Chapter 26 Unbridgeable Gap
A wave of bitterness surged in her chest. There might be many people named Cordell in the world, but the one she met when she was five was no longer hers.
She no longer had the right to be as bold as she used to be, pointing her finger at him and saying, “Cordell, if you ever accept gifts from other girls again, I’ll never speak to you again.”
Even though she knew those gifts were secretly slipped into his bag by other girls, it still made her uncomfortable.
Of course, those chocolates always ended up in her stomach.
Every time she ate one, she’d complain about those girls, saying they were either too fat or too short.
She’d tell him not to let those girls cloud his judgment and to focus on his studies instead–because that was the right thing to do.
The phrase “cloud his judgment” was one she’d learned from her grandmother.
At ten years old, she didn’t fully understand the meaning, but she liked the way it sounded, so she used it.
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Still, every day after school, she would rummage through his bag for snacks, and there would always be chocolates she liked.
She’d finish one, then repeatedly lick her teeth and puff her cheeks in frustration.
“How come another girl gave you chocolates? Don’t they have any shame?”
Every time she got angry, she’d hit him with her bag–though really, it was just her way of getting him to carry it for her.
Cordell would just shrug and say, “I didn’t eat any, I gave it all to you.
She’d stomp her foot and defiantly say, “If you eat any of their snacks, I’ll never talk to you again!”
The chocolates weren’t fancy brands like Dove, but dark chocolates from the corner store, with unique packaging that wasn’t available anywhere else in the city.
It wasn’t until years later, when they ran into each other again on a street corner in Aleshire, that he pulled out a piece of chocolate–same brand, same wrapping.
That was when she realized those chocolates hadn’t been gifts from other girls at all. He had noticed she liked them and spent his pocket money buying them for her.
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Back then, they were in Prarc Town. He wasn’t yet the third heir of the Decker family, and she hadn’t returned to the Valentine family. Life was tough for both of them.
But even so, he spent all his pocket money on chocolates she loved.
*****
She remained silent the entire way home. Rubin glanced at her several times through the rearview mirror, noticing her pale face. He wisely kept quiet.
After a while, she asked, “Did they ever argue over the years?”
Rubin was puzzled by her question. He thought for a moment but couldn’t figure out who she was referring to. “Ms. Valentine, are you talking about…?”
She suddenly closed her eyes and gave a self–deprecating smile. “Forget it. Never mind.”
‘Elaine, what are you hoping for?
‘That they’ll divorce because of their differences?
‘Or that Cordell will come back to you?
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‘Stop fooling yourself.
‘No matter what, you can never go back.
‘The moment he said he was going to marry Stacy, it was over for you
two.
‘And now, they have a child.
‘Shauna is the unbridgeable gap between you.‘
When they got home, Rubin followed Cordell’s instructions and had Olivia make her some coffee. She shook her head. “No need.”
She handed the paper bag to Olivia. “Hand wash it and send it to my room when it’s done.”
Just as she was about to head upstairs, Rubin hesitantly spoke, “Ms. Valentine, did I say something wrong to upset you?”
She forced a small smile, trying to appear cheerful, but it never reached her eyes. She let out a soft, helpless sigh.
“No, I’m just tired.”
