I Was Never the Woman in Focus Chapter 07

I Was Never the Woman in Focus Chapter 07

For the next three months, Zion searched frantically across the country for Kelly. 

He traveled to her hometown, only to learn her parents had moved south for retirement years ago. When the elderly couple saw him, their faces turned livid, and they refused to let him inside. 

“How dare you show your face here?” Kelly’s father’s voice trembled through the security door. 

“You used our daughter’s money to spoil another woman, and left her stranded on the side of the 

highway all alone.” 

“Zion Xavier, get out of here. The Walsh family 

wants nothing to do with you.” 

Chased away, he stood in the unfamiliar hallway, 

broken and defeated. 

He returned to his company and pulled every 

resource to trace Kelly’s whereabouts after she 

quit her job. Eventually, a former coworker told 

him where she’d gone: Norway. An academic visiting program at the University of Oslo. 

Zion’s hands shook when he heard the news. Norway. The land of auroras–the place he’d lied 

about traveling to time and again for Selena’s 

sake. No wonder she’d chosen it. She’d chosen to 

pierce straight through his heart. 

“Book me the fastest flight to Oslo,” he told his 

assistant, his voice rough. 

December in Norway was deep into the polar 

night. Endless darkness blanketed the 

snow–covered land. 

Zion arrived in Tromsø right in the middle of a blizzard. This Arctic city was famous across the globe for its auroras. He’d learned Kelly’s program was holding fieldwork here for its final week. 

He trekked through the snow for three days. At last, he spotted her familiar figure outside a wooden cabin at a viewing platform. 

Kelly wore thick polar winter gear and a white knit beanie. She chatted fluently in Norwegian with a foreign professor beside her. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, but her eyes sparkled with a light Zion had never seen in eight years–relaxed, 

free, bright. 

In that moment, he hesitated to approach. He lingered around the cabin’s corner and watched her smile. That smile hurt him deeply. She looked 

far happier without him. 

The professor took his leave. Kelly walked to the railing and gazed up at the night sky. A swirl of 

emerald aurora spread across the heavens. 

Zion drew a shaky breath and stepped forward, his boots crunching heavily in the snow. 

Kelly turned around. When their eyes met, her 

expression remained completely calm. No 

surprise, no anger, no resentment. She looked at 

him as though he were a total stranger. 

“Kelly.” 

Zion’s voice trembled, and his eyes welled up 

instantly. He stepped toward her and reached for 

her hand, but she stepped back gently, evading his 

touch. 

“Why are you here?” Her tone was flat, revealing no 

emotion. 

“I came for you.” Tears fell onto the snow at his 

feet. “Kelly, I’m sorry. I truly am sorry.” 

He rambled desperately, pouring out his 

apologies. “I blocked Selena. I’ll never see her 

again. These past three months have driven me 

crazy…” 

He pulled a velvet jewelry box from his pocket and fumbled it open. Inside lay a custom–designed 

diamond ring. 

“I designed this myself. Come back with me, please? We’ll get married right away. I’ll buy a new house, and put it solely in your name.” 

He stared at her desperately, like a drowning man clinging to hope, searching for the slightest hint of 

softness in her face. There was none. 

Kelly simply looked at the glittering ring for a long 

moment, then let out a quiet laugh. 

“Zion.” She lifted her head and met his gaze 

directly. “This ring is eight years too late.” 

Zion’s heart sank completely. “…” 

“Eight years ago, I stood outside a jewelry store staring at an inexpensive ring for ages. You grew impatient and bought a random cheap one online 

to put on my finger.” 

Her voice carried clearly on the frigid Arctic wind. 

“For eight years, every time I was sick, every time I needed you, you were busy solving Selena’s 

problems.” 

“You chose her dog over me when I lay feverish in 

the emergency room.” 

“You chose her burst water pipe over me, leaving me stranded on a freezing street with my luggage.” 

His face paled further with every word she spoke. 

“Now you show up here with a belated ring and 

say you’re sorry.” Kelly shook her head. 

“Zion, you’re not sorry for losing me. You’re just 

upset you’ve lost someone who waited on you 

hand and foot.”