novelxo Chapter 1896
"Terry has been with me for so long. He's like family to me. I can't imagine life without him," Luna Gibson said through her tears, her sorrow overwhelming.
Caleb crouched in front of her, his lips pressing into a thin line before he spoke in a hoarse voice. "I'll help you take care of Terry. Luna, marry me. That man-he's not coming back."
For years, Caleb had stood by Luna's side. She had been his senior during their university days, and he had fallen for her instantly. But Luna's heart belonged to someone else a man she had loved for as long as Caleb could remember.
He had proposed to her several times over the years, always waiting, always hoping.
Luna stared at him, stunned. She hadn't expected Caleb to still hold on after all this time.
Caleb's dark eyes reflected her image as he gazed at her silently. His unwavering sincerity was unmistakable, and while others might not have seen it, Luna knew it better than anyone.
Just as she parted her lips to respond, her phone rang.
Because Caleb was so close, he could hear the voice on the other end clearly.
"Luna, I'm back in the country. Are you free right now? Can we meet?"
Her response was immediate, almost frantic. "Where are you? I'll come to you right away!"
There was no mistaking it no one but Simon Xander could make Luna react this way.
After hanging up, Luna cupped Caleb's face with both hands, her tone almost apologetic. "Caleb, Simon's
back. I have to go see him. Can you take care of Terry for me? As for marriage... you already know how I
feel. I've loved Simon for so many years. Now that he's back, I can't just not go to him."
To Luna, Simon would always come first.
If she could brush aside Caleb's proposal now because of Simon, Caleb knew it wouldn't end there. Whenever Simon needed her, she would undoubtedly drop everything to run to him.
For the first time, Caleb saw his future with stark clarity-a future that didn't include Luna.
All he had ever wanted was to live a simple life with her, to be the one she leaned on. But now, he realized that was nothing more than a dream.
"You're free to see him, that's your
choice," Caleb said, his tone flat. "But you'll need to take care of Terry yourself. If you don't have the time, you can leave him at a pet shop."
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Then he stood and turned away, his voice and demeanor utterly cold.
Luna looked at him as if he were a stranger.
Caleb had always been there for her-always willing to help, always putting her first. Whenever Terry needed anything, Caleb had been the first to show up, without hesitation.
But this time, he was distant. His indifference stunned her.
"Caleb, you know Simon has been abroad all these years. Now that he's back, it's only natural for me to meet him. What's there to be upset about?” she asked, her tone edged with frustration.
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In Luna's eyes, Caleb had no right to be angry. They weren't a couple. To her, his reaction was over the top.
But to Caleb, this was the moment he saw the truth of their dynamic.
All his efforts, all his devotion-it had always been one-sided. Time and time again, she had rejected him, and no matter how much he tried, it was clear nothing would change.
With a bitter laugh, Caleb looked at
her. "I'm not upset, Luna. This is just the truth. I've been good to you, and I've given you everything I could because I wanted us to be together. We're friends, yes, but even a friend doesn't deserve to have their sincerity trampled on."
This really proved the saying: a hopeless romantic who kept chasing after love always ends up with nothing.