The One Who Loved Too Late Novel by MorganLewis _ Novel





The One Who Loved Too Late Chapter 01

My fiancé locked me up while I was dying—to protect his assistant.
Seven years of love meant nothing to him.
He knew about my deadly allergy, still chose her, and called me “dramatic” for almost dying.
That was the moment I disappeared from his life without a goodbye.
--
Dorothy Serrano and Gabriel Bradley had been in a long-distance relationship for three years, separated by over 2,000 kilometers—only for it to fall apart in an instant.
Everyone around them knew how deeply Gabriel loved Dorothy.
As an architect at the peak of his career, he lived a life scheduled down to the minute.
Even so, the mileage on his black SUV racked up well over 100,000 kilometers in just three years.
He would drive six hundred kilometers through a torrential storm just to have dinner with her—even if it was hours out of his way. Soaked to the bone, he handed her reheated soup with a smile, saying that just seeing her made all his exhaustion disappear.
He showered her with constant surprises, from spontaneous daily doodles to an award-winning architectural masterpiece dedicated entirely to her. If Dorothy said she liked something, no matter how difficult to get, he would make it happen. Once, he hiked a remote mountain and stayed up all night to photograph a single night-blooming flower for her.
Their devotion got them through the hardest years of his startup, and they were on the verge of a happily-ever-after.
That day, having cleared her entire schedule, Dorothy flew home early just to see him.
She hurried to the private room at the club where he was, and from outside, she heard his friends praising him as one of the rare, truly devoted men. Unexpectedly, he denied it, stubbing out his cigarette.
His words struck like a blow, leaving a deep sting.
The room went dead silent in an instant.
After a long pause, someone forced an awkward laugh to smooth things over. "Gabe, you're drunk, aren't you? Back then, you stood in the snow all night just to win Dora over. These past few years, you've been traveling nonstop between two cities. Everyone calls you the model couple. There's no way the spark just vanished like that."
"I don't know," Gabriel replied, exhaustion heavy in his tone.
He, usually so confident, slouched back against the couch, looking exhausted. "These past few years... they've really worn me down.
"I love seeing her. I really do. But the drive is just soul-crushing. Driving that same stretch of highway over and over again... it's lonely. And the gifts? It's exhausting. I spend so much energy worrying if they're too tacky or if they suit her."
The hands that had once drawn countless blueprints now toyed with a lighter. He kept his gaze lowered as he continued, "I haven't fallen out of love. But this love is slowly eroding under the weight of the mundane."
His friends stayed silent, exchanged glances, then tactfully shifted the topic.
Outside the door, Dorothy's heart broke.
A night meant for celebrating his award was ruined.
Dorothy staggered out of the hallway, her mind spinning. A ridiculous thought struck her—if she'd stuck to her original plan and returned tomorrow, would she have avoided all this? She could have stayed wrapped in the illusion of his devotion, pretending nothing had changed.
Unfortunately, life didn't come with second chances or "what-ifs."
She wandered to the street corner in a daze when her phone suddenly vibrated. She looked up. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she saw Gabriel standing on the balcony with his phone in hand, frowning as he searched around.
Her chest tightened. She instinctively slipped into the shadow behind a billboard, staring at her phone for a long time before finally answering with trembling fingers.
Gabriel's voice sounded urgent. "Dora, I just saw your location. Are you back? Where are you? Did you come to find me?"
As that familiar voice crackled through the line, she felt a sharp prick of tears she couldn't hold back.
She had a million questions burning in her throat, but when she spoke, all that came out was a lie. Her voice trembled despite her best efforts. "My flight was changed last minute. I think I'll head back first... When will you be back?"
At that, his furrowed brow relaxed, his tone softening. "I'll be right back—"
Before he could finish, a girl in a cream-colored down jacket dashed out. She slipped and slammed straight into Gabriel's arms.
Dorothy saw him instinctively cover the phone's microphone. A hint of amusement shone in his eyes as he steadied the clumsy girl.
He smoothly changed his story. "I need to entertain an investor. I'll probably be back late, so don't wait up."
The girl's flushed face seared itself into Dorothy's sad eyes. In that instant, her world fell apart.

READ FULL NOVEL HERE