บท 347: A moth flying to the flame
Jacob decided to continue with his life. He moved in with Samantha, but inadvertently called her "Anna". This left him disoriented. A single letter from London completely disrupted his rhythm of life. Deep down in his subconscious, that unforgettable memory seemed to have never faded away.
Samantha forgave him without a hint of anger. This only intensified Jacob's guilt. He invited Samantha to a bar, seeking catharsis, calmness, and a way to regain his composure. He needed to break free from the clutches of memories and move forward.
Anna's talent finally gained the recognition of the chief editor, who entrusted her with writing for the blog. Within her chapters, the chief editor detected a unique depth of emotion. She knew there was someone special, someone who had always resided deep within Anna's heart, occupying a significant place.
The chief editor shared her own and her husband's story. They were once separated between Los Angeles and New York, enduring immense hardship every day. Yet, they persisted and now lived together in London.
This gave Anna confidence. She decided to try again.
Amid the bar's clamor, Jacob immersed himself in the rhythm of music and pleasure, casting aside all distractions. Then, he received a text from Anna, "Can you give me a call? I really need to talk to you."
His thoughts turned chaotic. He returned the phone to his pocket, attempting to rejoin the party inside the bar, embracing Samantha tightly. But it was too difficult. He remained absentminded, a faint sadness flickering amidst the neon lights of the bar. The lights and shadows began to peel away as another message arrived.
"Please don't ignore me."
Jacob lowered his head, bewilderment and hesitation resurging between his brows. He greeted Samantha, saying he was heading to the restroom, and stepped outside the bar. He dialed that familiar number.
"Anna, I..."
Before Jacob could speak, Anna interrupted him, "I just have to say one thing, and it's really important that you just listen to me." Anna sat in her room, her figure forlorn. "I just... It doesn't feel like this thing is going to go away. It's always there. I can't... I can't get on with my life."
Jacob felt like he was trapped in a cage, pacing back and forth, feeling lost. He closed his eyes, the pain in his brows struggling. "We agreed." Jacob halted his steps, his shoulders tense, revealing a hint of helplessness. An indescribable bitterness surged within him.
"I know, Jacob, but the things that we have with each other, I don't have with any other person. With any other human being apart from you." Anna's voice carried earnestness, desperation, and determination. She rubbed her temples, took a deep breath, timid and anxious, yet resolutely spoke, "And I feel it so strongly. And I feel like... it's right for us to get married..."
She proposed.
Hope bit her lower lip tightly, but tears once again blurred her eyes uncontrollably. She clumsily raised her hand, wiping away the tears, accidentally brushing against Tessa's arm. Tessa tightly covered her mouth, her teary eyes almost crying uncontrollably, yet no sound escaped.
But at this moment, Hope had no time to concern herself with Tessa, for she was preoccupied. She knew, she knew that they ultimately belonged to each other. She knew they couldn't let go. She knew that intense feeling between them had never truly vanished. That intense and blazing emotion, almost reducing one to ashes, still drove them madly.
Jacob stood frozen in place, every muscle in his body tense, his eyes a mixture of panic and myriad emotions too complex to articulate. Under the dim yellow streetlight, his struggle was etched with a trace of pain between his brows. Then, he saw Samantha.
"That's our only option now. I don't want to have regrets about us. And we can make this work..."
Anna's voice came through the receiver. Jacob looked at Samantha, hesitated briefly, then lowered his gaze, avoiding their eye contact. This subtle motion caught Samantha's eyes, causing her to bite her lip, fighting back tears, clenching her teeth, and turning away.
She knew Anna. She knew Jacob and Anna's history. She knew it was Anna on the other end of the call. She knew everything.
The lines of Jacob's shoulders remained taut, his pupils somewhat vacant, as if losing focus. When he raised his gaze, Samantha's figure was already nowhere to be seen. He took two steps forward, then abruptly halted. His mind was in turmoil, unable to organize his thoughts. Finally, he slightly relaxed his shoulders. His shadow stretched long on the ground.
"... if we do that. I spoke to Harry, and he said it'll only take six months, and then I can come back. And then we can be together. So will you just think about it for us? Just come for a few days, and then we can make this work."
Anna's words continued, brimming with hope and anticipation, eager and spirited, spreading slowly in the night.
Jacob stood still, the sprawling streetlights above him almost as if they would collapse his shoulders at any moment. Solitude and bitterness crept slowly between his brows. His unfocused gaze let his soul drift through the boundless night sky, then began to sprint, headlong and unreservedly, burying everything else.
He chose Anna, heeded the deep call within his heart, hurt a girl who loved him wholeheartedly, and rekindled the flames of that love with reckless abandon. He headed for London once more. Anna, Anna, it was always Anna. Even if it meant being reduced to ashes, even if it meant flying into the flame, he was willing.
They got married.
For a fleeting moment, all past memories became fragments of time, jumbled together. Past and present intertwined, indistinguishable. They walked along the streets of Santa Monica, drank champagne in their honeymoon hotel room, spoke in hushed tones all night, fearing to disturb Anna's roommate. They locked eyes in a London pub. The past intensity, passion, and madness revived.
Six months, they only needed to wait six months. Then they could begin their happy life together in Los Angeles.
Anna stood at Heathrow Airport, seeing Jacob off. They gazed at each other, no words spoken. Suddenly, tears welled up in their eyes, the agonizing pain of not wanting to part swirled in their eyes. The red thread tied to the tip of their little fingers bound them tightly, seemingly unbreakable even by death.
Anna watched as Jacob ascended the escalator, standing still, her tearful eyes reluctant to let go. Time hurried by, yet even the immense power of time couldn't erode the connection between them. Finally, after six months, they were reunited. Six months passed in this manner.
Anna and Jacob returned to the U.S. Embassy in London, attempting to apply for a visa. In their conversation, Hope learned that it wasn't a year, but two years since they first met. Two full years of arduous efforts, four previous attempts before their marriage, and now this was the fifth time.
However, the outcome remained unchanged. The violation of the visa ban still held, and Anna's renewed application to enter the U.S. was rejected. Even though she was now his wife.
Both he and she were exhausted.
They went shopping at a thrift market, but one turned around, and the other became absent-minded. Neither knew who had lost the other, and they got separated. After much struggle, they finally found each other, only to get into a quarrel. Yet, just as the argument began, they both felt weary, unwilling to continue. So, they returned together to Anna's apartment.
But the argument eventually erupted.
Anna saw the text message Samantha sent Jacob discussing work. She suspected that Samantha and Jacob's feelings for each other hadn't ended. What was originally a tentative inquiry unwittingly transformed into a quarrel. During the argument, Jacob unintentionally sensed Anna's unease, and he discovered Anna's secret relationship with Simon. It wasn't the first time he had seen this Simon.
Fury erupted like a volcano, brutally injuring each other. They argued to the point of exhaustion, ultimately leaving both battered and bruised, going separate ways. When calm returned, they were scarred all over, covered in wounds.
Anna remained in London, Jacob was in Los Angeles; Anna began living with Simon again, Jacob reunited with Samantha; Jacob took Samantha to Catalina Island for vacation, their happiness apparent, Anna got promoted, eager to celebrate with Simon.
Simon accidentally snapped Anna's bracelet, the one with the word "Patience," the bracelet Jacob had given her. Anna suddenly broke down, flustered, not knowing what to do.
"Hi." Unable to resist, Anna sent another text to Jacob. Simon emerged from the kitchen, asking, "What's up?" She answered, "Just working."
"Hey." Jacob glanced at Samantha, lying next to him, and typed out a message.
"Good news, I got promoted to junior editor."
"That's great. Congratulations."
"I miss you."
"I miss..." Jacob began typing the message, then paused midway, fingers hovering in the air. Eventually, he deleted everything, exited the screen, and placed the phone aside, a trace of reluctance and daze in his gaze, staring at his phone for a long time. But finally, he turned around, tossed the phone aside, and embraced Samantha.
Simon detailed the plans for their date that night, urging Anna. With a smile, Anna asked Simon to go ahead, saying she would join him shortly. Then, she took out her phone and double-checked, yet there was no response. Gazing at the blank screen, Anna hesitated, her focus momentarily lost. However, it lasted only a moment. She put the phone back in her bag and followed Simon out for their date.
After returning from the date that night, Anna received a call from her lawyer. "I got the approval letter. I talked to the embassy today and everything is in order."
Sighs, resignation, hesitation, helplessness, confusion, bitterness...
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