Samuel asked if she still loved Shayne.
Yanny could not even tell the difference between love and hate anymore.
Holding the glass, she emptied her wine as she smiled blandly. “Can I not answer? Love or not, I’m not even sure anymore, but I do hate him. You might not know, but the main reason I am living my life to the fullest was because of the hate for him, and the best way to get back at him, is to live my best life in the places where he can’t find me.”
Samuel looked at her with sorrow, yet he could not find the words to console her.
Yanny smiled bitterly and said, “Don’t look at me like that. I hate being pitied. It’s such a shame that he isn’t able to see that I am living my life to the fullest. Let it then be a punishment for him to not be able to find me for the rest of his life.”
Yanny burst into laughter, and the more she laughed, the tears in her eyes started welling up.
Samuel took the glass from her, frowned, and said, “Stop drinking, you have drunk too much today.”
Yanny was rather brazen tonight. Stumbling across the rug, she frowned and held onto the wine bottle. “No, I want to drink.”
It was a sight for Yanny to be this headstrong. Feeling bad, Samuel could not bear to stop her.
Yanny had a mouthful of the red wine, held up the wine bottle, and said drunkenly, “Let’s drink like there’s no tomorrow!”
Yanny took a spin. Feeling light-headed, she stumbled over the rug and fell over.
Samuel caught her in time.
Samuel looked at Yanny who was now in his arms as he pressed her forehead lightly with his large hands, and said gently, “You’re really drunk Yanny.”
Yanny shook off the hand on her forehead. With drowsy eyes, she looked at him through the warm tones of the spotlight, and a silhouette formed gradually.
The contour of the man she saw in front of her slowly morphed into the face of another.
Shayne.
Yanny grinned and mumbled with a sigh, “Honestly, with the world this big, I don’t think we’d be able to meet again if no plans were made.”
Samuel asked, “Do you still wish to see him?”
Yanny shook her head. “Let’s just say that I’m dead. It’d be better for me, for him, and for everyone else. I’m afraid that if met again, I would have been swallowed by hatred and do things that I’d probably regret. As long as I’m alive, I will hold grudges from the past because how could I possibly not when I was hurt this bad… I wouldn’t be able to forget after all… I couldn’t possibly let it go. Now, it really doesn’t matter anymore if I hate or love him.”
Samuel let out a sigh, leaned over, and carried Yanny into the bedroom.
She was too drunk. She might not be able to sober up anytime soon.
Samuel put her down on the bed and just when he turned to get some juice to cure her hangover, Yanny held tightly onto his hand.
“Jordan.”
Tears were falling down her eyes.
Samuel looked over, sat beside her, and asked, “Who is Jordan?”
Samuel did not know of Shayne’s middle name as only Shayne’s wife knew of the name.
Yanny lifted the corners of her lips. “Don’t you recognize your own name? Oh… I know now… Shayne, you just want me to admit that... to admit that… I love you.”
Taken aback, Samuel raised his hands to pat her head with fondness.
He smiled weakly, as if he was talking to her, but also talking to himself, “I’d still prefer the Yanny who told me proudly that being able to pull oneself out from a toxic situation is the highest form of self-control in an adult relationship. Why can’t you do it now?”
Samuel now knew why he had lost to Shayne as he would never have been able to handle the way that Yanny had loved. She had loved so deep to the point of destruction.
This very night, Yanny had become a sister, a family member, to him.
Seeing how drunk she was, Samuel being the gentleman he was, had not laid a finger on her.
The love that was once a regret to him was now laying in front of him, but ultimately, he had to stop.
Yanny was right. To be able to care for each other without overdoing it, was the best for the both of them.
He still liked her, but she was not the person he held dear to his heart anymore.
Though regrettable, it was better than the misery and destructible hatred.
Samuel tucked her in gently. “Get some rest, tomorrow will be a better day.”
Samuel left the bedroom.
The moment he closed the door behind him, he could not help but scoff at himself.
He was still a gentleman after all.
At the end of the day, he still could not bring himself to be a bastard like Shayne.
He was not sure if it was a blessing or a curse for him.
...
The following year after she had left Shayne, Yanny traveled alone to the countries near England. She also hoped to gain some cultural information and to choose a location for her upcoming film.
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