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Caption: A Letter For Edward sometimes love is not meant to be together
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Caption: It was only back then when the saying we always hear, ‘love conquers all’, did not prove its authenticity. We, somehow, could not pick whom to love or whose heart to put our heart in…
Caption: Minneapolis, 1904
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Caption: Lord Frederick Humming just moved in to his new residence in the Mediterranean village of Minneapolis. He was a noble English man who happened to run a canning factory business in Minneapolis and was an important man in the one and only enormous political party in Washington. His residence was the biggest, modernist, prestigious and luxurious mansion among of all other houses nearby.
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Caption: Nothing to be quarreled, he was the count, glittered by treasure and prestige, for he was an influential personage. He was so respected, any villagers would bow down to him whenever him passing by. He had so many maids and butlers to take care his enormous mansion, and he had an unlimited power to make people do what he wanted them to do.
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Caption: Lord Frederick Humming was an honorable, noble, and aristocratic man. Yet, his charisma wasn’t to be taken for granted, for deep behind his intriguing allure outside, he possessed a very sly and cunning mind - something people should be aware of. Lord Frederick Humming was no man to be dealt with.
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Caption: As he moved in, he brought his only daughter to the residence. His fore wife died few years ago as she gave birth to their daughter, which made his life more tensed for he had to raise a child by his own. What endured him despite all the poignancy was his daughter of pride, Lady Estella Humming.
And he had grown an endearment for Estella.
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Caption: Lady Estella Humming was opposite from his father in every way. When he liked to engage politics, she was fond of literature. If he spent most of his times meeting and attending balls, then she would be in either library or her room – writing her poems, poetry, or stories. It was the world war that intrigued him, but it was The Hunchback Of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo or The Happy Prince and The Other Tale by Oscar Wilde that drowned her in.
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Caption: Later she learned that she was so different from her father or most of his interests. Yet, his expectancy on her was beyond prospect. In her 19th, she was beyond beautiful, taken after her mother. Her beauty was embellished by her broad bright mind, in addition to her modest heart. People looked at her far different from her father, the way she humbled at everyone when her father held his head high in arrogance.
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Caption: One afternoon, his father called to her. She walked in, and her father said to her, ”You are on your age when you are eligible enough to give your hand in marriage to someone proper.”
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Caption: She knew sooner or later her father would sit her down for this kind of conversation. But she had a bigger dream than sitting or managing house and serving people's contentment . Though her mind wrinkled, she let her father finished his sentence.
”Tonight you will get yourself dressed up to Governor’s ball. I will introduce you to someone I acquaintance with.”
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Caption: So she dressed in her simplest gown, who by all the way was interested in getting introduced to someone you barely knew but yet you knew would take your hand in marriage?
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Caption: It was Lord Victor Alexander. He was a quite handsome and tall man, but yet he seemed to be not interesting for Estelle. And again, what she was interested in was boring to him. He and her father were alike, that was why Estelle knew her father had chosen him for her.
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Caption: ”Are you aware that Victor is the name of my favorite author?” asked Estelle, trying to provoke his interest in books.
”Really? Fascinating.”
Estelle’s eyes widely open, ”You know him? He was known for his great literature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was a story later about Quasimodo who…”
”You know, Estelle, I could show you a whole new world if you want to take every step in your life with me. Not just showing you, I could take you. My father’s business…”
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Caption: And then he continued talking. He kept on talking about something while Estelle was absent-mindedly bored. She asked Victor for a drink, and when he was away, she sneaked out the ballroom and took one of her father’s guardsman horse, and away in the howling wind.
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Caption: She fled deep to the rustic part of village, her mind was full of heavy thinking. Her sudden heart was burdened by the crazy engagement his father had secretly arranged for her. When she swiftly stopped her horse, she heard a man was moaning.
She peeked through the bushes.
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Caption: Dickinson’s was on his left hand, while his other hand had a broken twig clutched as she’d assumed it’d help him analyzing the lines he read upon.
“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain….if I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain….ah, what’s the next line?”
A smile embellished her face. She braced herself to emerge from the silence, ”or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain…”
He turned his back facing her, and gawked. The eyes suddenly turned glistened as he saw the gleam right in front of him ; and he thought to himself - what a celestial gift bestowed upon him - to see an angel in disguise! God must have been good!
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Caption: ”You read Emily Dickinson’s poetry?” She slowly sat beside him. In the dark by the help of moon’s light she could see the spark in his beautiful and gorgeous pair of eyes.
”Ye-yeah, so do you…eh?” He was nervous. He tried to be usual. It is not a common thing for him when a young beautiful lady approached and talked to him first. Not in his accounts.
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Caption: ”What kind of young man is doing outside in the park, shouting poetry?”
”I am rehearsing for tomorrow’s show. There is going to be Night Festival tomorrow, and I will be there playing on classic drama in theatre.” He smiled a little, ”And then, what is it that a beautiful young lady like you doing outside, especially peeking on someone?”
Estelle laughed, ”I was riding my house, trying to get far from somewhere I don’t belong to.”
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Caption: He sat in silence, then he gave his hand, ”My name is Edward. What is yours?”
”My name…” She decided not to show off her status, it somehow made her uncomfortable. She never wanted people to treat her differently when they knew who she was, especially...Edward. ”Estelle.”
”Estelle, its nice to meet you…” Edward smiled.
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Caption: And they talked until midnight, until Estelle said, ”I would like to continue talking about poetry with you, Edward, but I think I have to call it a night. My family must be looking for me now, I have been out so late.”
Edward rose and stood beside her, ”Of course. I would like to walk you home.”
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Caption: Estelle realized it would only make Edward knew that she was a daughter of a powerful man in the town, ”No. It-its totally fine. My father would be furious if he knew I was out late with a man. Beside, my house is too far.”
Edward shook his shoulder. He saw Estelle walked away, and he could not help it but calling her. ”Will I be seeing you again?”
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Caption: Estelle could not conceal her smile, ”Of course, Edward.”
”There is theatre showing tomorrow in the festival. I hope you will spare your time seeing me performing there.”
Estelle nodded elegantly, ”I would like to, Edward. Good bye for now.”
That started it all.
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Caption: Ever since Edward’s marvelous performance, they both started to meet up frequently. They talked about much, starting from literature until war, countries, histories, music, and many more. Edward was an interesting, bright, intelligent, brave young man – aside from his handsome looking.
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Caption: But, Estelle found something that might be holocaust for her father if he found out that she had been going out with Edward, it was that Edward was on different state from her family. Edward was no a noble man, he was only working part-time at a small grocery store, he had no family, he was no count or baron, he lived in a hovel, and he was poor. Estelle did not find it matter, but she knew it would be for her father.
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Caption: Estelle found it that Edward’s personalities somehow comforted her. Edward was a determined man, he wanted to make a better living for everyone so they wouldn’t have to suffer from poorness like him. He wanted to abide and show his dedication to his country or better yet, his lovely town. He wanted to join military, but he always got rejected. He also wrote some poetry, and someday he would build a huge library where everyone could read and enjoy literatures from among the world.
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Caption: She could feel her heart pounding and warm in the same time when she was with Edward. And later she learned that she just fell in love with a guy she had just met for weeks. That was when she figured out that she had to tell Edward about her true identity.
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Caption: ”I thought I was born in a wrong family, for I feel very strange among them. I feel so different. I dislike what they like and they despise what I love.” Estelle hesitated, ”Until I found you. You know, Edward, you are the reason why I have been keeping up a rough life after all of this time. But, there is something you have to know about me…”
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Caption: ”What is it, Estie?” Edward always called her Estie. It was a special name for her from him.
And then she said it all.
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Caption: ”…the night I first met you my father was arranging me to meet my soon-to-be husband. Lord Victor, maybe most of woman would die to give their hand in marriage for him, but I see differently. I don’t like him, and I don’t want to be married out of love. I want to marry someone I love.” Estelle sighed, ”I owe you an apology, Edward…for I have been lying to you, keeping my true identity from you…”
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Caption: She thought Edward would be disappointed, but Edward’s next reaction was so wise. ”I put you no blame, Estie. Everyone has a right to say what they want to say. And so do you.”
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Caption: Only then Estelle’s love for him got farther. She adored him, but she had been waiting for him to propose to her. One day, the moment she had been waiting for came. He took her to the park where they both first met, and there he kneeled in front of her and gave her a polished rusted ring.
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Caption: ”Pardon me, my countess - I have no gold ring nor I can afford them, so please accept my humblest generosity. The moment the moonlight shone down on your beautiful face, or when my eyes met yours, I knew you are the one. Let me complete the tale you have always been wanting to write, for I ask your hand in marriage. I may neither rich nor a count, but I vow to the universe, that I could give you more than any richest man gives. Lady Estelle Humming, would you marry me?”
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Caption: It only took a moment for Estelle to tear her eyes out of excitement. She nodded many times, for she was so happy that the man she loved proposed to her.
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Caption: ”I used to see love in disbelief, I did not think they existed, until now. Thank you, Edward.”
”Estie, you are no woman I ever meet at town. You have made my miserable life more colorful.”
”But, Edward, what about my father? I am worried.”
Edward looked at her in certainty and faith, ”Tomorrow prepare yourself. I will be proposing to him for your hand in marriage.”
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Caption: Estelle was frightened, but she believed in Edward. She knew Edward was so nervous, but for proving his love, Edward concealed and conquered his fears.
Estelle’s prediction of his father reaction was exact. His father just stood up, and he did not stare at Edward as he said,
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Caption: ”I don’t want an American hobo to marry my pride Estelle. I raised her hard not to marry a poor useless young man like you. You're not suitable for her in every ways."
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Caption: ”Father! I love Edward. I am not going to marry anyone but him!”
”Lady Estelle Humming! You will marry Lord Victor, with or without your approval. Lord Victor is a perfect count for you!” Her father grabbed her wrist and told his guardsman, ”Locked her in! She is not going to see this man again! She is going to marry the right man I have chosen for her!”
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Caption: ”Estie!” Edward yelled for her.
”Edward! No, Father, No!” Estelle’s cry faded as she disappeared.
”You nicknamed my daughter ‘Estie’?! You are not going to see or even marry her, poor man! Get your dirty feet out of my manor!”
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Caption: Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months. Estelle kept locked in her room, not allowed to go out from the manor. She decided to write a letter to Edward in order to keep the communication between them, and also to reduce how much she was missing him. She begged her loyal maid to deliver her message.
Caption: Dear Edward,
I could not say how much I feel so depressed right now. I am so in love with you, and I don’t want to marry anyone else but you. Its either with you or I die.
Edward, please save me. My father would not listen to me. What can we do, Edward? What can we do to make him realize that it is not fortune or status that matter, but love and generosity?
Caption: Dear my lovely Estie,
I am, and I will always try the best for us. I will look up to anything that can make your father realize how much I love you. If only it could be easier for me to prove my love, but I will try until my last breath and my last blood.
I just proposed a loan to my supervisor, and he approved it. I am going to build my own grocery store. Let’s just hope it could elevate my status in your father’s eyes.
Love, Edward. And soon he replied to her.
Caption: Dear my beautiful Estie,
I am so sorry to disappoint you. I just lost the loan and all my allowances. I could not make it to grocery store. I am truly story, Estie. I would try something else. Be patience, my love, for i will always be there beside you and to love you.
Love, Edward. Days later Edward wrote to her.
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Caption: Estelle often cried in her room, noon to night, night to dawn, dusk…she spent crying. One day, her loyal maid sneaked in to her room.
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Caption: She whispered, ”There is something you have to know, Lady. Your father and Lord Victor have been planning something after all of this time. They summoned their best guardsman and they told them to violently took Edward's loan so he could not build up a grocery store. He even got fired from his work at the grocery store, and he was rejected by the theatre he used to work with.”
Estelle burst out crying, ”What should I do, Marina? I really love him. He has been suffering after all of this time.”
Caption: Dear my precious Edward,
Edward, why you kept away your secret from me? Why did you not tell me what my father has done to you? I am so sorry, Edward. You’ve had such a rough life and yet my presence is being a burden in your life. You have been suffering for me, after all of this time. What should I do, Edward? She wrote again to him.
Caption: Dear my pride Estie,
I put no care at anything that might harm me. My purpose is only for us to be together. I vow that I would pass anything that stand in our way, I vow that stand or fall I will always there for you. Just wait, Estie…wait a little more. Have faith, and I know you do. Hold onto the faith we both have been holding after all of this time.
Love, Edward. Edward wrote back to her immediately.
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Caption: One day, Marina sneaked to Estelle’s room again.
”Lady Estelle, your father is going to hold a marriage for you and Lord Victor next week. You have to move fast!”
”Oh, Marina! This thing is only getting worse. What should I do? I have to meet Edward soon.”
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Caption: Marina thought silently, then she filled in excitement, ”You could go with me tomorrow morning to the market. Asked Edward to meet you there. Tomorrow, your father is going to Washington, so he won’t be here.”
Estelle suddenly wrote to inform Edward.
Caption: Dear Edward,
Edward! Marina said I am going to marry Lord Victor next week. What should we do, Edward? My love, Edward…please meet me tomorrow morning at the market. We will talk about this soon.
Seeing you soon, Estie.
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Caption: Estelle could not sleep that night, for her excitement to meet Edward tomorrow morning.
When she saw Edward, he was so different from the last time she met him. He was tensed, and he looked thinner. She felt sorry for the weight that burdened him. Hear heart was so painful.
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Caption: ”Edward, should we run away from this town and get married? We could live somewhere together, as long as we are together…everything will be just fine!”
”No, Estie…we can’t. I am so happy I could meet you in my life, but I want to be with you in the righteous way. I will figure out something.”
They talked all night, and Estelle had the most wonderful night in her life with Edward that night.
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Caption: Days turned so fast, and the day was getting closer. The letter from Edward came.
Caption: Dear Estie,
Estie, I finally find a way to prove my love to you so your father would change his mind! I just got offered to join military. There is a war coming soon, and if I join this war, I would probably get a rate and a higher status. This could change and start everything, Estie!
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Caption: Estelle was not happy to hear the news. It was true that It had been Edward’s dream to get accepted in military, but to joining the war…Estelle did not want Edward to join the war. Her fear of losing him was greater. So, she told him to wait a little bit longer so she could find a way another, anything – but the war.
Estelle called Marina in.
”Marina, I should run away. I don’t want to marry Lord Victor. Edward is going to join a war.”
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Caption: Marina sat there in silence, but then she said something in hesitation. ”I know something, but I don’t know if this would work out or not.”
”Say it, Marina. I will try anything!”
”If you are so depressed to marry Edward, then you have to be faithful in it.”
Estelle agreed and nodded.
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Caption: ”There is a ship to Paris the day after tomorrow. You can go to Paris with Edward, without anyone knowing it. You both can live happy there. You have savings, that you can use to work things out there, to start every single thing.”
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Caption: Estelle felt her heart beating faster. The day after tomorrow would be the day when she was going to marry Lord Victor. She was about to make a big decision that could change her life forever. She had never thought she would have to make such a big decision like this.
”I will take it. I will do anything, just like I always say. I will tell Edward.”
Caption: Dear My Prince, Edward
Edward, I don’t want you to join the military or go to the war. It will only tear us apart. Edward, two days from now I will be marrying Lord Victor. You know its you that I want to marry, not Lord Victor. I love you, not him.
Edward, there is a ship going to Paris the day after tomorrow. I will get to the ship in the morning, so will you. I know you don’t want everything to end this way, but we have no choices. It's either we run away, or I am going to marry Lord Victor. We have to be together, Edward. I love you, not him.
Edward, everything is going to be settled. I have bought and prepared a ticket for you and me to go to Paris. Only there, we will go untraceable. There, we can make a new living. I have a savings that is enough for both of us to survive and start everything from beginning.
Edward, finally the wait is over. We are about to be together. I am going to see you the day after tomorrow on the deck of the ship, and we will enjoy every night of our journey to Paris. I can’t wait to meet you, see your gorgeous eyes, feel the warmth of your hug, the gentle of your kisses, and the soft touch of you. I can’t wait to be your wedded wife.
Love, Estie.
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Caption: ”Marina, please send this to Edward. I will depart tomorrow at dawn.” Estelle told Marina in excitement. The day after tomorrow at the morning, Estelle is standing at the deck of the ship. Waiting for Edward, analyzing and looking carefully at unfamiliar faces that were entering the ship. Maybe Edward was somewhere in this ship, then she thought.
But, unfortunately, even after the ship left the harbor, Estelle could not find Edward.
Not until twenty years later.
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Caption: One day after those hard twenty years, Lady Estelle Humming just got a permission to go back to Minneapolis, at that time was already called Minnesota. Along twenty years, she had tried to go back there, but she had no money or permission. So, she had not heard anything about people from her past life, especially Edward – and why he had not shown up. She almost died in curiosity that she almost got crazy about.
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Caption: First, she went to the manor she used to live. There, the mansion had turned to a wrecked building. She wondered where her father went, and why he had not been looking for her. She asked a stranger passing by.
”It used to be Lord Frederick Humming who lived there. But, at 1914 his daughter left him. Few years later he died because of heart disease.”
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Caption: She was so shocked that she could faint. She treasured the mansion, the memories tortured her more. Later she found out that most of the fortune had gone, maybe someone had taken it away. She went to her father’s room, and curious if her father had planned something for her in his secret drawer. She reached for a hidden key she knew whereabouts, and unlocked the drawer. There, she found a wrecked letter, hand-written by his father.
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Caption: "Dear my daughter Estelle,
I know someday you will be reading this. If you are reading this, then I would probably be dead. Just by then, you have to know the truth…
Estelle, my pride, I owe you my biggest apologize. I am so sorry for ruining your life, torturing you, and keeping you away from your happiness. What I thought was good for you was only good for me and tortured you, and I was blind of everything, even for the happiness of my own precious daughter.
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Caption: "I learned that keeping you away from Edward means ditching you away from my life. And I am so sorry for that.
Estelle, I made Edward suffered so much. I tried in every way, I stood in his way, whenever he tried something to get to you.
One day, I found out Marina had been carrying message from you and Edward. I asked and threatened her, and had her disposed back to England soon.
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Caption: "I read your letter, and I decided that it does not matter if you don’t marry Lord Victor, as long as you don’t marry Edward. I wrote a substitute letter as you for Edward. I told Edward that you were going to marry Lord Victor, and it should be the best for both of you to separate this way because you were tired of everything.
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Caption: "Estelle, you have to know that it was because my power that Edward got into the military, I did that in order for him to be drifted apart from you. But it did not work out, so I decided this way. I told Edward in that letter that he should join military for the good of his life. And I let you shipped to Paris. The next week, Edward is going to Washington to get to the war.
Estelle, it happened so fast that I learned I missed my daughter so much. I tried to go to Paris, but I did not get the permission since the political diplomacy had changed after you left.
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Caption: "Later by later I waited for Edward to get back from the war, it turned to years. And then, the news came back. Edward was killed during the world war, and it only his name and his stuff that went back.
Estelle, I was planning to get Edward to you to Paris, it will reunite us all. I felt regret why it took me that long to realize my big mistake. But, God gave me a punishment.
Edward’s death made me suffer a lot, because I knew it was my mistake. In my times of sickness and this deathly heart disease, I ask you an apology.
Estelle, along with this letter, there is Edward’s letter for you, and also an undelivered letter from you to Edward.
Please take my apologies, Estelle. I will meet you and Edward at the after-life, soon…."
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Caption: Estelle realized she was in condition where she burst out crying. Trembling, she reached for Edward’s letter.
The handwriting, she touched it. Now, Edward was dead and nowhere to be found…. She felt empty.
Caption: Dear my love, Estie
I don't know how i should react to the decision you have made... that you decided to marry Lord Victor. But that’s okay, maybe that’s the best thing you could think of for your life. If you have decided it, then nothing I could do to make your mind changed. I just wanted you to know that I have joined military, just like what you said. I joined the war, and there is going to be world war I am joining. Please pray for my best.
Estelle, I hope you are having a wonderful life with Lord Victor. Try to love him the way you once loved me.
Estelle, I am missing your smile, your laugh, your gold hair and your shining eyes. I miss the way you stare at me, the way you hold my hand, the way you lean on my shoulder. But I know they would never to be felt by me again.
Estelle, I feel so empty now. I should never send this letter to you. I have to let you move on. I know, just by reading this, will only leave you in pain. I don’t want you to feel pain, I want you to be forevermore happy.
Estelle, just know that I love you. Even if we can’t be together now, we can be together in the next life.
Estelle, there is no one going to replace you in my heart. But know it darling, sometimes love is not meant to be together….
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Caption: But know it darling, sometimes love is not meant to be together….
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Caption: And there was blood splattered in the letter. This letter was carried in Edward’s left pocket when he was at war. And this letter bleed the time Edward was shot to death.
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Caption: Dickinson’s was on his left hand, while his other hand had a broken twig clutched as she’d assumed it’d help him analyzing the lines he read upon.
“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain….if I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain….ah, what’s the next line?”
A smile embellished her face. She braced herself to emerge from the silence, ”or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain…”
He turned his back facing her, and gawked. The eyes suddenly turned glistened as he saw the gleam right in front of him ; and he thought to himself - what a celestial gift bestowed upon him - to see an angel in disguise! God must have been good!
Caption: Dear Edward,
Yes, Edward. We are not meant to be together in this life, but in the eternity, in the after life. I will be waiting for the time when I can meet you. And when the time comes, we can be together forevermore. I love you, I always have, I always do, and I always will.
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Caption: THE END