Chapter 4 - Are You Going to Divorce Me? 

Rebecca stood frozen at the end of the stairs. Her chest was tight, her eyes wet, and her body felt light as if it were floating when she heard Nora's question. 

"Honey, why are you silent? I'm back. So you should divorce Rebecca. Because that woman is sneaky! If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have been separated for a year."

Rebecca's heart raced, and her breath caught. But before she could hear Samuel's reply, she turned around and walked upstairs, embracing the unbearable tightness. Her sobs erupted again as soon as the door to the room closed.

In the living room, Samuel took a deep breath. He looked at Nora with a smile. 

"Nora..." he said softly.

Nora looked at him expectantly. "Yes?"

Samuel came closer, taking her hand. "I will definitely divorce Rebecca."

Nora hugged him tightly. "Thank you, darling. I know you still love me, even though I haven't been by your side for a year."

Samuel was silent. His eyes stared far ahead, but his embrace was warm enough to make Nora feel safe.

Alice came closer, touching her daughter's shoulder. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go home first. You need to rest."

Nora turned to her mother and nodded. She looked at Samuel. "I'll go home first. I can't wait to be your wife."

Samuel smiled a little, though his eyes looked tired. "I'll get it done as soon as possible. You must be patient."

After Nora and Mrs. Alice left, Samuel climbed the stairs to the second floor. His steps were slow, as if each step carried a heavy weight that was hard to explain. He opened the bedroom door slowly.

Rebecca sat on the edge of the bed. Her shoulders fluctuated, her eyes were red and puffy, but this time there was no sound of crying. She was silent, looking down. As soon as she heard Samuel's steps, she hurriedly wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

Samuel entered and then closed the door without saying anything.

Rebecca stood up slowly. "Samuel..."

The man did not turn around. He walked to the closet, opened the door, grabbed a white towel, and walked toward the bathroom.

"Samuel, please answer me," Rebecca's voice trembled. "Are you really going to divorce me?"

Samuel didn't answer. He didn't even look at her. He simply opened the bathroom door, walked in, and closed it softly.

Click.

The door lock sounded.

Rebecca stood in the center of the room, her body trembling again. Not from fear, but from a suffocating sense of disappointment. Her chest felt like it had been stabbed repeatedly by the empty gaze of the man she had loved with all her heart.

She stepped slowly towards the window, looking up at the brightening sky. However, it was not as bright as her current mood.

Now, the same sky is a silent witness to how she was destroyed by the people she once trusted.

Rebecca took a deep breath, then hugged her own body.

In the bathroom, the water was rushing. Samuel looked at his reflection in the mirror. His gaze was blank. The water washed over his face but was unable to wash away the guilt that slowly began to settle in his mind.

He recalled all the memories with Rebecca over the past year.

Then, Nora's face reappeared. Her tears. The wounds in her eyes. The story of captivity and suffering that she could not ignore.

Samuel closed his eyes. One hand touching the bathroom wall, his body seemed to be losing strength.

Outside, Rebecca was still standing alone. She did not know if this would be her last day as Mr. Samuel Wilson's wife.

The sound of water finally stopped. The bathroom door opened slowly, and from behind the thin steam that filled the room, Samuel came out with only a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was wet, his face calm but cold. His gaze did not touch anyone, as if the world were just a shadow.

Rebecca, who had been sitting at the end of the bed, immediately stood up. Her eyes were puffy, but there was still some hope left.

"Samuel..." Her voice was soft.

Samuel didn't answer; he just stepped towards the closet.

Rebecca approached quickly and hugged his body from behind. Her hands trembled as they touched Samuel's damp skin.

"Please... listen to me..." she whispered.

Samuel was silent, not moving. He didn't even seem to breathe.

"I never did that," Rebecca said, her voice full of hurt. "I never threatened Aunt Alice. I never kidnapped Nora. I-I didn't even know anything about that crazy plan..." 

Her embrace strengthened, her tears falling onto Samuel's back.

"I've loved you since we were in college. I swear, I didn't do that."

Samuel looked down. His eyes were closed. He was still silent, but his heart was no longer as empty as before.

Slowly, he turned his body, looking at Rebecca. Their eyes met. Rebecca was crying but still looked at him deeply, as if trying to find the remnants of the feelings that once grew in those eyes.

"Samuel..." she whispered again, almost like a prayer.

Samuel raised a hand, touching her wet cheek. He leaned closer. Their faces were only inches apart. Their breaths came together. Rebecca closed her eyes as their lips almost met—

Tring! Tring!

The sound of the cell phone broke the silence, like a sledgehammer hitting a wall of silence. Samuel fell silent, and Rebecca opened her eyes. The ringtone was unmistakable—it was Samuel's cell phone.

Without saying anything, Samuel let go of Rebecca's embrace and walked quickly to pick up the cell phone on the table. He looked at the screen.

"Nora."

With one swift movement, he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Samuel, I'm scared... every time I close my eyes, the image of me being held captive always appears. Can you come to my house now?" Nora's voice sounded panicked on the other side.

Samuel took a deep breath. "Fine, I'll be there."

He put down the phone, then, without looking at Rebecca, opened the closet and grabbed some clothes. Quickly, he put on a pair of trousers and a black t-shirt, then grabbed the jacket behind the door.

"Samuel, wait!" Rebecca's voice broke, barely audible. "Where are you going?"

Samuel turned his head briefly. No words. No emotion. Then he stepped out. The door to the room closed.  

Rebecca collapsed on the floor, her body limp. The sound of her crying broke out again, this time more broken and deeper. She hugged her knees, shaking her head repeatedly as if to deny the reality that was swallowing her alive.

Then, a piece of memory popped into his mind—one year ago after they got married. After Nora returned, Samuel would divorce Rebecca.

The memory felt like a knife. He only now truly understood that from the beginning, he was just a substitute—just a filler of empty space in Nora's absence. And now, Nora had returned.

"I'm sure Samuel will definitely divorce me, just like he told me."

Not long after, a message came in from someone. Of course, it was from Nora.

[Don't ever dream of taking my place in Samuel's heart. You must confess to Samuel that you've been holding me captive for the past year. Otherwise, you'll know the consequences yourself.]

Rebecca ignored the incoming message from Nora when she was about to delete it. Suddenly, a new message from Nora appeared—a video recording that successfully made Rebecca's eyes open wide.

"So—"