Chapter 3

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• The Calm After the Storm   Chapter 24

  When I got back to the office, I dove right back into my work.Winning a big award had bumped up my salary a lot, and my days were busier than ever.The day after I returned, Matthias moved out of the house next door and returned to the capital.The house sat empty for a while.A year later, a new guy moved in.He looked like he was from Mandoria, like me. His name was Peter Gibson, and he was both funny and good-looking.It turned out he also worked nearby.Our offices were close, and we kept the same hours, so we would often bump into each other.A few months in, Peter let me know he liked me.I was not ready to say yes.However, Peter did not want to give up.He was always respectful, never pushing me too far, and I liked hanging out with him.I just was not ready for romance.Two more years flew by.During the New Year Festival, Matthias told me that Anna's mom had died the month before.Anna had been locked up for nine years for assaulting Walter and trying to hurt

• The Calm After the Storm   Chapter 23

  I was already back in my home country before my mom’s deathday.On that day, Matthias showed up at the hotel lobby early to go with me to Mom's grave.We parked outside the graveyard and walked in together.He bought a lot of flowers, as if he was making up for missing her special day two years ago.Mom's picture on the stone still had her sweet, gentle smile.The wind played with my dress as I held the trophy from the competition and chatted with Mom.Matthias was quiet the whole time, just standing off to the side.When we left, I could not stop the tears.With teary eyes, Matthias asked me, "Emma, is there nothing Walter and I can do to make things right with you?"I dried my eyes and said calmly, "I can forgive you."Just don't show your faces to me ever again.”I would never forget the hard times, and things could not go back to how they once were.The hurt was gone, but the scars were still there.I did not want to spend my life angry.I decided to forget, look ahea

• The Calm After the Storm   Chapter 22

  After that, I did not see Walter for days, which was fine by me.I put all my energy into a design contest, spending all my spare time sketching out my ideas.After making it through the first round, I sent in my sketches for the semifinals.Five days passed, and I got the exciting news: I was in the finals.To celebrate, I invited Linda and some coworkers over for dinner.As I was getting the food ready, the doorbell rang. It was Matthias.He handed me a box when I opened the door. "I got these from a fancy restaurant. It's all your favorites..."I sighed. "I've told you over and over again that I don't want anything from you."Please stop trying."Matthias gave me a weak smile. "Emma, is there anything I can do to make you forgive me?""I'm trying to move on. I hope you can do the same."He was quiet for a bit. "Next month is Mom's deathday. Are you going to visit her?"I missed it two years ago, and I'm really sorry about that."I zoned out for a second, thinking about

• The Calm After the Storm   Chapter 21

  Anna and her mother were led to me by Walter's guys. The old lady in front of me was almost unrecognizable as Anna's mom. She wore dark clothes, had no makeup on, and her face was lined with age. Her hair was streaked with gray, making her look like she was in her sixties or seventies. Anna looked worn out too, nothing like the fresh-faced girl she used to be. They had been through so much in less than two years. Seeing them like that, I felt a weird mix of joy and sadness. Walter and Matthias used to spoil Anna rotten and treat her mom with so much respect.I had been pushed aside and given a tough time because of how much the pair favored the Joneses.However, they turned on Anna and her mom so fast after I left. Their feelings were so fickle. Honestly, I really did not like Anna and her mom. I could not stand them. However, I could not stand Walter and Matthias even more. If Anna and her mom were mean, Walter and Matthias were just dumb and full of themselves, making

• The Calm After the Storm   Chapter 20

  Before the flight, there was a problem with my ticket, so I could not get on the plane.However, I was not upset at all.I knew Walter too well. He would not just sit back and let me walk away.I told Linda and the others to go on without me while I sorted things out.Pulling my suitcase, I looked around the airport lobby and easily spotted Walter.He was in a dark gray coat. He stood out in the crowd because he was so tall.He was looking at me.I waved him over with a flick of my finger.Walter's face broke into a smile, and he came quickly."Emma.""You messed with my ticket, didn't you?" I said, sure of it.Walter did not try to hide it. "Yes, I did. I couldn't just let you go."I stared at him, feeling nothing. "Do you even know why I'm leaving? "You and Matthias might as well be dead to me. "You two are even less than strangers to me now."Walter looked worried. "Emma, I'm sorry. I'll do anything to fix this. Just give me a chance, okay? "He sounded so small, n

• The Calm After the Storm   Chapter 19

  I called the cops.Walter was not his usual confident self when I saw him again after so long. He looked pretty down.I thought he would be sad without me around for a bit before he returned to having fun with Anna.It turned out I still meant a lot to him.However, who cared about that now?The police got there fast."This guy's got me mixed up with someone else and won't leave me alone."I looked really frustrated and showed them my ID. "I'm Fiona. That's always been my name.""No! You're Emma, not Fiona. We've known each other since we were kids. I can't be wrong!" Walter insisted even after seeing my ID."What proof do you have?" I asked him.Walter did not know what to say.I knew he did not have a single picture of me at his place.I had even gone to Natalie's to get back the old photos from when we were kids back then.Before I decided to leave for good, I burned every last one of them. Not a single picture was left.I could not help but chuckle. "See? You can't ev