Chapter 6
Life abroad kept me insanely busy.
I reconnected with Charles Mitchell, a fellow researcher I hadn’t seen in two years.
Between experiments, papers, and fundraising, I barely noticed time passing until I ran into Randy and realized I’d been gone for six months already.
“Randy?”
Charles was walking beside me when we spotted him. I glanced around curiously:
“Where’s Beth? Didn’t bring your wife on your European getaway?”
“Why you make her marry me?”
Randy’s voice was rough, like he hadn’t slept properly in weeks.
“Randy?”
I frowned, completely thrown off.
“You said you wanted me to marry you, is that true?
Seeing his bloodshot eyes, it finally clicked:
“Wait–you didn’t know I switched places with her?”
“How the hell would I know that?”
I suddenly realized what a massive misunderstanding our last conversation had been.
“Randy… I knew you didn’t want to marry me.”
“Says who?”
He grabbed my shoulders: “I never planned to leave you at the altar like you did to me!”
“Hey, hands off-”
“Back off!”
Charles tried to separate us, but Randy shot him a look that could freeze hell.
20:17
Letting Go of the Past: A Second Chance at Love
3.5%
Chapter 6
I raised my hand to signal Charles I was okay.
Randy glared at Charles again before turning back to me:
“I’ll wait for you to finish your research. Three years, right? Then we’ll have our wedding again.”
“Randy.”
I gently pushed his hands away: “It’s not happening.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Marry me is what you wish for years. I’m all in now, and I’m not changing my mind.”
“It’s better this way. Some things just can’t be changed.”
In my previous life, I’d tried everything for thirty years.
And we’d still ended up destroying each other.
Some people can be friends, confidants, but never lovers.
That was Randy and me.
I looked up and saw his reddened eyes, I froze for a moment. I’d never seen Randy look so gutted:
“So all those times you cried and begged me to marry you—just a joke?”
“If that’s what you want to believe, then sure.”
I wasn’t going to explain.
Better to let him think that and move on completely.
“Randy, I was being a complete psycho before. I’m sorry for that. From now on, I can just stay out of your
life.”
I took Charles’s arm, and he immediately understood, leading me away.
Before getting into the car, I couldn’t help looking back.
Randy was still standing there.
A twinge of guilt stirred in my heart. But I turned away and got into the car anyway.
I knew that even if we got married, we’d end up with the same outcome as in my previous life.
3.8%
Chapter 6
What I didn’t expect was that Randy wouldn’t leave.
The next morning, I walked into the lobby and immediately spotted a familiar figure.
4.0%
Chapter 7`TE
