Chapter 4

Leaning against the door, I could hear Jocelyn's rapid breathing. She didn't leave, and I didn't move either.

Our bodies were separated only by a door less than four inches thick, but our hearts were a world apart.

The next second, Jocelyn took out her key and opened the door. She didn't step inside, but just looked at me for a long moment. Then, she pulled a small, palm-sized rattle from her pocket and handed it to me.

"I saw this at the mall today. I thought Teddy would like it."

That one sentence completely shattered all the composure I had barely managed to hold together.

I took the rattle, immediately shut the door and locked it, then collapsed onto the floor and sobbed silently. I didn't understand why people always only treasured love after they had already lost it.

The rattle fell to the floor, letting out a clear, tinkling sound.

I sat there on the floor, motionless through the entire night.

The next morning, I set out on time. Just as I got into the car, I received a call from the hospital, asking me to pick up the death certificate I had left behind.

At the time, I hadn't had the courage to open it. Like an ostrich, I had simply left it at the hospital, thinking that as long as I didn't see it, I could pretend nothing had happened.

Now, it was time to face reality.

Jocelyn arrived late that morning. With her bloodshot eyes, she looked like she hadn't had a wink of sleep the entire night either.

When she saw me, a flicker of disappointment crossed her face. "I thought… you wouldn't show up."

I said nothing and simply walked into the courthouse before her. How could I not show up? We had both waited far too long for this day.

Before signing the divorce papers, Jocelyn suddenly hesitated. The black pen hovered over the paper, unmoving for a long time.

Seeing this, the staff member kindly suggested, "If the lady still hasn't made up her mind, why don't we just call it off for now?"

I smiled, finding it ironic. If she really hadn't made up her mind, she wouldn't have insisted 100 times.

Jocelyn turned and glanced at me, then softly assured me, "Eli, once my wedding with Levi is over, I'll marry you again."

I hummed in agreement and said nothing. She had lied to me so many times. I figured that this time, it was my turn to lie to her.

When we got the divorce done, Jocelyn's heart raced. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was missing something and was left feeling deeply unsettled.

Levi arrived just as we walked out of the courthouse. Dressed in a crisp white suit, he stood under the sunlight. He didn't look sick in any way at all.

I turned my head slightly and gestured toward Jocelyn. "Levi's waiting for you."

She hummed awkwardly, seeming neither happy nor surprised.

Levi walked over, pulled an invitation from his bag, and handed it to me with a smile. "Eleazar, Josie and I talked it over. We'd still like you to come to our wedding with the baby. Here's your invitation."

I instinctively wanted to say that Theodore was dead and that I wouldn't be attending the wedding either. But then I caught a glimpse of the anxious look on Jocelyn's face.

I decided to forget about it. We were already divorced. What was the point of saying any of that?

I shook my head and was about to walk past them and leave. But just then, a couple coming toward me collided with me head-on.

My briefcase fell to the ground with a loud thud, its contents spilling everywhere.

Jocelyn's eyes widened. She rushed over to help me up, asking anxiously, "Are you okay? Are you hurt—"

The rest of her words died in her throat. Her gaze had landed on the death certificate lying on the ground.