Confession Before Leaving

The longest time in the world is waiting.

On one hand, Jake was worried about his aunt's physical condition. On the other hand, he feared that seeing him would deepen her suicidal thoughts.

Jake believed his aunt's suicide attempt was entirely because of him.

But in reality, Jake's actions were merely the last straw that broke the camel's back.

It wasn't Jake's outrageous behavior that made Taylor entertain such thoughts, but the long-term mental pressure and psychological burden that had already pushed Taylor to the edge of collapse.

And Jake, as the fuse, burned at an astonishing speed.

Thus, everything happened.

Jake's heart ached, and he wanted to gently rub the swelling on his aunt's forehead. However, the fingers on his right hand hurt too much to obey, and his left hand had to hold his aunt firmly, so he could only blow softly.

Dazed, Taylor only felt that the man before her was gentle and considerate, completely unlike the image of death in her mind. The shock in her brain was quietly subsiding.

When her vision finally returned to normal, allowing her to clearly recognize the man in front of her, she instinctively pushed Jake away in panic.

Being saved by someone who had hurt her was even harder for Taylor to accept.

Before, Jake would never have forced her. But now, fully aware of his aunt's mental state and emotional fluctuations, he would rather be hated by her than watch her harm herself again.

Even as excruciating pain surged, Jake ignored it and held his aunt tightly.

"Let me go," Taylor twisted her body, trying to break free from Jake's grip.

But how could Taylor, a delicate and graceful woman, be a match for Jake?

"Let me go! Didn't I tell you to leave? How dare you barge into the bathroom!" Taylor's voice remained soft and sweet, though slightly louder.

Yet the more she struggled, the tighter Jake held her, their chests pressed intimately together.

When her warnings went unheeded, Taylor began pounding Jake's back with all her strength, but the force was no more than a tickle to him.

"Jake, let me go. Haven't you humiliated me enough? What else do you want?" Taylor's voice grew choked with sobs.

Her strikes grew weaker and weaker.

Jake remained silent.

"Jake, I hate you!"

"Let me go! Jake!"

"Jake..."

"Jake... please, let me go, okay?"

Taylor's voice grew smaller and smaller until it completely faded, tears once again welling in her eyes.

"Wuuu..." Silent cries drowned in the noisy sound of the shower.

Everything was left unspoken, including Taylor's eerily quiet "inner voices."

After a long time, Jake spoke in a hoarse voice, "Aunt, you can scold me, hate me, even tear me to pieces, I won't complain."

"But I can't bear to see you throw your life away like this. Teacher, you're my Teacher Taylor."

"From the day I met you, memories of Sunshine Middle School felt like they were just yesterday."

"You didn't give up on me or look down on me like other teachers. Instead, you patiently taught me, guided me!"

"You were beautiful, dignified, and approachable. Do you know what the students secretly called you? An angel!"

"You saved not just me, but also the children who had long lived in the shadows."

"At that moment, I truly felt the motherly love I had lost for so long."

"You taught me how to study, how to be a good person, how to live strong on my own. Teacher, do you know? Back then, you were my light. You illuminated me, warmed me, healed me."

Taylor's tense body suddenly trembled. Hearing Jake's heartfelt words, she felt a stirring in her heart.

"Do you know how much I suffered after you left that semester?"

"I was lost, terrified, restless every day. I searched for you frantically, but I was too poor—I couldn't afford a phone, let alone get your number."

"When I saw your boyfriend that time, my heart almost shattered. Thankfully, fate gave me another chance to reunite with you."

"I was so happy, so happy!"

The more Jake spoke, the more emotional he became, tears welling in his eyes.

Now sensing his aunt's calmer emotions and body, Jake slowly released her, letting her face him.

Hearing Jake recount his childhood, Taylor also felt a mix of emotions. She never expected her casual actions could have such a profound impact on him.

When Taylor and Jake stood face-to-face again, bare and vulnerable,

Jake had already cried like a child, a grown man half a head taller than her, weeping with snot and tears. Instantly, her heart swelled with pity and maternal love. Taylor even forgot she was the victim.

"Teacher Taylor, do you remember what I told you last time? There are plenty of men in the world. Please don't see me as just a student anymore, I'm a real man too."

"I love you. I'm willing to take responsibility for my actions."

The sudden confession caught Taylor off guard. Only then did she remember the boy before her had long grown into a passionate man. Her damp eyes flickered with hesitation and confusion.

Before she could react further,

Jake pleaded in a tearful voice, "Teacher, I beg you, don't do anything reckless. If I could, I'd die in your place!"

His loud voice momentarily drowned out the sound of the shower, echoing in the bathroom for a long time.

Then came a long silence.

The emotionally charged Jake realized his roughness and quietly released his aunt's shoulders.

Taylor finally broke free from the grip she couldn't escape earlier. She stood straight, instinctively covering her chest with her hands, her head slightly lowered, her ears and snow-white neck tinged with faint pink.

She seemed to be thinking, or perhaps digesting Jake's "confession."

Time passed minute by minute. For Jake, it felt like years. For Taylor, it was no less agonizing.

"Leave. I don't want to see you again."

Taylor's cold words finally broke the stalemate.

"Teacher..."

"Don't call me teacher!"

"Then don't think about suicide anymore."

"Of course, I'll live well, for myself."

"Your injuries..."

"I'll take care of them myself. Leave!" Taylor's final words carried no emotion, and Jake couldn't sense any fluctuation in her tone.

"Perhaps this is the best outcome." Jake sighed inwardly.

Reluctantly glancing at his aunt one last time, he forced himself to take a step forward, then quickened his pace and left the bathroom.

"Hah..." Taylor exhaled as if releasing pressure.

Her reddened eyes gradually filled with determination and resilience. She closed the glass door, swiftly stripped off her clothes, grabbed the headscarf hanging on the metal rack, and tied up her hair neatly, covering it. She stepped forward into the steam-filled shower.

Outside the bathroom, Jake "witnessed" all of this. A relieved smile tugged at his lips. As the sound of running water grew louder, confirming that Taylor no longer had any suicidal thoughts, he reluctantly walked out of the house.

...

Back in the car, Jake sat quietly in the driver's seat, his hands behind his head, his gaze distant.

"Perhaps this is the last time I'll see Teacher Taylor. Whatever, it's better than losing her forever." The low murmur escaped Jake's lips.

He was grateful for his newfound ability to eavesdrop on women's inner voices. In situations like today, it seemed his power wasn't even at its full potential.

This level of perception had allowed him to stop his aunt's suicide attempt just in time, something Jake secretly celebrated.

However, it also meant losing the last connection he had with her. The thought made him gloomy.

Shaking his head bitterly, Jake pulled out his phone. Earlier, he had set it to vibrate and placed it in his suit jacket pocket, so he hadn't noticed it during his intimate moment with his aunt.

But truthfully, his aunt's body was exquisite in every way, and Jake couldn't help but let his mind wander. Seeing one unread text message, five missed calls, and 99+ unread WhatsApp messages, he quickly snapped out of it.

No need to guess—most were from Mia, with a couple from Cabel and Lily mixed in.

Cabel: Don't worry, bro, I already got you covered with the leave. No need to thank me.

Lily: Jake, the selection starts in two days. The team needs to meet tomorrow.

Jake replied with a "Thanks" to each.

Then he focused on responding to Mia.

"Jake, what are you up to?"

"Hello?"

"Check out my outfit today."

"Why aren't you replying?"

"No calls, no texts, you wanna die? (emoji: joking)"

"Did something happen to you? Reply if you see this."