“It’s not enough. It’s too brief, too fleeting!”

He didn’t want a mere moment with her; he longed for a lifetime, not this fleeting chapter cut short.

“My parents…” Colleen’s sobs broke through, her tears bitter as they slipped past her lips.

“They’ve forced me to choose—either I turn my back on them, or I leave you.”

Her voice faltered as she shook her head.

“They’re my parents. I can’t abandon them.”

She couldn’t blame her parents. Everything she was, everything she had, came from them. Their intentions, however painful, were rooted in love. Even if she and Brady stayed together and moved out to avoid Noreen, trouble would still follow them.

“Brady,” Colleen said softly, her hand rising to cover Brady’s, gently easing it from her cheek.

“I’m sorry. If you need to hate someone, hate me. I can’t keep going. I have to let you go.”

Brady’s entire frame shuddered, his blood turning to ice in an instant.

“You… you…” His teeth chattered as he struggled to speak.

“You want to break up with me?”

“Yes,” Colleen murmured, her nod heavy with resolve, her voice deliberate and slow.

“This is the last time we’ll see each other.”

“No, no!” Brady’s voice rose, frantic, as he seized her wrist.

“What if we do what we did before? Keep it hidden from your parents. No one has to know! Please, Colleen!”

He pressed her hand to his cheek, his pleas tumbling out in a desperate litany.

“Don’t end this! I’ll wait for you, however long it takes!”

Colleen’s gaze met his, her tears falling harder, her heart breaking under the weight of his words. In a sudden surge, she rose onto her toes, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. Her lips found his, a kiss born of love and farewell.

Lɑt?st chαpt?rs in glov?ls.?m

Brady froze for a heartbeat, then melted into her, returning the kiss with a fervor that matched her own. They clung to each other, their tears mingling, their shared grief speaking louder than words ever could.

“Brady,” Colleen whispered against his lips, her voice barely audible.

“Don’t wait for me. Once I walk through that door, let me go—and let yourself go too.”

With that, she pulled away, her hands pressing against his chest with gentle force as she stepped back.

“Colleen?” Brady’s voice cracked as he lunged forward, reaching for her.

“Don’t…” Colleen shook her head, tears cascading down her cheeks.

“I’m leaving. I don’t regret meeting you, or the moments we shared. Brady, you’re truly incredible, so wonderful.”

Without another word, Colleen spun on her heel, flung open the door, and fled.

“Colleen! Colleen!” Brady stood frozen for a moment, stunned, before bolting after her.

“Colleen?” Hadley’s voice cut through the quiet outside the restaurant as she spotted her friend first, her heart sinking at the sight of Colleen’s tear-streaked face.

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Message from Noa: Have a very lovely week, dear readers. God loves you, and Noa wishes you all the best. ?( ? ? )

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