Chapter 4
Physically and mentally drained, I made my way back to the villa. Adam was on the couch, engrossed in phone calls, while Kellie stood beside him, speaking softly to calm him down.
When I walked in, Adam struggled to contain his frustration. “Is disappearing on a whim fun for you, Sophia? When will you stop being such a pain?!”
I observed his worried expression with composure, and unexpectedly, a glimmer of hope rose within me–the hope that he might finally reveal everything. “Adam, after all these years, isn’t there something you want to tell me?”
A look of guilt and surprise flickered across his face, and he turned away to avoid meeting my eyes.
Kellie quickly jumped in, “Sophia, what are you saying? If you hadn’t been so stubborn and thrown tantrums, our parents wouldn’t have died, and Adam wouldn’t have had to endure all these years!”
Years of bottled–up grievances, repression, and anger surged within me. I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. “Kellie, you have no right to speak here! Sleeping with your own brother–in–law. How revolting!”
Before she could reply, Adam roared like a lion defending its territory. “Do you think everyone is as filthy as you! What’s your true relationship with that man? Quit talking nonsense about seeing a therapist!”
My heart felt like it plummeted to the depths. Despite his accusations, I found an unexpected calmness and said slowly, “Adam, we should get a divorce.”
0.00%
23:59
288 vouchers
Chapter 4
He gripped my wrist tightly, knocked over the coffee table, and demanded through clenched teeth. “Sophia, repeat what you just said! Are you leaving me for that man?”
I doubled over with laughter, tears pouring down my face, and asked, “Adam, did you ever trust me? Did you ever really trust me?”
Suddenly, the whole house went completely silent, except for the voice of a teenager–casual and clear–emanating from a program he had created years ago, which chimed in right at midnight.
“Happy birthday, Sophia! Wishing you all the best and peace in the future. Though it’s a bit cliché, keep smiling. I’ve put in so much effort, so don’t forget to pick me as your boyfriend someday! Just joking! Sophia, as long as you’re happy, that’s what matters, even if you don’t end up choosing me.”
Adam stood there in shock, slowly releasing his grip on my arm. He gazed at me with a vacant expression and said, “I’m sorry, I… today your birthday as well.”
1S
I pulled away from him and simply looked at his face. A deep sense of exhaustion washed over me once more. The young man who used to see only me had vanished.
Adam’s heart began to race inexplicably, as if he were losing something precious.
“Sophia, I…”
“Adam, I feel so dizzy.”
He instinctively picked her up and raced to the hospital. As he dashed past me, he quickly apologized, “Sophia, wait for me. We’ll have a proper conversation when I return.”
33.45%
23:59
288 Vouchers
Chapter 4
Watching his broad back retreat, I called out to him one final time, “Adam, goodbye forever.”
The sense of loss intensified. Adam, hardly ever rattled, felt his hands trembling. The woman he carried let out a soft moan, pushing him to keep moving, so he didn’t pause.
Adam stood in the hospital hallway, haunted by the memory of those determined and emotionless eyes. It wasn’t until the cigarette burned his finger that he snapped back to the present.
With shaking hands, he called a number. “Launch an investigation! I want a full report on everything about my wife–every detail from the past few years!”
The familiar number gave him a busy signal. Panic set in, but he kept telling himself, “She loves me deeply and is easy to appease. I just need to make up for the missed birthday gift later. Plus, we really should have a proper conversation.
“Regardless of whether she betrayed me, that’s behind us now. As long as she leads a happy life with me moving forward, I’ll forgive and forget.
“Absolutely! It’s time to reveal the truth about the car accident. I can’t let her carry that guilt indefinitely.”
These persistent reassurances slowly eased his mind. As he observed his parents nervously standing by the hospital bed, the image of the solitary young girl from his past kept resurfacing in his thoughts.
Xe
How could he have overlooked that it was always she who felt truly
alone?
SAM
He picked up his pace until he was sprinting. He needed to get home!
6€ 12%
