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Chapter 5

Author: Lonely Boat
At 11 p.m., I finally finished packing my last suitcase.

I was looking down, double-checking my passport and documents, when a soft knock sounded at the bedroom door.

Hallie walked in holding a cup of tea, wearing my slippers.

"Mrs. Bolton, I am so truly sorry about what happened earlier today."

She placed the cup on the edge of the table, her eyes falling upon the open suitcase.

"Are you going on a long trip?"

"None of your business."

I zipped my document bag shut.

Instead of leaving, she turned around and closed the door behind her.

"You really don't have to be so guarded against me. Mr. Bolton is only helping me because he pities us, that's all."

As she spoke, she raised her hand to adjust her hair. Her sleeve slid down, revealing a men's wristwatch on her slender wrist.

It was the gift I had given Lucas for his birthday last year. Engraved on the back of the watch face was our wedding date.

I stared at it for a few seconds before extending my hand.

"Take it off."

Hallie acted as if she had only just remembered the watch was on her wrist, quickly explaining herself.

"Ben was getting an IV last night, and my phone ran out of battery. Mr. Bolton was worried I wouldn't be able to keep track of the time, so he lent me his watch. He had a long, busy day, so he probably just forgot to ask for it back."

"I told you to take it off."

The polite apology on her lips faded slightly, though she took her time unbuckling the strap.

"Mrs. Bolton, you're leaving anyway. Why do you still care so much about a watch?"

I looked up at her.

"Who told you I was leaving?"

"Your luggage is completely packed. Isn't that obvious?"

Hallie glanced toward the open closet and let out a soft laugh. "Honestly, you don't need to throw a fit and run away from home just to force him to turn back to you. He hates being threatened more than anything."

Without another word, I reached out to take the watch back myself.

Hallie suddenly shrank back, her heel catching right on the edge of the rug. The very next second, she let out a sharp cry and tumbled backward, knocking over the glass picture frame sitting on the shelf.

The loud crash echoed all the way into the living room.

Lucas rushed in at lightning speed.

"Hallie!" He shoved me aside, leaning down to lift the woman from the floor.

Caught off guard, I crashed against the sharp corner of the table, my arm dragging right across the floor of broken glass. A stinging pain shot through me, and blood quickly soaked through my sleeve.

Hallie turned pale, clutching her ankle while shaking her head.

"Don't blame Mrs. Bolton… I just saw her packing her bags and was worried she'd leave out of anger, so I asked a few questions.

"She probably misunderstood our relationship."

Lucas looked up at me, his eyes overflowing with disappointment.

"You pushed her?"

I clutched my bleeding arm.

"If I say I didn't, would you believe me?"

He went quiet for two seconds.

"Emma, Hallie already had an old injury on her ankle, and she has to appear in court the day after tomorrow. Even if you're mad at me, you shouldn't take it out on her."

A memory from seven years ago suddenly flashed through my mind.

I had been falsely accused of plagiarism by a colleague at the art gallery. Even when all the evidence pointed against me, Lucas had stood up and said that the Emma Swift he knew would never steal someone else's work.

Later, he pulled the security footage and cleared my name.

I truly believed back then that no matter what happened, he would always trust me first. I guess the right to be unconditionally chosen can easily be handed to someone else.

"I understand."

Blood dripped from my fingertips, splashing onto our shattered wedding photo.

However, Lucas didn't notice. He had already scooped Hallie into his arms, hurrying toward the guest room.

Only when he reached the doorway did he look back over his shoulder.

"Go apologize to her tomorrow morning. They'll be moving out very soon, so stop throwing these ridiculous tantrums."

I stood frozen as the glowing red "1" above his head vanished behind the door. Without a word, I pulled out my phone and changed my flight from three days away to 9 a.m. tomorrow.

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  • Nothing Left For Us   Chapter 22

    A year later, I used my royalties from the picture book to buy an art studio.It wasn't huge, but it featured a floor-to-ceiling window facing south.The afternoon sunlight spilled across my easel, gently illuminating the repaired silver comb sitting by the windowsill. The fracture line down the middle was still clearly visible, but I never searched for a replacement again.On the day my new picture book was published, the publishing house sent out complimentary copies to several partner charitable organizations.Included on that list was the minor legal aid center where Lucas worked.He didn't use it as an excuse to contact me or ask anyone to deliver anything on his behalf, and he never showed up at a book signing.The new picture book was titled "Every Single Meeting". It told the story of a girl who, after suffering immense loss, was still willing to open her heart and rediscover the world.It wasn't about waiting, nor was it about broken relationships suddenly mending. On t

  • Nothing Left For Us   Chapter 21

    After the Art Gala ended, Lucas left South City for good.He no longer saved any of my public itineraries, nor did he ask his assistant to book tickets to the next city. After returning home, he officially resigned from his law firm and joined a minor legal aid center.His income dropped to less than half of what he used to make, and his office was reduced to a cramped cubicle. For his very first case, he helped a young girl, who had been long controlled by her abusive father, apply for a personal protection order.Hearing the mother repeat, "He's only doing it for the child's own good," Lucas fell silent.He, too, had once used that same excuse to decide for Emma—when she should be kind, when she should yield, and when she should forgive.In the past, he was accustomed to being the savior in everyone else's eyes. Now, he provided legal assistance strictly within his professional duties, no longer taking anyone's emotional dependency as proof of his own worth.With their matrimon

  • Nothing Left For Us   Chapter 20

    On the day of the Art Gala, Lucas arrived near the venue in the middle of the night.He stayed just two blocks away, foregoing planes, high-speed trains, or any elevators that could potentially malfunction.At 6 a.m., he walked along the street toward the entrance, with four hours left before the event began.He sat by the curb with water and a loaf of bread, his eyes never straying from the main entrance even for a second. Throughout the wait, he didn't call the organizers or ask anyone to slip his name backstage.This time, he had no intention of using his status or network to force a response from me. He simply wanted to look at me from afar in a public setting, like an ordinary spectator, and then quietly walk away.At 9.40 a.m., guest vehicles began entering the premises. My car was scheduled to arrive before ten.Lucas stood up, his palms slick with cold sweat from sheer nervousness. This was his most meticulously prepared attempt yet.No delayed traffic, no last-minute

  • Nothing Left For Us   Chapter 19

    Even after the divorce officially took effect, Lucas still couldn't completely let go of that elusive final meeting.He stopped tracking down my private whereabouts, but he kept a close eye on the public tour dates released for my picture book project.The first stop was in Lanford.He arrived a day early, even walking the route from his hotel to the venue by following his GPS. That night, however, a main pipe burst, forcing the organizers to switch venues at the last minute.Staff members posted a notice right below the old announcement board, but the gushing water quickly soaked the paper, smudging the handwriting beyond recognition.By the time the online information was updated, the sharing session had already wrapped up. When he finally rushed to the new location, he caught sight only of the staff dismantling the backdrop bearing my name.The second stop was Alicante.He bought a front-row ticket, double-checking in advance that I would definitely be attending the book sign

  • Nothing Left For Us   Chapter 18

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    Lucas arrived in South City two days before the art exhibition opening.He checked all the public exits of the gallery in advance, even booking a hotel room across the street with a direct view of the main entrance.On opening day, he was already sitting in the first-floor lobby at 6 a.m.The security staff changed shifts twice, yet he never left his spot.When staff members asked if he needed early access, he shook his head, repeatedly folding and refolding an apology letter in his hands.The letter contained no pleas for forgiveness, nor did it list the heavy prices he had paid.He simply admitted his mistakes point by point—breaking their anniversary dinner plans, indulging Ben as he destroyed her grandmother's silver comb, choosing to believe Hallie when Emma was hurt, and letting her walk away alone that final morning.He brought no flowers or expensive gifts. All he had was a sincere apology letter in his pocket that he had rewritten countless times.Even if he was destin

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