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หน้าหลัก / When the Waiting Turned Quiet / Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

ผู้เขียน: Joey Joe
Elise went home alone.

The mansion felt huge, empty, and cold.

She changed her shoes, headed upstairs, and started packing.

She'd already packed most of her stuff in secret. Only a few things were left.

One by one, she pulled out the clothes she'd bought to dress like Bella, folded them, and put them in her suitcase.

She'd never wear them again.

Then the front door opened downstairs.

Colsen was back.

And he wasn't alone.

Bella stood at the bottom of the stairs, flashing Elise a sweet smile.

"Elise. Long time no see."

Elise said nothing.

"Bella wanted to see Snowy." Colsen sounded a little awkward. "It's been a while."

Snowy was the dog Colsen and Bella had gotten when they were together. When Bella moved overseas, she left it with Colsen.

After Elise married Colsen, she was the one who took care of Snowy.

"Whatever." Elise turned toward her room.

"Snowy! Snowy!" Bella crouched down and clapped her hands.

A white Samoyed came charging around the corner.

The second Snowy saw Bella, it raced straight to her, tail going crazy.

"Oh my God, Snowy still remembers me!" Bella wrapped her arms around it, grinning. "Guess even after some other woman raised you all these years, you still know who your real mom is."

The jab was obvious.

Elise stopped.

Colsen frowned. "Bella, you left the country without a word and didn't even take Snowy with you. You lost the right to call yourself its mom a long time ago.

"You've seen it. Now go."

Bella pouted. "It's dark, and it's pouring outside. I don't wanna go home alone. Can I... stay here tonight?"

Colsen was about to say no.

But rain hammered against the windows, thunder rolling outside.

He glanced at Elise, already bracing himself. Bella staying over always used to upset her, and calming her down took forever.

But Elise spoke first.

"Guest room's at the end of the hall downstairs. The sheets are clean." Her voice stayed calm. "Stay if you want."

Then she turned and went back to her room.

Colsen froze.

Bella looked surprised too, but quickly smiled and hooked her arm through his.

"See, Colsen? Even your wife said it's fine."

Colsen stared at Elise's closed door.

That weird feeling hit him again.

He pulled his arm free. "Behave."

His phone rang.

Work.

He glanced at Bella. "Stay out of trouble."

Then he headed to his study.

Bella was alone in the living room.

Her smile dropped instantly.

She walked over to Elise's room and knocked.

Elise opened the door.

Bella leaned against the frame, looking her up and down. "Why act so cool about this? You think letting me stay makes you look like the understanding wife?

"Please. I'll show you just how badly you failed.

"After all these years, you couldn't win Colsen's heart. You couldn't even win over a dog."

She whistled.

Snowy came running.

"Snowy." Bella pointed at Elise. "Go. Bite her."

Snowy hesitated.

But Bella kept pushing until it lunged and sank its teeth into Elise's calf.

Elise cried out, caught completely off guard. Her face went pale.

Bella smiled, satisfied.

"See? You took care of that dog for years, and even it doesn't love you. And you seriously thought you could take Colsen from me?

"Give it up."

Pain and humiliation left Elise ice-cold, but she bit her lip, refusing to make another sound.

She gave Bella an icy look. "Forgot to mention something, Bella.

"The common areas in this house—the stairs, the halls—all have security cameras. Twenty-four seven. Everything's recorded."

She held Bella's gaze. "So if you wanna stay tonight and win Colsen back, leave me alone. Otherwise, I'll show him the footage.

"Think he'll still let you stay after that?"

Bella's face changed.

Elise turned around, went back to her room, and shut the door.

She grabbed the first-aid kit from a drawer and cleaned the bite.

The antiseptic stung like hell, but she didn't flinch.

When she was done, she climbed into bed and closed her eyes.

No warm milk for Colsen.

No waiting up for him to finish work.

No good night.

She just went to sleep.

***

In the middle of the night, thick smoke jolted Elise awake.

She opened her eyes and immediately started coughing.

Smoke filled the room.

She jumped out of bed and opened the door.

Flames tore through the hallway.

Fire.

She gripped the wall and stumbled forward, but after a few steps, the smoke hit her hard.

Her legs gave out.

She crashed to the scorching floor and tried to get back up.

Nothing.

She had no strength left.

Just when she thought she was going to die, someone charged through the flames.

Colsen!

He was still in his pajamas, soot streaked across his face as he frantically looked around.

Elise tried to call out, but the smoke had stolen her voice.

She reached for him, hoping he'd see her.

He didn't.

Colsen rushed straight past her toward the corner—

Snowy was curled up there, shaking.

Colsen scooped it up and ran without even looking back.

Elise watched him disappear into the flames.

Then she laughed.

Tears streamed down her face.

'He came for the dog.

'To Colsen, I'm worth less than a dog.'

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  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 24

    The message ended, then started over."Colsen, it's your birthday. I made you a cake. Come home and have some."No matter how late it gets, I'll wait for you."Again. And again.On all those birthdays he'd forgotten, she'd sat alone beside the cake, waiting through the night until dawn.In the end, all she had was melted frosting and cake gone dry and stale.Tears kept slipping from Colsen's dry eyes.He stared at the ceiling as his vision slowly faded, a faint smile touching his lips.Like he'd remembered something good.With the last of his strength, he whispered to the empty room, the cold frame in his arms, and the message that would never get an answer."Elise... I'm home..."The words barely made it out.The frame slipped from his arms and dropped onto the blanket.From the old phone, Elise's gentle voice kept playing."...I'll wait for you... I'll wait for you..."Cold moonlight spilled through the window, washing over the bed, the fallen wedding photo, and the ol

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 23

    Several years later.On a private island in the Mediterranean.Golden sun, sandy beaches, bright blue water, white buildings. The whole place looked straight off a postcard.Elise got married there.The wedding was small and intimate, with only their closest family and friends.She wore a simple, elegant white dress with no long train. The cut hugged her slim waist and showed off her graceful shoulders and neck.Her pale champagne veil glowed in the sun.Elise stood beneath a flower-covered arch, a bouquet of white lilies of the valley in her hands. Her smile was bright and real.For once, there was no shadow in her eyes. Just peace. Just happiness.Timothy stood beside her in a white suit, watching her like she was the only person there.The officiant began."Elise Emery, do you take Timothy Tyrrel to be your husband, to love, care for, honor, and stay faithful to him, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"El

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 22

    Another year flew by, and late fall hit.A huge charity gala packed the ballroom of the fanciest hotel downtown.Elise showed up as a special guest and honorary advisor.Colsen's Elise Foundation was one of the organizers.Backstage, the halls were already buzzing with staff, guests, and reporters.Elise quietly went over her upcoming speech with the foundation director as they headed for the lounge.They rounded a corner just as someone came from the other direction.He was thin, dressed in a fitted but slightly worn black suit, his hair neatly combed. He held a document and kept his eyes on the page as he walked.The hallway was tight.Then they were face-to-face.He looked up.Their eyes locked.Time stopped.Colsen froze.The document slipped from his hand and hit the floor.He stared at her, like he was trying to burn the sight of her into his memory.After all these years, she was even more beautiful.Not soft and fragile like before, but confident now. Poised. G

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 21

    Several years later.The world's leading translation forum was held in Switzerland, bringing together leading interpreters, scholars, and dignitaries from across the globe.As the youngest honorary board member and chief simultaneous interpreter, Elise gave the opening keynote.Under the spotlight, she wore a fitted pearl-white suit, her long hair swept up.She stood before a packed audience and a wall of flashing cameras, completely at ease.She switched effortlessly between languages, making sharp arguments and offering impressive insights.Confident. Elegant. Brilliant.All eyes were on her.When her speech ended, the hall erupted in applause that seemed to go on forever.A young scholar in a charcoal suit stepped onto the stage with a bouquet of white lilies of the valley and handed them to her.They smiled at each other, easy and familiar.Cameras flashed nonstop.He was one of Europe's top young linguists—smart, charming, from a respected academic family, and one of t

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 20

    In the ambulance, paramedics worked on Colsen and monitored his vitals.Elise sat nearby, her hands and jacket covered in his blood. Warm, sticky, metallic.She looked at him on the stretcher, his face ghostly pale, eyes shut.Her face gave nothing away. Only her tight lips showed any tension.Even unconscious, Colsen kept mumbling."Elise... I'm sorry..."Our baby... I'm sorry..."Don't go... Don't leave me..."His broken voice sounded desperate, almost like he was dying.Elise turned to the window and watched the city lights streak past. The shifting light sharpened her cold expression.At the hospital, Colsen was rushed straight into surgery.The operating light flicked on.Elise sat on a bench outside, the blood on her hands and jacket already dried dark red.She didn't wipe it off.She just sat there, staring at the closed OR doors.Time crawled by.Finally, the doors opened, and a doctor stepped out looking grim."He's badly hurt. One stab wound damaged his splee

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 19

    Evan gripped the phone and looked toward the hospital room.Colsen was gaunt, his eyes hollow, living on nothing but memories and IV fluids.Evan's throat tightened. He couldn't speak.A year later.After crushing it at her job, Elise was transferred back to Santoria to interpret at a major international conference.It was held at the city's most prestigious convention center.Colsen was in a meeting when he got the news.Evan leaned in and whispered in his ear.Colsen's hand froze, his pen dragging a long line across the page.After a long pause, he motioned for the meeting to continue.But he was distracted the whole time, his eyes constantly drifting toward the window.Afterward, he locked himself in his office and smoked an entire pack of cigarettes.Then he bribed someone on the venue staff.On the day of the conference, Colsen sat in the far corner of the back row, hidden beneath a cap and mask.He didn't dare go near her. Didn't dare interrupt her.All he could do

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