His Younger Self’s AI Loved Me More Than He Did Chapter 09

His Younger Self’s AI Loved Me More Than He Did Chapter 09

Ethan shook her hand off with disgust. “Yes. I’m going to find her.”

Maya stared at him in disbelief. “Zara’s done with you, so now you’re throwing me and the baby away too? What the hell is wrong with you, Ethan?”

The vicious argument was punctuated by the baby’s wails.

Maya glared at this coldhearted man, her teeth clenched. “You think she’ll forgive you just because you show up? Dream on!”

“A woman with Zara’s backbone? She’s never coming back. Not in this lifetime.”

She hugged the baby tight, turned around, and stormed off into the night without looking back.

The night breeze was cool. Maya walked the dim streets in a daze, clutching the baby. In a haze, she remembered many years ago when she used to walk night roads like this.

Back then, she was covered in bruises, running from her drunken, abusive father, and had knocked on Zara’s door in the pouring rain.

On those cold, shivering nights, it was Zara who would hold her all night long, gently patting her back, helping her survive her most hopeless moments. Zara had once considered her the best friend in the world. And she repaid that by stabbing her in the back.

She couldn’t control her greedy obsession with Ethan. Step by step, she crossed every line, using the dirtiest methods to steal the man Zara had deeply loved for ten years.

The cold wind dried the tears on her face. Maya suddenly let out a wretched laugh. Looking at it now, whether it was the utterly heartless Ethan or her, the betrayer—both of them were rotten to the core, barely even human anymore.

…

Time slipped by. Two months passed in the blink of an eye. That day, the sky over Copenhagen darkened unusually fast, like a bad omen. I quickened my pace without thinking.

But as I turned the street corner, there was a dark figure standing beneath the streetlight. It was a familiar silhouette. The dim amber light fell on his face, carving out the hollow, weary lines. It was Ethan.

When he saw me stop, he took a stiff half-step forward. “Zara.”

There was a clear note of caution and appeasement in his voice. By now, looking at him stirred absolutely nothing inside me.

“You’ve got the wrong person.” My tone was flat. I walked around him to keep going. “Zara! I’ve been looking for you for so, so long…” He suddenly reached out and grabbed my wrist. “I’m sorry.”

I stopped and looked at him. “Ethan, I already sent you a message about the divorce. The divorce papers have been drafted. They’ll be served to you soon.”

“I don’t agree!” he cut in desperately. “I won’t sign, Zara. I know I screwed up. I ended it—for good. From here on out, I’ll make it up to you…” He was rambling. All I heard was noise. “Ethan.” I cut off his senseless confession. “Stop coming to find me. If you miss me so much, go live with the AI companion I left behind.”

I didn’t look at him again. I walked straight into the night. Ethan didn’t follow. I got back to my apartment and made myself a cup of herbal tea.

Outside the window, a summer rain suddenly began to patter down. I stood by the window and saw that dark figure still standing there on the street corner. Then I drew the curtains. I didn’t want to look anymore.

But he wouldn’t give up. He still showed up in my life’s path every day. He never approached or bothered me. He just followed in silence. He’d wipe the morning dew off the bench on my coffee route. He’d leave steaming breakfasts at my doorstep.

He tried to seep back into my life in this soft, silent way. He thought if he just did enough, he could slowly warm this dead heart of mine. But he was wrong.

I threw the breakfast straight into the trash. I didn’t even glance at the bench he’d cleaned. One weekend afternoon, I went downtown to buy art supplies.

As I crossed the street, an out-of-control motorcycle suddenly shot around the corner. I didn’t have time to react.

In that split second, a dark figure lunged forward and shoved me out of the way.