IN LOVE WITH A SOLDIER, VOLUME 2 - Season 10 Episode 88

In the VIP room of a world-class restaurant, Lawrence and Anna were enjoying a sumptuous meal and were treated to a breathtaking view of the city skyline.

“So, Lawrence, how are you doing recently? Anna asked as she took a sip from her glass of wine. She had seen the look on Lawrence’s face and could tell that his mind was occupied.

“Not bad at all,” Lawrence shrugged without even looking at Anna.

“Is that so? But I don’t think you’re in a good mood today. Is there something you want to share? Maybe I can help,” Anna sincerely offered. She was disappointed at Lawrence for the way he was acting but was more concerned about what he was going through.

At first, Lawrence felt that it was unnecessary to involve Anna. But he thought that Anna was not a stranger to him and there’s no point in hiding his thoughts from her. “I have a feeling that I may lose Aria,” he sighed.

Anna didn’t see that coming. To her surprise, she couldn’t say a word. She put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth clean with a cloth, and just stared at Lawrence with disbelief.

“Really? You’re surprised?” Lawrence asked Anna sarcastically. He didn’t expect to see the astonishment in her eyes.

“Lawrence, does that mean…” Anna said but didn’t finish. She looked at Lawrence expecting him to know what she had in mind.

“No, certainly not,” Lawrence replied firmly. He smirked as he put down his chopstick. He wiped his mouth clean with a cloth and looked at Anna. “You’re the one who’s hiding something from me,” he said.

“What? What could that be?” Anna snickered. She looked back at Lawrence skeptically, wondering what Lawrence was talking about.

“Is the name Ryan familiar to you?” he asked indifferently.

Anna’s eyes widened. It did ring a bell to her. She then asked, “How did you find out about him?”

“News has wings and they sure fly fast,” he replied. For Lawrence, Anna was special. Though their love story did not work out, he found a confidant in her. He trusted her even more and he hoped that they could stay as good friends forever.

“Did he say anything to you?” Anna asked worriedly.

“All I know is he might be coming to the city to visit you,” he replied.

Again, she didn’t see that one coming. Her face turned red and she shook her head in disbelief. “He must be crazy! What is he thinking about coming here?” she sighed heavily.

But instead of directly replying to the question, Lawrence said, “The son of The Republic of San Marin, our schoolfellow in the university, a top student and a consistent government scholar, that’s Ryan. There’s nothing more you can ask for.” He turned to look out of the window to avoid Anna’s gaze. He was silent for a moment thinking carefully what to tell Anna. Then after a while, he said, “It must be clear to you now what he is sacrificing just to come to China for the girl he loves.”

He then looked at Anna to see how she would react.

“I’ve already told him that I’m not good for him. I don’t want to drag him down,” Anna muttered. She was worried that Ryan might be putting his career in jeopardy due to his impulsiveness.

Ryan could be considered as a modern prince living a happy and affluent life, who was entitled to inherit a small country. Whereas Anna, who had also grown up in a rich and powerful family, wasn’t at par with Ryan’s extravagant lifestyle and riches. Comparing with Lawrence’s ability, Ryan had the same set of skills and was not inferior to the first. More than that, he sincerely loved Anna and would certainly do all the things just to win her heart despite the consequences. These things made Anna feel more guilty for him.

“Anna,” Lawrence called her name with a calm voice. “Listen to me. We’re all grownups now and we should no longer be self-centered like we used to. There are a lot of things we need to consider now in any decisions we make aside from ourselves. Sometimes, we must choose between our own happiness or our family’s sake. Please don’t be so stubborn.”

After saying that, Lawrence readied himself to leave.

“I think I’m done. I’ll leave you to think about it,” he said as he stood up to leave.

“Lawrence, wait!” Anna said, looking at Lawrence’s handsome but cold face. “Can’t we really get back together?”

Her eyes were full of hope, silently praying that Lawrence would give their love another chance.

Lawrence looked at Anna and smiled. He sighed deeply then tenderly said, “Anna, what’s lost is lost. We’re not just meant to be. All I can give you is friendship and nothing more.” He turned away and left.

Anna couldn’t hold back her tears as she watched Lawrence leave. But she didn’t feel sad after Lawrence turned her down. Instead, she felt a heavy weight lifted from her heart. She knew that there was no way to change Lawrence’s mind about them, and she was now ready to finally let him go.

When Lawrence got to his car, he didn’t start the car engine. Instead, he leaned his head on the steering wheel and sat there quietly.

He felt upset after turning down Anna, but it was the right thing to do so she could move on with her own life. Anna always had a special place in his heart, and he wished that she could find her true love. At this moment, Lawrence missed Aria the most. Giving up on Aria was the last thing he would do if he had a choice. But he had to choose what was best for his family and that was to break up with Aria. She was the most special woman in his life, and he could not imagine spending the rest of his life with another woman aside from her. Perhaps they were meant to be but in another lifetime.

Some people were destined to meet, fall in love, and spend the rest of their lives with each other. But some were not fated for a happy ending. They would meet and fall in love, but only to part ways someday.