leave Chapter 22
Stella's hand froze.Life at the aerospace base was supposed to be cut off from the outside world to prevent any risk of leaks. Alas, it was impossible to expect researchers to survive without any contact or entertainment.They were allowed to browse the news and even shop online, though under strict guidelines.Because of that, Stella saw the news. She had read everything Ethan said about her.Her coworkers all looked at her curiously."Stella, the timing of his fiancee's disappearance lines up with when you came here. The only difference is, she went abroad to study, and you joined this base.""Yeah, seriously! If we didn't know better, I'd think you were his fiancee."Laughter broke out around the table.Stella smiled forcibly and replied, "Lots of people out there share the same name."In this base, people worked closely but rarely got too personal. Aside from Mia who had initially mentored her and had access to her background, no one else knew who Stella really was.They
Before I Leave Chapter 21
Ethan's mother stood frozen, stunned by Ethan's declaration.He clenched his fist as he firmly said, "I will bring Stella back. I will find her as long as she's still alive—no matter where she is."As long as she was alive, he stood a chance to make things right.He believed Stella loved him too deeply and would not let go without a fight. She had not stopped loving him.She had only left because he had hurt her too much. He finally understood his feelings, and he could win her back if he tried hard enough.His mother stared at him in disbelief. "Ethan, do you hear yourself? She's gone to a top-secret national project. You can't just track her down!"Ethan remained unfazed. "There's always a way. Even if I can't find her, I'll wait. However long it takes.""What?!" His mother could hardly process it.As she saw the unwavering look in Ethan's eyes, she knew she could no longer sway him.Ethan was no longer the rebellious boy who used to defy them just for the sake of it; he had
Before I Leave Chapter 20
When Ethan first woke up, he felt relieved.Stella was still alive after all. She had not died tragically because of him like in that nightmare.However, the relief only lasted a second.Stella was alive, but she was so far away that he could not reach her. The thought crushed him, the pain in his chest making him feel conflicted.After all, in that dream, no matter how twisted it had been, he had spent over 20 years with her.Reality, however, reminded him how he would no longer have a chance with her.He gasped for air, like the pain was squeezing the life out of him.His mother panicked and rushed to his side, concerned. "What's wrong, Ethan? Are you feeling sick? Do you want me to call a doctor?"Ethan's eyes were red. He slowly looked up at her and raspily croaked, "Mom… I love Stella."It felt like a burden was lifted off of him when he said it. He finally faced his feelings for Stella.His mother froze for a second, then broke into tears."I knew it," she sobbed. "I'v
Before I Leave Chapter 19
Ethan's mother's eyes turned red as she heard Ethan's words."Oh, poor boy," she said, her voice shaking. "Why do you have to do this to yourself?"She choked up on her tears."You didn't cherish her back then. Only now do you think about her day and night when she's gone. "No matter how much you dream of her, she's not coming back."Ethan frowned.He knew that dream was not just because he missed Stella. It had been far too vivid, too real.In the dream, he and Stella had also been engaged since they were young.Instead of joining the space program, Stella married him as expected.In the dream, he had never seen through Rachel's lies, nor realized how he truly felt about Stella, so he treated her poorly.They were married for over 20 years, but he never once bought her a gift or took her on a date.Even their intimacy felt like a chore. It only happened once a month, and only because Stella had asked for it a million times.Worst of all, even after marriage, he could not
Before I Leave Chapter 18
Ethan looked at the two piles in front of him.The first pile was the gifts Stella had returned to him. These were things he had given her in the past. Most of them, he had not even remembered. He had casually told his assistant to buy them.His gaze darkened.Stella had already planned to return everything before she left.He then looked at the second pile.These were gifts Stella had once given to him.He finally remembered how Stella loved giving him gifts. She would give him something for his birthday, for holidays, for every little occasion.At the time, he found it annoying. He stopped opening them and would toss them into the basement…His mother brought them out and organized them.Ethan stood there in a daze and slowly opened them, one by one. All of them were covered in dust.There was a lucky charm she spent a lot of effort to get for him during his college entrance exams.There was a scarf she had knitted for his birthday last year. He remembered seeing her pract
Before I Leave Chapter 17
Rachel panicked and quickly tried to appear the sweet, innocent girl she always portrayed herself to be, but it was too late.Ethan walked over and grabbed her by the throat.The girls in the room screamed and ran out, leaving only Ethan and Rachel."Rachel," hissed Ethan through clenched teeth, "you played me for a fool all these years."He remembered the first time he met her.Her father had just passed away back then. She looked up at him with red eyes and asked where her dad had gone.He had felt sorry for her. He wanted to protect her. That was why he decided to take care of her.At first, it was out of guilt and responsibility.As she grew up, however, she became different from the girls he knew.Those girls always had luxury bags and lived proud, glamorous lives. Rachel, on the other hand, always acted like she did not deserve anything. She was careful, humble, and insecure.That made him want to protect her even more. He had mistaken it for love.He was angry, but he
