31 Proposals Too Late Chapter 17
Tyron was incoherent, seized by overwhelming panic that made him forget all sense of dignity, as tears mingled with the rain and streamed down his face.
“I love you! I really love you! I was a bastard before, I was blind! My mind was clouded! Please, give me one more chance, just one last chance… I can’t live without you… I’ll spend my whole life making it up to you, making it up to Leon-”
“Smack-!”
Before he could finish, a sharp slap landed hard across Tyron’s face.
The mention of making it up to Leon seemed to tear apart the calm on Katniss’s face.
“Make it up? Tyron, how are you going to make it up to Leon? I could tolerate the fact that you cheated again, it was my foolishness, my naivety that gave you chance after chance. You can take revenge on my stupidity, but you can’t do wrong by Leon!”
He was the child she carried for ten months, her everything, her entire world!
To fulfill Leon’s wishes, she could endure the disgust, endure the betrayal of herself, and forgive Tyron.
But what had Tyron ever done for Leon and her?
He had personally let go of the murderer who killed Leon, causing Leon to find no peace even after death! He was never worthy of being Leon’s father!
Tyron’s face was turned to the side from the slap, tears mixing with the rain as they flowed down.
“I… I…”
He couldn’t utter a single word in his own defense.
Because everything Katniss said was true–he had indeed saved the person who hurt Leon.
Tyron’s repeated words of “love” and “making it up” sounded utterly absurd and laughable to Katniss, bringing with them a deep, old ache in her very core.
His love was too cheap; she couldn’t accept it, and neither could Leon.
She took a deep breath, the cold air stabbing her lungs, but making her feel incomparably clear–headed.
“Go. The Katniss you’re looking for is already dead. From the day of the factory explosion, she died completely!”
Tyron refused to leave, still wanting to step forward and salvage things for himself.
Octavio, who had been silent all along, raised his eyebrows ever so slightly.
He looked at Tyron’s pitiful, weeping, groveling state, and a fleeting, contemptuous chill flashed in his eyes, as if he were looking at something filthy.
Katniss turned and went into the house. Tyron was about to follow, but was blocked by him.
The sound of a bullet being chambered suddenly rang out.
Tyron glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
“Octavio, I don’t care what your purpose is in getting close to Katy. Right now, I’m giving you only one choice: get out!”
But as soon as he finished speaking, a red laser sight from who knows where locked onto Tyron’s heart, and Tyron’s men immediately panicked.
It turned out Octavio hadn’t come here alone.
He sneered and brushed aside Tyron’s gun–wielding right hand.
That night, Katniss also drove Octavio out of her house.
When they thought she had already gone to bed, she quietly went to the back hill.
There were fresh flowers in front of her grandmother’s grave, and countless toys placed beside Leon’s.
Katniss’s face was cold and stern as she swept all those toys aside.
“Grandma, I have to leave for a while. Please take care of Leon for me!”
With that, she picked up the bundle she had prepared in advance and set off.
She had already planned her route; she didn’t want to get caught between these two men.
She certainly wouldn’t go back with Tyron.
Katniss soon arrived at the station. This time, she again chose to take the long way out by bus.
Her childhood friend Colton Duffy was already there waiting for her.
When he saw her, he stuffed the ‘new identity‘ he had prepared into her hand, and Katniss handed him a thick stack of cash.
His hand tightened around the money, his eyes darting nervously. “Katy, are you coming back?”
