Chapter 53
Grace Parrish felt that marrying Antonio Kaufman was a stroke of luck.
Back then, Antonio proposed to his first love in front of the entire school.
After he got rejected, Grace offered to marry him.
He held a grand wedding but never agreed to register their marriage.
Grace never complained, just accepting it willingly.
Three years later, Grace got pregnant.
When she came out of the consulting room, however, she ran into Antonio and his first love. Apparently, they were here to have their pre–marital health checkup.
“As I said, you’re the only one worthy of being my wife,” Antonio. cooed.
His first love, Keyla Stone, smiled gently.
Antonio’s younger sister Laney sneered at Grace, “I’m getting a new sister–in–law. If you know what’s good for you, you should step aside.”
Only then did Grace realize what a fool she had been.
She terminated the pregnancy and left without a word.
Rumor had it that the usually composed Antonio went mad searching for her after she left.
Chache
The next time they met, it was snowing heavily. Antonio and his sister stood before her, their eyes red with regret.
“Grace, I’m sorry. Please come home with us!”
“Honey, come back to me, will you?”
Before Grace could respond, a strong arm pulled her into an embrace. “Stop kidding. She’s my wife.”
On Grace Parrish’s phone, there was a message that she hadn’t replied. to. It was from her childhood friend, Shane Larson.
“Grace, seven years ago we agreed that if neither of us were married” when I returned from abroad, we’d get married. Does that still count?”
Grace glanced at Antonio in the study, took a deep breath, and hit send.
“It does. Pick me up in three days.”
The reply came instantly.
“OK.”
***
Grace and Antonio held a wedding right after college. She used to think they would grow old together, even though they never registered their marriage.
But today, Grace ran into him and his first love, Keyla Stone, coming out of the hospital holding pre–marital health checkup results. At that moment, she knew her dream had shattered.
”
Around the corner. Antonio gently kissed Keyla’s hand.
“As I said, you’re the only one worthy of being my wife. Now, it’s finally coming true,”
Keyla’s lips curved into a charming smile.
“Antonio, thank you for waiting three years. But what about Grace?”
A flash of guilt passed over Antonio’s face, but it quickly faded.
“Don’t worry, I’ll break up with her at the right time.”
Grace crumpled the pregnancy test results in her hand. Her phone still showed Antonio’s number. Silent tears rolled down her face. She turned back to the doctor’s office, her voice trembling.
“Doctor, schedule an abortion for me. I don’t want this baby.”
Before she could share the joy of her pregnancy with Antonio, she had to say goodbye to the life inside her.
In a daze, Grace walked out of the hospital. The early spring breeze was warm, but it made her shiver. She watched from the corner as Antonio carefully helped Keyla into a car and drove away. His eyes, as always, only held Keyla.
Antonio spent most of his time in the study at home. Watching his handsome profile, Grace recalled the past.
In their senior year in college, Antonio proposed to Keyla. He was the heir to the Kaufman Group, and she was the prom queen. The proposal shocked the entire campus.
“Keyla Stone, will you marry me?”
Chuctris)
11
On one knee, Antonio asked hopefully.
The crowd chanted, “Say yes! Say yes!”
But Keyla hesitated, biting her lip.
“Antonio, can you wait for me? I’ve been accepted to a university abroad. I want to pursue my dream first.”
Antonio frowned. He could wait, but his mother couldn’t.
“Keyla, I won’t stop you from going abroad. But you know my mom is in late–stage cancer. She doesn’t have much time left. Let’s register our marriage first. It won’t delay your studies.”
Keyla shook her head. She couldn’t give up her bright future and marry early.
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
With tears in her eyes, she turned and ran, leaving Antonio alone in the awkward scene. He stood there, dazed, the ring in his hand feeling like a cruel joke as murmurs of sympathy filled the air.
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out, “Antonio, I’ll marry you!”
Antonio looked up and saw Grace smiling at him. No one knew she spent how much courage to walk up to him.
She extended her hand, silently asking him to slip the ring onto her finger.
“I will marry you and take care of your mother in her final days.”
Grace couldn’t remember how long it took Antonio to finally slide the
ring onto her finger. The ring was a bit too big, and not her style, but none of that mattered. What mattered was that he was the one she
loved.
Grace had truly loved Antonio since the first day of college. When she came to campus alone, she nearly got hit by a basketball. It was Antonio who blocked it for her. From that moment, her eyes had been drawn to him, unable to look away.
But back then, Keyla was always by his side. They had been together since high school. Grace knew she had no chance, yet her heart
remained hopelessly devoted to him. So when the opportunity came, she seized it.
Antonio had given her a grand wedding, but he never brought up registering their marriage. Grace wanted to remind him many times, but each time she swallowed her words. She was afraid that asking for too much would push him away. As long as they were together, this was enough for her. Everyone knew they were married, and she was the one by his side.
Six months after their wedding, his mother passed away. Grace stayed by her side until the very end, fulfilling every duty of a daughter–in- law. Antonio, though distant, remained respectful. Grace never asked for much. Just being with him was already enough.
But dreams always come to an end. Grace touched the oversized ring on her finger. Three years had passed, and now she had to give back what had never truly belonged to her.
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.