Ex-wife, Please Come Back

Chapter 399 Weakness

Nobody dared to speak, not even Sara. She knew better than to dissuade the two of them. Besides, this matter was only between the two men. She should not step in and interfere in it. She knew her boundaries and that she should not get involved in their affairs.

James turned his head and forced a smile. "Jacob, no matter what you think of me, this is my choice. I'm sorry that I disappointed you and left such an impression. The truth is, I've always been a complete coward. I'm not as strong as you think I am."

As soon as James finished speaking, he picked up his suitcase and was about to leave. He felt that he could no longer stay there, even for a second.

Many eyes were on him, and it felt as though they were laughing at his every move. He could not tolerate those gazes anymore. He was a dignified man. He could not let those people gossip about him and taint his name.

"Jacob..." Sara could not help but comfort him, who was crestfallen and at a loss. However, he just ignored her.

"Dad!" Jacob shouted. On his forehead was a slight trickle of sweat most probably due to anxiety and dejection.

"What? What did you call Uncle James just now?" Sara asked, her eyes widened in disbelief. Did Jacob mean what he said? It felt as though what he had said was a bolt from the blue.

No wonder Jacob kept it from her. It also explained why James had to leave. Everything was so confusing, but Sara felt that things were finally falling into place.

"Jacob, as a man, I hope you can respect my decision. Don't worry. I've thought it through over and over again, and this is the result. I'm sorry that I didn't set a good example for you."

James's lips were still curled into a smile yet everyone could see that his eyes were filled with tears.

If Jacob left James unfriendly words to drive him away, the latter would definitely not be able to hold back his tears. Fortunately, Jacob did not say anything.

Perhaps he understood how painful it was to be apart from the person he loved. That was why he tried his best to hold back his sadness and instead show that he was strong.

Before Jacob came there, he had known how determined James already was. However, he still dreamt about something.

Sadly, his dream was now shattered into pieces. At that moment, Jacob finally figured it out.

"Take care, Uncle." He could only utter two words, but it was enough to make his whole body tremble. Upon hearing his words, James lifted his hand as if he wanted to hold Jacob's. But in the end, there was a distance between them that he could no longer close in.

"Well, be good to Sara. I'll come back to see you in the future, I promise. I'm just going away to relax. Don't worry, Jacob."

James smiled and looked at Sara, who had not said anything for a long time. She seemed to be taken aback by his gaze but said nothing.

There was no need to say anything more. They knew that a person's trace in their lives would never disappear. Although it would somehow fade over time, it would remain indelible in their lives.

"Good bye... Uncle." Although Sara was a little hesitant to call James 'Uncle', she nodded and called him that anyway.

Besides, Jacob called James that, so she must call James the same way. She eventually accepted and understood why James wanted to leave.

Leaving is a choice for the helpless. For James, it might have been the most helpless decision in his life.

If one look at it in another way, it is also a relief. A world without disputes is impossible to have. James believed that he could try his best to avoid it. Truth be told, what he wanted the most was peace of mind than seeing it every day.

He had finally made up his mind to leave. There was no way he would change anything just because of Jacob's words out of spite.

Jacob knew that as well, so he decided to keep silent. After all, James's pride had already been obliterated many years ago. All of his remaining days were just to make up for his mistakes. It was nothing but atonement for the past.

It was his own war raging in his mind. No matter how lonely he had been after all these years, he had not moved on yet. He could still feel it in his heart.

All he wanted to do was to start over. Why did it seem nearly impossible to do so? Nevertheless, James had no choice but to grit his teeth and hold on no matter how difficult it was.

As a man, he believed that he would remain resolute despite being questioned and doubted by others. That belief of him would never waver.

Meanwhile, Jacob pursed his lips in frustration. Although he was blaming James for being a coward, he just realized that he was one too. At this sudden realization, he felt that he could finally move on.

James had his own life, and he was more than capable of making a choice for himself. He would not give up just because Jacob expressed his disapproval.

"I'll stay here and watch you get on the plane," Jacob said after being silent for a long time. At first, he thought that James would give up on leaving and just stay after hearing Jacob's words.

But now, Jacob could only choose to let go. Perhaps it was time to give James a chance to pursue his new life. Jacob should not be selfish to restrict James from achieving it.

Standing aside, Sara could not calm down for a long time after listening to their conversation. Like a sharp sword, Jacob's words pierced into James' heart. Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

Not only did she feel sorry for Jacob, but she was also astonished. How could he let James leave so easily? Also, why was she feeling so regretful?

What else could Sara do anyway? Aside from regrets, there was no better reason for her to keep James from leaving.

If they could not ask him to stay, it was better to let him go, right? Jacob now looked calmer than ever as he gazed at James. Perhaps it was the last time they would see each other. Even so, he said those words casually as though they would meet again in the future.

"Goodbye, Uncle James," Jacob said for the last time. James just nodded solemnly in response.

Seeing Jacob and Sara side by side, he still felt inexplicably sad. He felt as though his words got stuck in his throat, rendering him unable to speak.

James finally turned around to leave. Tears were welling up in his eyes, making his vision blurry that he almost could not see the road in front of him. The staff could not help but steal glances at him. Well, a crying man in his fifties was not something they saw every day.

The tears were like James' silent farewell. At the thought of this, he wiped them away and finally boarded the plane.

It seemed that many people were not so different than them. Just when they could see clearly and figure things out, they had already reached the end. Honestly, what James felt most regretful was that he could not see with his own eyes that Jacob got married again.

His saying that he would come back was only wishful thinking. The truth was, he wanted to stay right where Jacob was until the remainder of his life. However, he knew he had to leave.

It might take a few years for Jacob to accept such a fact. Perhaps it would take at least three years, five years, or even longer. Even so, he had no choice but to wait until the time came.

That was James' decision, and Jacob could only respect it. After all, it was more than enough that he had tried his best to make James stay. Once James was out of Jacob's sight, Jacob felt that his body weakened.

He collapsed on the chair in the waiting room. His legs were straight, and his eyes were empty as he gazed blankly in the distance.

Sara, who was standing aside, put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. She completely understood what he was going through right now.

She had been there in that situation. It was like the time when she could not accept her mother's divorce and leaving. As a way of coping, she just covered herself with a quilt and cried helplessly for hours.

Many people do not know that the taste of youth is actually bitter. Sara looked at Jacob with concern. One look and she immediately knew that he wanted to cry.

He had never showed his fragility, not even in front of her. Fortunately, she understood that everyone had their own weaknesses.

For Jacob, his weakness was being too attached and being too emotional. Sadly, the more emotional a person is, the more painful their life would be. Well, many things affect a person at once, and he must keep up with it.

Jacob did not know how long he had been sitting on the chair. He was so devastated that he had no idea how many people around him came and went. However, Sara stayed by his side.