All Chapters of Love That Ended in Vain: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

My daughter lifted her face, still flushed from the fever, and softly said, "Okay.""Good girl." I kissed her cheek, then picked up my phone to call her teacher about transferring schools.The teacher told me they would need at least a month to process the transfer.That was fine, though. If I could endure eight years of a marriage that felt like widowhood, I could wait one more month.Rosie Armstrong's round eyes kept darting toward the hospital room door. She didn’t say anything, but I knew she was waiting for her dad, Matt Armstrong.I called Matt again, hoping that he would at least say goodnight to Rosie. The phone rang for a long time before he finally answered. His voice was cold and filled with irritation."Belle, I was at a parent-teacher meeting with Ben. Do you really need to check up on me every second?"And now you're making up that Rosie is sick? Do you enjoy jinxing your own daughter? How cruel can you be?"The background noise on his end was lively. Throug

Chapter 2

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

Matt hesitated before effortlessly picking Ben up to comfort him.I clenched my fists in anger but quickly pulled my precious Rosie into my arms.Ben clung to Matt’s neck and complained, "Rosie tried to take my cookie! That’s why I hit her.""You’re lying! You stole mine!"The two of them were about to start arguing again.Matt rubbed his temples and asked the teacher, "Is there surveillance footage?""Yes, yes. We just fixed the cameras a few days ago."As the teacher searched for the footage, Ben anxiously glanced around.Then, Erica strode into the room. Without saying a word, she smacked Ben while scolding him."How dare you bully a girl? Mommy is a girl, too. Does that mean I should be bullied?"Why can’t you learn to put yourself in someone else’s shoes?"Erica trembled as tears slid down her cheeks. She looked heartbreakingly beautiful as she cried.Matt pulled both of them into his arms."I said I’ll always protect you. No one can hurt you."I muttered an apology

Chapter 3

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

Whoever wanted to serve them could go ahead.I cuddled Rosie, sleeping well through the night.Early the next morning, still half-asleep, I heard a soft voice outside the door."Matt, will it not be too much trouble for Belle if Ben and I move in?""It’s fine. Belle stays home all day, anyway. She can help take care of you." I opened the door to find Ben running wild through the room with his marbles. When Matt spotted me, he said condescendingly, "Help Erica with her luggage. She has too much to carry on her own."I scoffed. "That’s her problem, not mine."This was the first time I had spoken to him so sharply. Matt froze, his brows knitting so tightly they could crush a mosquito."Matt, Belle doesn't seem to welcome me. Maybe it’s best I take Ben somewhere else," Erica said. Like a switch, her eyes welled up with tears.Matt's face darkened. "Belle, I told you. There’s nothing between me and Erica. Can you be a little more open-minded?"Open-minded.I had lost count of

Chapter 4

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

I took Rosie to the hospital, not expecting to run into an old college classmate.Sam Evans, dressed in a white coat, leaned down to examine Rosie’s eye, his voice calm and professional."It’s just a little swelling. Some eye drops should do the trick."I nodded, ready to take Rosie home, when Sam stopped me. The thin lenses of his glasses made it hard to read his expression."It’s been a while. Want to catch up?"We were sitting in a family-friendly restaurant when it finally hit me.Sam and I had studied under the same professor. He was the reserved genius type, always buried in books at the library. Meanwhile, I had been too busy chasing after Matt to interact with him.Last I heard, Sam had stayed down south after graduation, quickly climbing the ranks at a prestigious hospital. So why was he here?I studied him curiously as he carefully wiped the cake crumbs off Rosie’s lips with a napkin. He had a gentle look on his face. Rosie, usually wary of strangers, seemed oddly

Chapter 5

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

Mom and Dad were furious when they found out I never officially married Matt. However, I could tell they were relieved.They quickly arranged a blind date for me. This time, they had thoroughly vetted the person. There was no way they’d make a mistake.But of all people, I never expected my date to be Sam.He stood in a trench coat, holding a bouquet of Texas bluebells, my favorite flower.…The most unexpected thing was when Sam looked at me and said, "Belle, do you know I’ve liked you for ten years?"A gentle breeze swept past, sending ripples through my heart."I… I didn’t."Sam and Matt were the same height, but only Sam tilted his head slightly when listening to me."I don’t want to pressure you. I just wanted to let you know how I feel. The choice is yours."Just as I was about to respond, my phone buzzed.As I answered, Matt’s voice came through, laced with anger and a hint of panic."Belle, the house is exactly how I left it. Where have you and Rosie been for the pa

Chapter 6

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

"Young man, who are you looking for?""Mister, I'm Belle’s husband."The usually cheerful old man immediately dropped his smile. He went inside and came back out holding several brooms."You son of a bitch! You’ve got some nerve showing up here."Back then, you bullied Belle, and we were too far away to do anything about it."Now, you actually dare to come knocking on our door? See if I don’t beat you senseless!"Matt had no chance to fight back and could only leave, frustrated.Later, he sent me a message.[I'll do whatever it takes to fight for Rosie's custody.]...Sam reassured me not to worry. He’d figure something out.The lawyer said, "Matt may be Rosie's father, but he neglected his responsibilities. He doesn’t stand much of a chance in court. If we had proof of infidelity, it would make the case even stronger."As if on cue, Erica was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and was transferred to our hospital.By chance, she was assigned to my mentor.The moment I entere

Chapter 7

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

“You used to love me so much. How could you just stop like that?”Matt couldn’t accept the reality. It wasn’t until he lost me that he realized how precious I was.I fell into a daze, but Sam’s voice snapped me back to reality.“Don’t believe him! A man’s tears don’t mean a thing.”Ignoring Sam’s attempt to stop me, I slowly walked up to Matt. His long lashes were damp with tears. He looked hopeful, thinking I had come back to him. He reached out, wanting to hold me…But what he got was a sharp slap across the face.“I used to love you madly, but eight years of feeling like a widow was enough to kill that love.“Not every apology deserves forgiveness.”…Matt staggered away in defeat, his expression hollow. He couldn’t and refused to believe it. The woman who had once loved him to the bone had ruthlessly cast him aside.Desperate for comfort, he ran into another woman’s arms.A private investigator sent me photos. They were proof of Matt sneaking around with Erica. With

Chapter 8

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

“If you’re mad, take it out on me.” Matt’s voice was sharp with anger.Erica threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face.“I just told Belle that if she has a boyfriend, she shouldn’t keep leading you on.“But she got upset, and then…”Erica was playing the innocent victim, trying to maintain her fragile, pure image. However, Matt only registered one thing—boyfriend. “You’re with someone else?”Realizing he had missed the point, Erica quickly tried to steer the conversation back.“Matt, don’t blame Belle for hitting me. It doesn’t even hurt.”Matt wasn’t listening, though. His grip on my arm tightened, his fingers digging in as if he wanted to crush me.“Belle, how could you fall for someone else so easily?”I winced, struggling to free myself. The next second, I was pulled into a warm embrace.“Security, this man is too agitated. Please escort him out.”Sam’s arms wrapped possessively around me, his presence a clear warning.Matt was pinned down, unable to

Chapter 9

Love That Ended in Vain/Chicken Leg

It was the first time he had ever spoken so harshly to his first love. How unbelievable.Erica sat on the floor, stunned, while Ben was so scared he forgot to cry.…Life settled into a peaceful routine. When my parents found out Sam and I were married, they were so overjoyed that they could hardly sleep for days.Upon learning that Sam was going to be her dad, Rosie quickly pulled her hat over her head.“Rosie, are you not happy with it?” I asked.Sam tensed up immediately, completely forgetting about the dishes in his hands.“No! Rosie’s happy!” she said, peeking out from under her hat. Her messy hair stuck out in every direction, and her cheeks were flushed red. Then she ran into Sam’s arms and hugged him tightly.“Rosie loves Daddy Sam the most!”Sam smiled, finally relieved.Back at the hospital, a nurse grabbed my arm. Her eyes sparkled with gossip.“You won’t believe this. Erica from Room Three got beaten up.”I was surprised by the news. “Why?”“She was messing a

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