Chapter 1654


    “We’d been dating for about six months. During that time, I scrimped and saved, even quit smoking, all


    to stash away enough cash with an eye on buying a house in J City and marrying her. But it wasn’t long


    before the boss’s son returned from overseas and took a shine to my girl. He set me up, using me


    of stealing steel from the factory, and had the cops haul me away. That night, I was with my girlfriend.


    All she had to do was testify that I was with her, and I’d have an alibi to clear my name. But she didn’t.


    She just sat in the courtroom, watching me take the fall, without uttering a single word. I was sentenced


    to three years. When I got out, I went looking for her right away, only to see her leaving the factory, all


    decked out in designer clothes, stepping into a Mercedes-Benz. I found outter that she’d married the


    boss’s son and was now thepany’s business manager. I despised her then, wanted to find a way


    to get back at her. I used to think that there was some sort of karma in the world. I’d been an honest


    decent man, and yet I ended up with nothing, a jailbird with a criminal record, too ashamed to go home,


    unable to find work. Meanwhile, those two, they got to live high off the hog!”


    Xavier asked, “So, did you get your revenge?”


    Damian took a swig of his beer, his face set in grim lines. He shook his head slowly. “No! The day I


    confronted her, I held a knife to her throat, and she cried, snot and tears mingling. She said that her


    mother had been ill at the time and she needed money. The boss’s son had told her he’d pay for the


    treatment, as long as she didn’t testify for me. After I was sent away, she couldn’t resist the boss’s


    son’s advances, and eventually, they ended up together. She cried as she told me that she loved me,


    but we were too poor. Even if we worked in the factory our whole lives, we’d never be able to afford a


    house in J City.” She also said, “When I was sent away, she discovered that she was pregnant,


    carrying my child, but she lost it. She begged me to spare her, for the sake of the child we almost had.


    And so, in the end, I couldn’t do it.


    Xavier clinked his beer bottle against Damian’s. “You did the right thing, man. A woman like that is not


    worth throwing away the rest of your life over” Damian nodded. “True. In hindsight, I’m kind of d.


    Even more d that I met you, who gave me a chance to live a decent life again.”


    Xavierughed. “Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden, especially on a holiday? Forget about it,


    let the past stay in the past. You should focus on finding a good woman and settling down.”


    “We’ll see. I’m good for now.” Damian gave a nonchnt smile. Let’s go to the lobby and join the others


    for a drink.”


    Xavier shook his head. “You guys go ahead. I need some alone time.”


    Damian joked, “What’re you gonna do, moon over someone?”


    Xavier looked up, half-serious, half-joking. “Just watch the moon)


    Sensing that Xavier had something on his mind, Damian didn’t press him. He just left him a beer.


    “Boss, I’ve learned from my own experiences that finding someone kind and genuinely into you is no


    easy task. Don’t squander this opportunity.”


    Xavier’s gaze deepened. “What are you implying?”


    “No implication, just a friendly advice. I’m off now!” Damian gave a smallugh and headed for the


    lobby.


    Xavier tossed thest piece of rib to the fat cat, not bothering to look up at the sky again. He got up and


    headed upstairs.


    After taking a shower and lying in bed, he could hear theughter and chatter of Zachary, Damian, and


    the others from downstairs, but he didn’t feel sleepy at all.


    Normally, at this time, Norah would chat with him, talking about random things that happened during


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    her day at work. Even the smallest incidents, she could make them sound interesting.


    Sometimes he would respond, sometimes he wouldn’t.


    She never got angry, always ending the conversation with a goodnight.


    He took out his phone and opened the WhatsApp chat with Norah. Thest message was still Norah’s


    question,


    [Which is more beautiful? The moon or me?]


    He knew that tonight, she wouldn’t be saying goodnight.