Chapter 366
Clifford couldn’t wait to marry Kelly. He had been so busy with the wedding preparations, with plenty of help from his future mother-in-law. Every day, he grew more excited to tell Kelly about the progress.
That morning, he couldn’t wait any longer. He rushed to her room to share the updates, but when he walked in, he frowned, noticing she wasn’t there. He glanced toward the bathroom, where the door was slightly ajar and the light was on. Concerned, he hurried to open it.
“Kelly!” he called out but froze when he saw her.
Kelly stood in front of the mirror, smiling at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I thought I’d try something new… Do you mind marrying a bald bride?” she joked, her awkward smile softening the statement. “I can always wear a wig p>
Clifford stood frozen for a moment, trying his best to compose himself. His heart ached seeing her like this, but he forced a smile. “I don’t mind at all, Kelly,” he said, his voice steady. “Give me that, and I’ll do it p>
Kelly hesitated, not handing him the razor, but Clifford reached out, gently taking it from her. “You know,” he hummed as he examined her reflection, “you’re naturally beautiful. Even without hair, you’re still stunning p>
His voice softened with emotion as he spoke, his heart aching for her. He knew exactly why she was shaving her head, it wasn’t because she wanted to, but because she didn’t want to watch her hair fall out on its own.
He remembered the last time he saw her hair shedding, and the pain in her eyes. He had asked Ivan about it, and he was told it was a side effect of her cancer treatments. It was normal, but still, seeing Kelly go through it broke his heart.
He carefully began to shave her hair, each stroke gentle, as if trying to ease the pain she was feeling, to make the process as comforting as possible. “I’m so proud of you, Kelly,” he murmured. “You’re so brave p>
As he finished, he looked at her, noticing how her face now seemed to hold an unexpected serenity, even as she touched her smooth scalp. “You still look stunning,” he said, his voice full of admiration.
Kelly let out a soft laugh, a real one this time, and leaned into him. “Thanks. I guess I’ll get used to this. And maybe I’ll start looking at wigs soon, like you said p>
Clifford kissed her forehead, holding her close. “Whatever makes you feel comfortable. But to me, you’ll always be perfect p>
But then, to Kelly’s surprise, Clifford reached for the razor again and began to move it toward his own head.
“Clifford, no! Stop!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening as she watched him begin to shave his own hair. “What are you doing? You don’t have to do this p>
Clifford chuckled softly, his eyes locking onto hers with a playful glint. “Why not? I mean, I’m not going to let you do this alone. We’re in this together, right? I want to see who will look better… me, the one who’s supporting you, or you, the one who’s already stealing the show p>
Kelly’s mouth opened and closed in surprise, unsure whether to laugh or cry. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. His jest was lighthearted, but she could see the underlying tenderness behind it.
“No, Clifford. You don’t have to she trailed off, her voice cracking. “You don’t have to do this for me p>
But Clifford just smiled at her, the razor still poised above his head. “I want to. I’ve got to look just as good as you. Besides, this way we can both be bald together, and you won’t feel so alone p>
Kelly’s chest tightened at his words, and the tears she had been holding back finally started to fall. It wasn’t just the gesture that made her emotional, it was the depth of his love for her. To see him willing to make such a sacrifice, to go so far as to change his own appearance just to make her feel less isolated, touched her in ways words couldn’t express.
Clifford began to shave his own hair, but Kelly stopped him, her voice quiet. “Let me do it,” she murmured.
There was a long silence as she carefully worked, shaving his hair away. Clifford’s gaze remained on her through the mirror, and though she tried to keep her composure, she couldn’t hold back the emotions any longer. A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another, and soon, she was softly sniffing as she finished shaving his hair.
When she was done, she stepped back, her hands trembling slightly. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, burying her face against his back.
“I’m sorry you have to lose your hair because of me,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Clifford turned gently in her arms, cupping her face with his hands, his eyes soft with understanding. “No need to apologize,” he said, his voice calm and soothing.
He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips, his forehead resting against hers as he spoke again, his words filled with love. “It’s just hair, Kelly. It’ll grow back. I told you, I want to walk every step of this journey with you. I want to go through it all, together. I want this… with you p>
Kelly was at a loss for words, her emotions overwhelming her. Without thinking, she stood on tiptoe and reached up to kiss him. Their lips met in a passionate embrace as if the kiss was the only way to express everything she was feeling. Her heart raced as the kiss deepened, and at that moment, all the worries and fears seemed to fade away, leaving only the warmth of his embrace and the certainty that, together, they could face anything.
As Kelly and Clifford pulled away from their kiss, a soft voice from the doorway broke the moment. Mrs. Johnson stood there, her eyes wide with surprise. She immediately gasped, her face flushing with embarrassment. “Oh! I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, her hand flying to her mouth. “I didn’t mean to intrude p>