He Wouldn't Claim Me — Another Man Did-Chapter 99 - 88: Regret

The snow came without warning.

Fine snowflakes, like grains of salt, drifted down gently, melting the moment they touched the ground and leaving only faint, damp traces on the withered grass and stone steps.

Isla Prescott walked out of the monastery and went to the car to wait for Annabelle Leighton. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

A short while later, Annabelle Leighton returned.

"Isla, I drew the best possible fortune!"

Annabelle happily handed over a slip of paper. On it was the fortune, handwritten by a monk from the monastery: "An east wind brushes past, and peach blossoms smile. Cupid is tying fates; the time is now. Butterflies dance in fragrant thickets, heralding spring’s arrival. Your true love already waits west of the apricot blossoms."

"The high monk at the monastery said I’ll definitely end up with my fated partner this year! It looks like me winning over Officer Hayes is just a matter of time!" Annabelle was brimming with confidence.

Isla, infected by her happiness, replied, "So, does this mean I can congratulate you in advance?"

"Hahaha, save it for later and say it to my face then!" Annabelle folded the handwritten fortune slip and carefully placed it in the car’s glove compartment. "When I get home today, I’ll read this to my grandma to cheer her up."

"How has your grandmother’s health been lately?"

"It’s been up and down. On good days, she can finish a whole bowl of congee, but on bad days, we can’t even get her to drink water." Annabelle’s eyes grew moist. "I just feel that every extra day she can be with me is a blessing. I hope she can hold on long enough for me to bring Officer Hayes home for her to meet."

"Officer Hayes is so handsome. Your grandma will definitely be pleased."

"Of course! When my grandma is lucid, her biggest wish is for me to find a reliable partner. A police officer is as reliable as they come!"

As the two of them were talking in the car, they saw a Bentley in the open-air parking lot slowly drive up to the monastery entrance. Not long after the car stopped, a monk in a gray monastic robe and Shane Sterling walked out together.

The monk was the abbot of The Serene Peak Monastery, whose Dharma name was Claire Chandler.

Abbot Claire Chandler spoke with Shane Sterling as they walked, and Shane listened intently.

When they reached the car, they stopped. Abbot Claire Chandler handed a letter to Shane Sterling. Shane put his palms together and gave the abbot a farewell bow before taking the letter and getting into the car.

As fine snow fluttered down, Abbot Claire Chandler stood in the snow, watching Shane Sterling’s car drive into the distance, unmoving for a long time.

"I heard a story once, that when Abbot Claire Chandler of The Serene Peak Monastery was young, he was the son of a wealthy family. He and Shane Sterling’s mother, Mrs. Sterling, were childhood sweethearts. He loved her ever since they were little, but she only ever saw him as a friend. Later, in college, Mrs. Sterling met President Sterling, who came from a poor family. She went against her family’s wishes and insisted on being with him. After several failed attempts by her family to break them up, they had no choice but to reluctantly agree to the marriage. Mrs. Sterling got her wish and married the man she loved, but Claire Chandler was so heartbroken that he became a monk not long after. For the past twenty or thirty years, he’s lived at The Serene Peak Monastery without ever considering a return to secular life. Now, he’s even become the abbot," Annabelle said, her voice tinged with regret. "When I first heard this story, I was so sad. I think Abbot Claire Chandler is one of the world’s rare, truly devoted lovers."

Isla Prescott nodded. If the story was true, then Abbot Claire Chandler was indeed a man of deep devotion.

’To enter monastic life in the name of love... to trade the world for a cassock and a wooden fish, a lonely lamp and ancient scrolls, a prayer mat worn through from kneeling... all just to seek the one word: ’forget’. In this age where love is like fast food, how many people are still capable of that?’

"Isla, have you been in contact with Shane Sterling lately?" Annabelle usually didn’t dare bring up Shane in front of Isla, but since they had just seen him, she couldn’t resist a bit of gossip.

"No, but we ran into each other in the main hall just now."

"What a coincidence! Did you two talk?"

"Yes."

Isla thought of the vow Shane Sterling had made before the Buddha statue. It was as if the moon had fallen into the lake of her heart, its silver light shattering into a million pieces, each one reflecting his face.

The peace she had worked so hard to find was once again stirred into tides by this chance encounter.

"Actually, I’ve been meaning to tell you for a few days now... The Sterling Family has been going through a rough patch lately," Annabelle said suddenly.

"What happened?"

"Do you remember Chloe Kerr from the Meritopia Song and Dance Troupe?"

"I remember." ’How could I forget? We went to so much trouble to rescue Chloe Kerr back then.’

"The poor girl died in a car crash on New Year’s Day."

"She died?"

"Yeah. Her life was so tragic. She joined the song and dance troupe only to be trapped by powerful people, and just when she finally found happiness, this accident happened."

Although Isla didn’t know Chloe Kerr well, she was still struck by the terrible news. ’She was in her twenties, in the prime of her life.’ She felt a pang of regret for Chloe.

"You know how much Ezra loved Chloe. Now that she’s gone, his depression has flared up again." Annabelle lowered her voice. "I heard he’s tried to kill himself several times around the New Year. If he hadn’t been found in time, he would’ve followed her. Because of all this, Mrs. Sterling has fallen ill too."

Isla sighed. ’Ezra Sterling is also a devoted lover. If Chloe Kerr were still alive, they surely would have been happy together until old age.’

"Wait, Annie, what day did you say Chloe Kerr’s accident was?"

"New Year’s Day."

Isla suddenly remembered that Shane Sterling had been with her on New Year’s Day before being urgently called away by a phone call. ’It must have been related to Chloe Kerr’s car accident,’ she realized.

’But if it was just his brother’s girlfriend getting into an accident, he could have easily told me. Why didn’t he say anything?’

’And who were the "demons and monsters" Shane mentioned today?’