Love Never Fails Chapter 32: Scheme

Sorry for the delay. It’s taken me a while this time because I’ve written a very long chapter. Yet at the last minute I decided to split it up, so that means a new chapter is coming up very soon. Please be patient and thank you for your understanding!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7472782/32/

The following is the teaser:

Candy was startled as she heard someone just plop down beside her. Through the blur of tears she saw that the person was Terry; he was staring into a distance while giving an exaggerated sigh. She straightened up and wiped her face with the back of her hands, and Terry brought his gaze on her. “Fret not, Candy. But first of all, why did you leave him if you love him this much? Is history repeating itself or is there something more?”

She stared at him quizzically and a strange sound escaped her throat as she sought to process the sudden awareness that Terry had known about her previous relationship with Albert. Yet she had so many questions in her head. First, she wondered if Terry had learned it directly from Albert, and if so, what else had Albert informed Terry? Did Terry know who Albert really was? How much Terry knew about what had happened lately between her and Albert?

Narrowing his eyes, Terry stared at her bewildered look, and she couldn’t help but lower her head without a word, feeling guilty that she still hadn’t responded to his love confession earlier. Yet she was downright relieved that he had seemingly got her answer already by observing her and was aware of her morbid situation, which could have been of her own making-she had left the man she loved despite herself. However, what exactly did Terry mean by history repeating itself? Did he know about Albert’s prearranged marriage? Just then, another deep sigh from him interjected her tangled thoughts, “Has anyone told you that you’re a little too accepting?”

It took her several seconds to decipher his statement, and amidst her flabbergasted silence, he shrugged with a bitter chuckle. “Do you know that when I bought that one way ticket for you, I was planning to ask you to stay in New York with me?”

She looked genuinely astonished, her eyes widened even more. She recalled Albert had alluded that before, but it had only been his speculation. Now that Terry just confirmed it, Candy didn’t know what to say. Then Terry added in a thoughtful tone, “You could have fought and stood your ground, but you simply chose to leave without demanding anything in return.”

She thought silently, what could I have done other than giving you a hard time? Aloud she countered, “I did try!”

What she had said stunned him visibly, and wetness came to his eyes within seconds. “You did?”

She averted her eyes, seemingly lost in her reminisce. “That is why I went to the hospital before you. I wanted to confront her… but then once I discovered the truth… about her life-changing injury…”

Her voice trailed off as she shuddered to think that if she had not found Susanna on the rooftop just in time, Susanna would have succeeded in her suicide attempt. If so, Terry would forever carry a guilt on his shoulders for the rest of his life. He seemed to have read her mind and responded after a heavy sigh of resignation, “You know what depressed me the most after you had left New York?”

As she shook her head, he laughed almost hysterically, and tears escaped his eyes. For a moment Candy wasn’t sure if he was laughing or crying, but he soon calmed down afterwards. While wiping away the moisture in his eyes, he looked downcast and murmured forlornly, “Candy, we were doomed regardless of what could have possibly happened that stormy night.”