Chapter 3 I Can Only Choose to Let You Down

The man straightened up, slowly raising his hand to remove the eagle mask that covered half his face.

Beneath the cold mask was a strikingly handsome face with sharp features, captivating attention.

Unfortunately, Laura was already fast asleep by then. She was destined to miss the sight of that unforgettable face.

Laura slept deeply for a long time. It wasn't until the morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, glaringly bright, that she slowly opened her eyes, a bit dazed as she looked around.

"Ah."

The fragments of her memory began to piece together. The memories of last night came flooding back—the man with the mysterious mask, exuding an aura of "don't mess with me."

Laura sat up abruptly, only to feel a wave of soreness and pain that made her groan.

She looked down at herself, seeing the red and purple marks on her shoulders and chest, remnants of the previous night's passion.

Tears fell unconsciously, dripping onto the blanket and disappearing instantly.

Well, she had finally become a real woman, hadn't she?

These few tears were her way of saying goodbye to the innocent girl she once was.

The sad part was, her girlhood had ended at the hands of a man whose face she had never seen, whose true voice she didn't know, only knowing his cold demeanor!

Was the face beneath the eagle mask angelic or demonic?

But it didn't matter to her anymore.

In ten days, they would go their separate ways. They might never cross paths again in this lifetime.

So, let last night be forgotten. Just a nightmare she never wanted to think about again.

But Laura knew in her heart that this nightmare had actually begun three nights ago.

Three nights ago, in the Midtown Gardens neighborhood.

Under the moonlight, a young woman stood by the window on the third floor of Building 17, looking sorrowfully into the distance.

The woman, about twenty-one or twenty-two, wore a light blue camisole nightgown. Her figure was as perfect as the horizon at sunrise, stunningly beautiful.

Her skin, accentuated by the nightgown, looked flawless.

Her neck was slender, shoulders rounded, chest high, waist slim, hips curvy, and legs long, making her unforgettable.

What was even more captivating was her noble yet fresh aura, like a mountain spring, commanding respect and warding off any ill thoughts.

This window belonged to the Harvey family. The woman was Laura Harvey, their adopted daughter.

Soon, her phone rang, and Laura withdrew her gaze, answering the call.

"Hey, Alexander?"

Just those few words, her voice was incredibly pleasant, more melodious than the ringtone, outshining even the clearest songbird in the forest.

It seemed only such a beautiful woman could have such a beautiful voice.

"Laura, are you really going through with this? Marrying a guy you don't love just to repay a debt? What about us?" Alexander's voice was soft but heavy with emotion.

Laura listened in silence, her hand trembling as she held the phone. The turmoil and pain in her heart were unmistakable.

"You know I have no choice. The Harveys took care of me for twenty years. I owe them everything. I can't just take without giving back to them"

After a moment, she steadied herself, her voice calm but tinged with helplessness.

"But there are other ways to repay a debt! You don't have to marry him!" Alexander's voice suddenly grew agitated, almost shouting.

"The Harveys raised you for twenty years, but didn't they want you to be their daughter-in-law from the start?"

Laura, you used to be "Self-reliant and independent. Why are you giving in now?"

His voice was so loud it nearly deafened Laura. She had to hold the phone away from her ear.

When he calmed down a bit, Laura gave a bitter smile and said slowly, "Alexander, I'm sorry, but I really have no choice. Uncle and Auntie knelt before me, begging me to marry William. How can I resist that kind of pressure?"

"Laura..."

"So, I'm sorry, Alexander. I can only let you down." Laura's lips curled into a bitter smile, like frost in winter.

Two tears silently slid down her cheeks, soaking into her light blue nightgown. "Let's bury our feelings forever. In this life, we're destined to be star-crossed lovers. Goodbye my love."

Before she finished speaking, she heard the busy tone from the other end. Laura decisively pressed the end call button.

She slowly closed her eyes, letting the tears fall freely, as if to wash away all the reluctance and helplessness.

Alexander, I'm sorry. Forgive me for my weakness. Five years of love ultimately couldn't outweigh the heavy debt of gratitude.

Uncle and Auntie worked hard to raise me for twenty years unconditionally.

Their only request was for me to marry their son, William Smith.

No matter how I pleaded, how I cried that I didn't love their son, nothing changed.

In the end, they even knelt before me. At that moment, my heart shattered, filled with bitterness.

I knew I couldn't refuse them anymore.

If time could turn back, I wished they never adopted me.

Crying silently until her tears dried up, Laura slowly opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and turned away from the window.

Soon, the gentle blue light quietly went out.

Maybe she chose to sleep early. Only in her dreams could she find a place where she hadn't made the wrong choice and wouldn't be let down.