The Wedding That Never Was Chapter 14

Two years later. Los Angeles International Airport. The first flight arriving at 7 AM slowly landed.

Frost coated the wings in the early morning light. Ilara, dragging a fairly large suitcase, struggled to move it down.

A hand reached out from behind her and grabbed the handle. Ilara turned around and smiled brightly at Leo Vance.

Leo smiled back.

He was wearing a long black trench coat. His tall frame looked dignified and imposing.

Ilara stared in a daze.

Leo seemed to read her mind. His smile widened, revealing two canine teeth.

“What’s the matter? Mesmerized by me? I told you long ago you should be with me...”

Ilara, seeing him harp on the same old tune, hurriedly ran down the ramp to escape.

But she forgot about the half-inch heels on her feet.

Leo wanted to warn her, but carrying the luggage slowed him down. He was about to hoist it up—

Just a split second too late. Ilara slipped violently. Leo’s heart tightened.

Luckily, someone caught her. He was about to step forward to say thanks, but saw the two figures frozen together, motionless.

An ominous guess surfaced in Leo’s mind. He walked over quickly and pulled them apart.

Sure enough. It was that lingering bastard, Adrian Hayes.

Leo suppressed his annoyance. He held Ilara’s wrist and pulled her back. But for some reason, Ilara seemed stuck.

He looked down. An arm was wrapped tightly around Ilara’s waist.

Adrian hadn't expected it to actually be her...

He had just gotten off a plane, saw a similar profile, and followed like a lost soul, thinking it was just another hallucination he willingly submitted to.

Now, even hallucinations were a luxury for him...

Two years ago.

For the first while, Adrian could still see Ilara in his dreams. Starting from the second month, she disappeared without a trace.

No matter how many times a day he missed her, or how long he stared at her photos.

He couldn't dream of her anymore.

It was as if she didn't even want to step into his dreams.

Everyone thought Colonel Hayes, who used to treat training like food, had collapsed after the accident.

He couldn't focus now. From time to time, he would see an illusion of Ilara leading him away, only to find empty air when he caught up.

Countless drills and training sessions were delayed because of him.

But the higher-ups were unwilling to give up on such a good soldier. Until one mission, a distracted Adrian had his right wrist shot through on the battlefield.

He could never hold a gun again.

The old men in the office argued endlessly about his disability pension.

After all, he got hurt due to his own error. Not dragging down other comrades was already lucky.

General Peterson walked in and asked coldly, “How many demerits has he had in the last few months?”

The others fell silent.

“In that case, Comrade Adrian Hayes was injured due to his own serious error, spacing out during a mission. Consider this money the fine he pays.”

Adrian didn't say a word. He stood up and bowed to General Peterson, staying bent over for a long time.

General Peterson refused to accept the gesture, turning his back on him.

Adrian left.

His retirement application was quickly approved. The hospital also signed a diagnosis of visual agnosia for him.

Adrian refused treatment. Only with the hallucinations caused by this condition could he see Ilara again.

He packed his things and took his meager luggage back to Ilara’s apartment.

No, this was his and Ilara’s home.

But in the empty house, only he remained.

Ilara had cleaned the place meticulously before leaving. His clothes were still folded neatly in the closet.

But only a few of her own clothes remained—all given to her by Adrian years ago.

Those gowns dotted with crushed diamonds were piled casually in the storage room. The inexpensive, less pretty clothes, however, had been carefully cared for.

Adrian knew Ilara hated relying on others.

Standing at the closet door, tears that hadn't fallen in twenty years dropped like broken pearls.