Such is life: We lost 20 precious years, but our time has come!
My name is Emily Taylor, and I live in the charming town of Ashford, Kent, where quaint streets nestle among the picturesque countryside. I never had the chance to capture his heart—fate kept us apart as a couple. Meanwhile, Alex leapt headfirst into love time and time again, giving his heart to women who only ended up breaking it. For twenty years, we orbited each other, but only now, as our youth begins to wane, has life finally smiled upon us.
It all started in our final year of school when Alex joined our class. New and shy, with an open heart, he immediately caught my attention. Seven months later, he fell for Lisa, a spirited and cunning classmate with a playful smile. She pretended to return his feelings, stringing him along like a puppet. She even introduced him to her parents, who adored this “good boy.” But behind his back, Lisa had a fling with the most popular guy in school, Mike. Alex turned a blind eye to the truth until he caught them together at a party at her place. Despite that, he didn’t leave—instead, he remained her shadow, her alibi. Lisa’s parents viewed Mike as a troublemaker and forbade her from seeing him, while Alex was their “perfect son-in-law.” He shared her with another and endured. I, his friend, listened to his justifications, his tears, and his pain. This went on for years.
Then came Natalie—sweet and lively, but unprepared for a serious life. Alex dreamed of a family, of children, and when she said “yes” to his proposal, he believed it was forever. But on the morning of their wedding, she vanished—never donned the dress, never crossed the registry door, she simply disappeared. Alex plummeted into a chasm of despair. I was there for him—by now a colleague, his right hand at work. I watched him bury his pain in his job, vowing never to fall in love again. But then he met Olivia—the life of the party, funny, carefree. Everyone adored her, and she seemed to love everyone back. Alex fell for her completely. Later, he found out she was expecting a child, but the father was someone else. The real father revealed himself at the birth but didn’t claim the child. Alex gave the boy his surname, raising him as his own. Olivia strayed repeatedly, and yet he tolerated it—all for the child, for the love that burned within him. Until she stunned him: asking him to be the godfather at her wedding to another man. Alex agreed—continuing to care for her son, excusing her fickleness.
Next came Rebecca—a demanding, temperamental princess. She insisted he treat her to meals out, breakfast in bed, lavish holidays. For three years, he bent over backward for her until she caused a scene on the plane over a one-hour delay. Mid-flight, she dumped him, shouting that he wasn’t worthy of her. Then there was Hannah, whose jealousy reached madness. Alex—loyal and devoted—never gave cause for doubt. But she despised me, his friend. We worked closely together, inseparable like siblings. Hannah demanded he quit his job because of me. Apparently, he spoke of me too much at home. Yes, we spent countless days together, but there was nothing between us except friendship. I secretly loved him, though he never saw it. I had a boyfriend, David, who knew my heart belonged to someone else. He accepted it and lived with me, hoping for a miracle. Meanwhile, Alex drifted into new relationships, believing in their sincerity. We parted ways for ten years.
After a decade, we ran into each other at a café on Ashford Square. Time felt suspended. We talked for hours, laughed, reminisced. I never married, and neither did he. Over the years, he’d had three more empty relationships, and I broke up with David—he found someone who gave him her all. I had been waiting for Alex. “I’ll never find that true love to share my life with. I must not deserve it,” he said, staring into his empty cup. At that moment, I couldn’t hold back—I grabbed his hand and kissed him. He pulled away: “What are you doing? Don’t out of pity!” Pity? I only pitied myself—for years of silence. “Alex, can’t you see? I’ve loved you since school!” I blurted out, trembling. He froze. Confessed he had loved me, too but only saw me as a friend, afraid to jeopardize what we had. We lost twenty years to such blindness.
Now we’ve been together for 22 years. Recently, our daughter, Lucy, confided in us: she’s in love. Her boyfriend is good and genuine; I can see how he adores her. What advice did I offer her? “Don’t wait twenty years like we did. Live your love now.” Alex and I may have missed out on so much time, but our moment arrived. And I thank fate for every day spent alongside him—for his kindness, for his heart that sought me for so long in others’ arms. Life can be harsh, but sometimes it grants a second chance. We seized ours—and will never let it go.
