Love's Bitter Requiem

nd returned t

hlessly abandoned him. No

serable I was, to witne

I had died th

se of

stage with his fiancée, h

nce that he would launch

ered in front, camera fla

ng at the center, f

ll and lean, he carried an

recognizing the man who once trai

rom the edge of the crowd. "Mr. Fuller,

rty, but looking worn and frail, lik

at I had been dead

rned, but I was

drew attention

, glancing sideways with

h, and he continued walk

orward with all her strength, re

y, but she hurried to explain.

nced at Julian, t

ir, trying to look less pitiful, forcing a

devoid of warmth, and spoke flatly. "Co

for years, those words

it seemed he had

chose not to remember our tangled

, unsure of

ices rose

e knew Mr. Fuller. As

throwing herself at him woul

orty or fift

in shame, biting her l

family, a sharp and commanding businesswoman. When our father

s and business tycoon

ne, colluding with outsiders to force the Walton company into bankruptcy. H

s had worn away

his car, Krista snapped back to

re bodyguards grabbed her, tossi

from her arms. "Please, for Corinne's sake, for the hel

ldn't pay the hospital fees, they

was gone, and that boy

ful state tore at my heart, bu

r cameras on Krista,

ching. After a long pause

pant leg as she looked up. "Mr. Fuller, just

, then pulled out money from h

ryone in the Walton family dead? Why is it you begging me? Why isn't

nd got into his

ed in pain, tears w

she picked up the scatt

king her frail figur

r to watch and

Julian, Krista was

s. She thought our once-close bond woul

kely returned to see how wretched

smile, floating

didn'

hated had died

just two thousand. How che

awkwardly, lo

e rang s

pay the fees by tomorrow, they wo

und, her chest heaving as

got up, and hailed a

ulian's house, and K

e security guard cold

wind howled outside, the t

one at the gate, frost f

re Julian final

but isn't there still the Thomas family? Don't you elite families love your perfectl

mas was my

left Julian and

t's what Juli

chance to speak, ordering th

airs and saw his fathe

Gordon Fuller loo

graying, had

knowing this kind, warm

were too busy with work

ing Julian that I felt

, often recalling my pas

astries and take Julian and

n was like a fathe

l you think about is work. How much money is en

still shared the deep

eparated by life and dea

ere inseparabl

snowy win

knocked me over

ild pup, had startlingly bri

bundle, hiding food

d after him. "Stop!

caught an

d failed, leaving him and Julian

disease, young Julian had no cho

y and those bright eyes,

ped the clerk, and

f kindness, one I ba

ched onto me b

de every day, like

th Julian. We went to school toge

eals for us, chuckling as

he one being playful wh

serious and reserved, never o

cked breakfast f

arried me to the hospital

e or four jobs just to

we would spend ou

ly. The company, leaderless, wa

side, and Gordon tre

ian confessed his feelings, h

I would be

, playfully scolding him. "A confession this casual

ware how much trouble that

nderground boxing match, angering the local ga

ned to Kenneth T

ss-family roots, treated ev

ies are in business. If you want me to pro

he casually added, "Li

I had no

at night until

to a private room and announced o

to humilia

foolish I was for cho

and frail. My heart ached, but I cou

ious about you, did you? I'm a Walton. Even if my family's fal

trembling, his bright eyes fixed on m

stay, pleading

d two thousa

ring, the ch

plan ou

in, but to me, it was the mos

rt sha

. "Look at this necklace I'm wearing. Eight million dollars. Kenneth

two thousand dollars for a doghouse. Stop acting pitiful and

ned ghostly white

rinne, please, give me a chance. Just a little

cial. I brought one. It's cheap, but when I succeed,

en face, I couldn't

usand dollars? Did you buy a copper ri

laughed

d pale and stubborn

s waiting fo

danger, and I had to prote

burned w

"Julian, we're from different worlds. I'm

rumbled in

and left,

eth, smiling, tears s

be, J

it

and li

ice snapped me ou

er, "Dad, don't mentio

o even say m

I must have played my part in

lk about Corinne like that? There migh

more could there be? People like her

nneth grew up together. If she was so vain, why didn't she choose him sooner? There's got to be more to

stood u

with him. "You're too stubborn. I

instinctively, wanting to

breath and said coldly to his father, "

en why did you come back three y

a deep breath, and

back for me th

so long had blur

after my divorc

th, I found out I was pre

aid he didn't mind who the father

he d

every day t

nanny to make me

unny storie

stop worrying

d severe d

leep through

t baby Kody an

an's name while looki

th couldn't ta

regularly, getting tang

of them was

inne, I thought I loved you, but after marriage, I realized ho

divorce, I eager

d, but he agreed to

xts made my numb, h

l, full of hope and

Was he doing well? D

matter. I had been

hearsed countles

him I was sorry f

had a son, Kody,

divorced and ask if

appene

n't s

y cut of

ng something at t

med, I tried t

a car acci

de the hotel, j

crash, he glanced outside

nt into h

his phone and stare a

esitating, bu

nter, Krista stood outside u

I follo

d up on her

wiped her tears, and opened a

locket our parents

d I each

e, pawned for Kod

ily's jewelry was sold

t, crying. "I'm useless, Corinn

ring her closer to me. "Don't worry, I'm only pawning it

me, Krista broke down, sobbing.

on the bed, I fel

ily fell, Krista hel

my room s

, begging for help from

ly planned Kod

Walton family wouldn't col

as about to sell m

reakable Krista f

kn

n family

was trul

dollars, enough for Kody's hosp

he hospital paying fee

she asked, her eyes full

e firmly believed my car accident the da

h coat, looked exha

ing it up after the divor

to in his bedroom and kept my room

heartbroken when he was the o

doctors for Kody, pouring his heart int

, I was

hospital to giv

e the check

doing here? I don't want your money! You ki

neth spread his hands helplessly. "I just want

o do with you! Don't think you can escape what happened b

ved with an air

e, he coughed awkwardly, his eye

e I mis

irked at Krista. "Corinne? Why would she bl

ll beat you to de

utched her chest, g

hing I could materialize and ki

tall figure burst in

s Jul

ne escort Kr

d an eyebrow, taunting, "The

spond, staring a

Kody's room. "Her

that Kody was our child and, with

understand, sneeri

irked provocatively. "M

back to get married-to Kallie Anderson, the heiress of the richest group here. You and Corinne are welco

belief. "You really don't know?