Chapter 5 TOO LATE FOR REGRETS ETHAN'S POV

What do I have on my table for the day aside from my usual schedule?" I asked my assistant, Sandra, the moment I got to the office.

"Okay, boss. You need to attend the meeting with the company's executives.

Secondly, you have a scheduled appointment with Smith Group's manager.

Lastly, there is the second annual celebration banquet that is organized by the state's powerhouse, and your presence is mandatory."

"Okay, then, that's fine."

"Excuse me, sir," she cut me off politely. "Lest I forget, the interview for the position of secretary was meant to be today, but since HR hasn't gotten what she wants from the ones that submitted their CVs online, the interview was moved to tomorrow."

"That is okay. You know what? Cancel the meeting and appointment, respectively, and then reschedule. As for the celebration, I can always go there once I get back from Nadin's tomb. I'd love to visit there today. Today marks one year since she died."

Just immediately, I wiped the one tear that hurriedly fell from my eye and I held onto my nose bridge. "I will likely spend a lot of time there but will definitely meet up for the banquet."

"Boss, you should have moved past her death by now." You were there to pay a visit after 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and now 1 year is here before us. How long do you wish to continue this way?"

"As long as she could forgive me in death, I feel awful for making her feel less when she was alive." My voice was beginning to crack, but I wasn't concerned about that right now, as emotion had taken the better part of me. "I haven't gotten it right for once with her, and I know it's too late, but I hope I can make it right."

"But sir..."

Maybe because I wasn't looking happy, as I immediately, or rather instinctively, clenched my jaws and fists upon perceiving she wasn't giving up.

She paused in her words after seeing my eyes, and my reaction wordlessly told her that she was blabbering. "Sorry, I won't talk about it anymore," Sandra pleaded. She actually knows when to stop.

What can I say? If I hadn't let her know my whereabouts, how would she have known? But then she needed to, as visiting Nadin's grave makes me cancel every other activity scheduled for that day.

She knows that she would instruct the security to lock my office afterward.

I took the car keys, left my assistant at the office, and headed my way outside to where the car was parked in the office garage.

As soon as I got there, I kicked the engine of the Range Rover and zoomed off immediately.

On reaching the cemetery, particularly Nadin's and her father's tomb, I noticed a female figure departing in the opposite direction the moment I got close. I was quite convinced that she came there to pay some respect too, but who could that be?

Why does her walking step appear to be so similar to Nadin's?

Could I be seeing a ghost? Besides, I was in a graveyard, and what do I expect? But personally, I doubt if seeing ghosts exists. To me, those things were all fallacies.

Maybe I was imagining too much in my head already.

"It's been one full year, and yet you stick to my heart and refuse to leave." I began the moment I stood right before Nadin's grave.

"Only if I knew the divorce would get so hard on you, and then with your father's loss, you decided to take your life. If I were there, I would have stopped you. I love you, Nadin, and I just hope you can hear me wherever you are. I wish you eternal peace, and may your soul keep resting."

It went on and on as I said some other things my heart had reflected on during that time, unleashing my emotions.

I spent a couple of hours there, as I had to let Nadin see how deeply I felt. If that is the least I could do, then I don't mind.

After some quiet moments, I dropped my flower in between the two graves of Nadin and her dad, then found my way out.

I needed to prepare for the annual celebration banquet, as I would be the one representing my family.

As soon as I got home, I met my dad in the sitting room downstairs. I greeted him and made my way up the stairs to my room to take a shower and then change.

"Ethan, I visited the office, and I learned you weren't there. Where did you go?" His voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Dad, it's somewhere private."

"What makes visiting the graveyard where that good-for-nothing girl was buried with her father, private? Well, I think you must be sick in the head. How long are you going to deceive yourself? Nadin is already dead; the earlier you get that into your skull, the better for you. All you have to do is move on with your fiancée, Bella."

"Dad, I must let you know this now since it has gotten this way. I don't have feelings for Bella. As the day unfolds, I come to realize this. Nadin still lives somewhere in my heart, so thank you for reminding me."

"What kind of love potion did Nadin give you before her death? Anyway, I wouldn't want to talk much about that, but nothing stops your marriage with Bella, and I would bet you so. In case you have forgotten so soon, our family has to be tied together with Scott's family, whom Bella represents. So you wouldn't be the one to mess things up for me, as everything relies on the marriage between you and Bella. Let me take you down memory lane, Our family became stronger because of Scott's family's financial power. I think you need to freshen up and step out to the banquet so that you can think clearly and stop being delusional."

Just when I thought he was done, I decided to rush to my room.

He added, "Remember to go with Bella, as it's also a family alliance kind of celebration even though it's organized by the powerhouse."

I left without saying a single word, as I didn't know exactly what to say to him that would sit well with him. My father's perspective is always different from mine, and I wouldn't want to get into an unnecessary argument or fight with him over this same thing.

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**Author's note:** Like my story? Add it to your library, and don't hoard gems. If you have an idea about my story, comment below and let me know.

For more clarity, instead of Nadin, we would use Jasmine rather, as that's the female lead's 'disguised' new name in the other chapters.