When The Past Love Knocks

Chapter 1

My mom was adamant about me going on blind dates.

Desperately, I grabbed a handsome guy off the street to pretend to be my boyfriend.

After using him to placate my mom, I cut ties with him.

Two years later, I was shocked to find that the interviewer for my dream job was the guy I had abandoned.

His face was tight with anger.

"Kaelyn, right? How long did your last boyfriend last?"

"Less than a month before you dumped him? Your loyalty is questionable."

"A woman like you isn't suitable for our company."

But then he found out I got married and broke down.

The day after the interview fell through, he appeared at my doorstep, holding a child.

With a slight smile, he asked, "Married? Where's your husband?"

...

Approaching 30, after enduring countless blind dates, I stumbled into a real relationship with Brenden, the guy I had once pulled off the street to act as my boyfriend.

He was 6'1", broad-shouldered, and long-legged, looking every bit like a model. At just 22, he was a young and charming guy.

Honestly, I felt like I hit the jackpot.

Not long ago, I found out I was pregnant and couldn't contain my joy.

I was planning to tell him and discuss our future when I accidentally overheard him on a call.

"I know I have a fiancée. Don't worry, I won't mess around outside. I'll be back soon."

It struck me that in this relationship, I was the one deeply invested.

Of course, with his amazing qualities, why would he genuinely want to be with me?

I realized my understanding of him was limited to his looks and his stamina at night.

At almost 30, I was no longer a naive girl with romantic dreams.

I wasn't someone who would cling to a hopeless relationship.

The next day, I was considering how to bring up the breakup.

But he calmly spoke first.

"Kaelyn, I have something to deal with and need to leave for a while."

"When everything is settled, I'll come back for you."

My heart sank.

But to save face, I smiled and nodded.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Even though I knew he would never return.

He gave me a long, meaningful look.

Then turned and walked away.

In the past, when he left, he would linger for a long time.

Holding my hand, wrapping his arms around my waist, his head resting on my shoulder, his lips near my ear.

Whispering affectionately, "Don't forget to miss me."

But this time, he didn't look back even once.

Chapter 2

Actually, I was the one who took the initiative to approach Brenden.

That day, my mom was pressuring me to go on another blind date. The last guy I met was over fifty and reeked of age. When I asked about his expectations, he smiled, his face full of wrinkles, and said, "I think you're great. You look like you'd make a wonderful mother."

"I don't like materialistic girls. It's modern times, so no need for traditional wedding gifts. But a woman should still follow the traditional roles and virtues," he added.

I couldn't accept it. I made an excuse and fled from home.

Instead of finding a boyfriend among these unsuitable blind dates, I thought, why not just pick a good-looking guy off the street and have him play the part?

And that's how I spotted Brenden.

He was wearing a mascot costume, handing out flyers under the scorching sun. After a while, he ducked into a secluded spot, took off the bear head, and revealed a flushed face covered in sweat.

I handed him a bottle of water and invited him to play the role of my boyfriend for ₤50.

"It's much easier than handing out flyers in this heat."

He agreed.

When we first acted, he felt very guilty.

"I'm sorry, I didn't bring anything for Ms. Morley."

I didn't mind. It was just an act, after all. Besides, whatever gift he bought, I would have to reimburse him anyway.

But Brenden was very diligent. The first time he met my mom, he was busy fixing a broken light bulb, unclogging the toilet, and even helping my mom with cooking. He even washed my clothes.

My mom pulled me aside and praised Brenden endlessly, saying that I should marry such a hardworking and considerate man. She said I wouldn't suffer if I married him.

Honestly, I didn't expect Brenden, who looked so refined, to be so handy.

Since there was no guest room, Brenden slept in my bedroom. Seeing how well he performed, I decided to sleep on the couch.

The next morning, I woke up to find myself sharing a pillow with him. He explained that I had sleepwalked and climbed into bed, hugging him tightly.

I couldn't admit it, but the next second, I saw myself clinging to Brenden like a koala. I was both panicked and touched.

When Brenden left that day, I thought I would never see him again. But over the next month, I kept running into him everywhere.

At karaoke with friends, he was the waiter. At a bar, he was the bartender. Even when I went to a male escort club to unwind, he was among the models.

"How about it? Pick me. We're familiar, and I'll give you a 50% discount."

I was stunned. I didn't expect Brenden to have such a wide range of jobs. He must be really short on money.

After a night of passion, I ended up spending the night with him. I couldn't let the money go to waste.

The next day, my mom called again, saying it was Thanksgiving and I had to bring my boyfriend home for dinner, or she wouldn't let me in.

Brenden offered to act for free again, as a form of after-sales service. I thought he was quite practical. He went to the mall and bought many expensive-looking gifts.

During the second visit, he brought many seemingly valuable gifts. But he told me, "Except for that pack of tea, everything else is fake. You don't need to reimburse me; they didn't cost much."

I thought, of course. He was so poor that he had to work multiple jobs. How could he afford these things?

With all this back and forth, I couldn't tell if Brenden and I were still acting or what. We ended up together, confused and muddled.

Two months later, I missed my period. I felt nauseous and went to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor confirmed I was pregnant.

I was confused for a while, but eventually, I concluded my feelings. Although Brenden was poor, he was hardworking and ambitious. I was happy with him.

Just when I was about to talk to him about our future, I overheard him on the phone with his family. I found out he already had a fiancée. He didn't even acknowledge my existence.

Even though it hurt, I had to swallow it.

I thought I would never see him again. But two years later, we met again.

Chapter 3

I had been conflicted for weeks, unsure if I should terminate the pregnancy.

But in the end, I chose to keep the baby.

I didn't want to get married again, but I did want a child of my own.

Besides, Brenden had good looks and a solid background-excellent genes to pass on.

I waited until I was five months along, when it was too late to consider abortion, before I returned home, my belly noticeable.

The moment my mom saw me, she was stunned.

She glanced behind me, looking for someone.

I smiled and said, "Mom, it's only me."

She asked about Brenden.

I said nothing.

Mom sighed and began to wipe away her tears. She hugged me tightly, whispering, "It's okay. If he won't be there for you and the baby, you still have me. I'll help you."

I had expected her to scold me, maybe even try to force me to go to the hospital for an abortion. But her reaction was far more compassionate than I could have imagined.

Mom started to share her own story from when she was younger.

She told me that the reason she never spoke of my father was because he, too, had been an irresponsible man.

Mom had a happy life initially, but my grandparents were very strict with her. She felt suffocated.

During that time, the family was building a house, and one of the workers was a young man from another town.

He would bring her pretty hair ties and delicious treats, telling her about the exciting world beyond the village.

Gradually, Mom fell for him.

The man charmed her, took advantage of her, and then vanished without a trace.

When she found out she was pregnant, her belly had already begun to show. Only then did my grandmother discover what had happened.

They were furious and insisted she have an abortion.

But Mom couldn't bear to part with me.

So, one night, she secretly left home.

By the time she finished her story, Mom was sobbing uncontrollably. She blamed herself, saying, "All these years, I've wanted to go back and see them, but I was the daughter who let them down. I let them down."

I had no idea how much my mom had struggled raising me alone all these years. Now it was clear why she didn't want me to face the same pain.

I persuaded her to go back home.

Eventually, she agreed.

We returned to our village to visit our relatives.

Mom finally saw my grandparents, now with hair turned white from age. The three of them embraced, crying and forgiving each other.

All these years, my grandparents had been looking for her. They had even bought her a house, waiting for her to return.

To ensure a future reunion, Mom sold our old house, and we moved back together.

Even as we left, I couldn't shake what Brenden had said before he left: "Wait for my return."

I still harbored a faint hope in my heart.

But I knew, deep down, it might just be wishful thinking.