Three Years Too Late Chapter 05
Kellen kept his head down, the words catching in his throat as he pushed on. “I’m so sorry. I really didn’t know about your dad.
“I asked Denise. Our research was at a really critical stage back then, and she didn’t realize he was actually sick. She thought you were just playing games again and worried you’d distract me, so she…”
“Where is your father buried? I’d like to bring some flowers and pay my respects.”
It didn’t matter what happened; he always took Denise’s side.
It didn’t matter what happened; he always took Denise’s side.
Even when her actions had directly contributed to the death of his own benefactor.
I gave him a tight smile. “You don’t have the right,” I said, my voice ice-cold.
Kellen flinched, all the color draining from his face.
I stared blankly at him. Then I took a step closer, finally letting out the anger I’d been bottling up for three long years.
“This is entirely your fault, Kellen.
“My dad treated you so well. He emptied our family’s savings to fund your studies and your research, while I had to take out student loans and work part-time just to get through college. It was only 35 thousand dollars. Just 35 grand for his medical treatment… and you refused to believe me.
“I’ve thought about it so many times—why couldn’t it have been you who died instead of him?”
I was screaming by the time I hit that last sentence.
I thought I had cried all my tears over these three years ago.
But the sheer, crushing injustice of it all was just too much.
Even now, just thinking about it made the tears spill over, no matter how hard I tried to hold them back.
Kellen’s eyes welled up. His hand trembled as he reached out to wipe my face.
Kellen’s eyes welled up. His hand trembled as he reached out to wipe my face.
I stepped back without a second’s hesitation.
His right hand just hovered in the air before he awkwardly let it drop to his side.
Kellen struggled to get the words out. “Jaz, it wasn’t that I didn’t believe you.
“You had just bombed your grad school entrance exams, and I was giving you the cold shoulder on purpose so you’d reflect on your mistakes. Then, a few days later, you call me up saying your dad has cancer and you need a massive amount of money. I assumed… I just assumed…”
I smiled bitterly and finished it for him.
“You assumed it was just a ploy to get your attention?”
Kellen looked down, tears finally spilling down his cheeks, apologizing to me over and over again.
I just stared at him as another memory bubbled up to the surface. Forcing a faint smile, I said, “But Kellen, I explained that to you so many times.
“I didn’t get into Stanford’s grad program because Denise interfered. She deliberately sabotaged my final interview. Why did you refuse to believe me then?”
Kellen looked up at me in shock, but I could still see it—that tiny, stubborn flicker of doubt in his eyes.
Kellen looked up at me in shock, but I could still see it—that tiny, stubborn flicker of doubt in his eyes.
Three years ago, I had wanted to get into Stanford’s grad program so desperately, just to be with him. I didn’t waste a single minute. I poured every ounce of my free time into studying.
I stopped going out.
I stopped bothering him.
I put myself through a grueling schedule, waking up at six every morning and studying straight through until eleven at night.
Back then, Kellen had even given me exclusive study materials that the public couldn’t get their hands on.
The prelims were finally over.
Kellen was waiting outside the testing center to take me out to dinner.
I hurried over, grabbed his hand, and grinned. “Just you wait, Kellen,” I promised. “I’m definitely getting into your school this time.”
Unfortunately, I missed the cutoff by just a handful of points.
Even though I’d aced the written exam, I completely bombed the interview and lost my spot.
I figured I just hadn’t prepped enough, or maybe I’d simply had an off day.
I figured I just hadn’t prepped enough, or maybe I’d simply had an off day.
But then Denise came by to gloat, and she laid out the real reason.
“Jazlynn, I feel so sorry for you,” she said.
“Did you actually think you got rejected because you weren’t good enough? The truth is, Professor Marcus Stapleton is my uncle. He knows how much I hate you, so he rigged the results.
“I was never going to let you get into Stanford.
“It’s not just about keeping you away from Kel; I despise you. People from your background need to learn their place and stop trying to take things they don’t deserve.”