Damned by My Memories

"Yeah, once I finish the paperwork," Calista Arden said softly.After hanging up, Calista drew in a deep breath. As she passed the prayer room at the end of the hallway, a muffled groan drifted from inside.The door stood ajar, and a thin strip of light spilled through the crack. Unable to stop herself, she peered inside.Through the drifting incense haze, Theodore Montclair kneeled before the statue in a plain white robe, chest partly open, a rosary wrapped around his wrist. His body moved in faint, rhythmic motions over a doll lying beneath him.The doll's features appeared vivid in the flickering candlelight—almond eyes, cherry lips, and a beauty mark beneath the left eye. It looked just like his adoptive sister, Aveline Montclair.Calista bit down on her lower lip until she tasted blood. This was the third time she had stumbled upon this scene in secret.The first time, she bolted from the room. The second, she stayed awake the entire night. But tonight, she felt nothing but

Calista woke to a sharp, throbbing pain.The smell of disinfectant filled her nose, and the bright fluorescent light overhead made her eyes ache. She instinctively lifted her hand to shield her eyes, but the movement tugged at the IV needle on the back of her hand, and a sharp hiss escaped her lips.The nurse was changing her dressing and sighed with relief when she saw her awake. "You're finally awake. Who could hate you enough to do this? Two bottles were smashed over your head, and it took over 30 stitches to close the wounds."Calista reflexively touched her bandaged head and asked in a raspy voice, "Where is the person who brought me here?""If you mean your friend, she stayed by your side all night but had to leave for a business emergency. She asked me to tell you that she hired a caregiver to look after you," the nurse replied.Calista froze for a moment. She realized that the person who rushed her to the hospital wasn't even Theodore. She wondered where he could possibly

Moonlight spilled across the living room floor like a gentle stream.Standing behind the door, Calista peered through the cracked opening and watched Theodore lean down to kiss Aveline. His breathing was uneven, his long fingers gripping her waist tightly, as if six years of restraint were finally breaking free."Ave…" he called her name in a low, hoarse voice, filled with a tenderness Calista had never heard before.After a moment, Theodore snapped back to his senses and gently wiped the moisture from the corners of Aveline's lips with his thumb. He slid the rosary back onto his wrist and once again became the distant, chaste man.Calista dug her fingernails deep into her palms, the sharp pain barely keeping her grounded. She pivoted sharply, closed the door without a sound, and buried herself beneath the blanket.Outside the room, the sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance. She knew Theodore had gone to the prayer room again.She closed her eyes as memories of her

Over the next few days, Theodore stayed home the entire time, which was a rare occurrence. He noticed that Calista was in a foul mood and, for once, made Aveline apologize to her.Aveline stood before Calista and offered a half-hearted apology. "Calista, I'm sorry. I acted too impulsively that day."Calista gave her a cold glance and didn't even bother to respond. She turned and walked into her room, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.Aveline flinched and immediately threw herself into Theodore's arms, her voice trembling. "Theodore, she won't hit me, will she?"Theodore patted her back in reassurance. "With me here, no one will bully you."As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of someone rummaging through drawers echoed from the room. Theodore frowned and was about to knock when the door suddenly swung open.Calista walked out with a large box of items, ignoring him completely. She went straight to the trash can in the living room and dumped everything inside with a l

Calista stayed in the hospital for three days.On the day of her discharge, she received a call from the embassy informing her that her permanent residency for Nordland had been approved. This was the only piece of good news she had heard lately.Calista stood at the embassy entrance. The sunlight was so blinding that it brought tears to her eyes. She raised her hand to shield them. She had removed her wedding band long ago, leaving a faint mark on her ring finger.It was time to end this.After collecting her residency permit at the embassy, she went straight to a law firm. She drafted a divorce agreement, signed her name, and then dialed Aveline's number. "Come out and meet me."…Inside the cafe, Aveline glared at her warily. "What are you trying to do? I'm warning you, if Theodore comes back and finds out that you bullied me—"Calista stayed silent, then pulled the wedding ring from her bag and slid it across the table to Aveline. "Try it on."Aveline gave her a suspicious