His Regret Arrived Three Days Late novel Chapter 18

Annika’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the railing. She wanted to turn back, to run, but a morbid curiosity propelled her forward, up the stairs. She had to see the woman who held such power over Conrad’s soul.

With a courage she didn't know she possessed, she ascended the final flight of stairs, each step feeling as heavy as lead. Her hands were clenched, her heart pounding in her chest.

As she neared the master bedroom on the third floor, the faint sound of crying reached her ears.

“Conrad, I never thought I’d see you again in this lifetime.”

The familiar voice made Annika freeze in place. It was Serena. She wasn’t dead. She was back!

“Conrad, I know you don’t love Annika,” Serena sobbed. “You only left me at that critical moment because she had the staff call and force you to come back. I don’t blame you.”

“Why did you fake your death?” Conrad’s voice was heavy with a mixture of anguish and anger.

“Please don’t be angry. I had no choice. You see what I’ve become… this broken thing. I wasn’t sure if you would still want me, so I had the doctor lie for me. Conrad, I’ve had so much time to think while we were apart. I’ve waited for you for so many years, and I couldn't just give up. If you tell me you don’t love me anymore, that you don’t want me, I’ll go back to Eirlandia right now.”

Her voice was choked with tears. It must have taken immense courage for her to return in her condition.

A dead silence filled the room.

Outside, Annika held her breath, waiting. Then, she heard Conrad’s voice, soft and full of affection. “Serena, you underestimate me. It’s you I love.”

Hearing his answer, the woman in the room smiled through her tears. Outside, Annika’s nails dug so deep into her palms that she drew blood. The sharp pain radiated up her arm, but it was nothing compared to the agony in her heart. She bit her lip so hard she could taste iron. Her vision blurred.

Conrad could even forgive Serena for faking her death. What a truly great love story!

Serena sat in a custom wheelchair, a thin blanket covering her lap. She looked startled to see Annika, then an indescribable panic washed over her face. Her pale lips trembled. “Annika, I didn’t come back to take your happiness away. I just… I couldn’t let Conrad go.”

Annika’s gaze swept over Serena, cold and dismissive, before settling on her legs. The silence stretched, making Serena even more agitated, her hands gripping the arms of her chair.

Suddenly, Annika spoke. “Serena, you truly live up to your title as the most beautiful woman in Seafall City. Even without your legs, you’re still breathtaking.”

Serena’s face was ashen. “Annika… I know you blame me,” she stammered, “but between me and Conrad, you were always the other woman. If you hadn’t interfered, our child would have been almost a year old by now.”

Annika spun around to face Conrad, her eyes burning into him. “Do you also believe I’m the one who destroyed your relationship?”

Conrad hated her confrontational tone. He looked away, his voice as cold as a glacier. “This is my grandfather's birthday. If either of you says another word, you can get out.”