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หน้าหลัก / When the Waiting Turned Quiet / Chapter 8

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Chapter 8

ผู้เขียน: Joey Joe
"You—!"

The pity in Elise's eyes pushed Bella over the edge.

Her gaze flicked to the low balcony railing behind Elise.

Then her face twisted.

"Go to hell!"

She shoved Elise with both hands.

Hard.

Elise lost her balance instantly.

As she tipped backward over the railing, instinct kicked in.

She reached out blindly—

And grabbed Bella's wrist before she could pull away.

"Ah!"

They both screamed.

Most of Elise's body was already over the edge.

The only thing keeping her up was her grip on Bella's wrist.

Bella had been dragged against the railing and was freaking out, clutching it with her free hand.

"Help! Colsen! Help me!"

Her screams brought everyone running out from the ballroom.

Colsen got there first.

The second he saw them, his face went white.

"Colsen! Save me! I'm gonna fall!" Bella sobbed, reaching for him with the hand she'd been using to hold on.

Colsen looked between them.

Elise, hanging there in silence, teeth clenched.

And Bella, crying for him to save her.

In that split second, Colsen barely hesitated.

He lunged forward and grabbed Bella's hand.

"Elise, hold on a little longer!" His voice shook as he looked down at her. "I'll pull Bella up first, then I'll get you!"

Elise looked at him.

Then she smiled.

And let go.

Her body dropped through the air, wind roaring past her ears.

Then—

Splash!

She slammed into the pool below.

Ice-cold water swallowed her whole.

Elise closed her eyes.

And blacked out.

***

When Elise woke up, she was back in her own bed.

Someone had changed her into clean pajamas and treated her injuries.

The room was empty.

She checked her phone.

A text from Colsen.

[Elise, Bella was really shaken, so I took her to the hospital. Get some rest. I'll explain everything when I get back. I'll make it up to you.]

'Make it up to me.

'Again.'

Elise stared at the message, almost laughing.

'When you really love someone, you shouldn't have to keep making things up to them.'

'Colsen, I don't love you anymore.

'I don't want anything from you.

'I just want this over.

'No ties. No looking back.

'Just gone.'

Elise's phone chimed again.

Another text.

This time, from the court clerk's office.

[Ms. Emery, your divorce from Colsen Locke is final. Please pick up a certified copy of the divorce decree from the clerk's office within three business days.]

'It's final.'

Elise stared at the message for a long moment.

Then she slowly exhaled.

Five years of hurt.

Pain.

Struggle.

Resentment.

She let it all go.

Elise got out of bed and finished packing.

There wasn't much left. Most of her stuff was already boxed up.

She tossed the last few clothes into her suitcase and zipped it shut.

Then she booked a flight to Europe.

Three o'clock that afternoon.

She dragged her suitcase downstairs.

Tony froze when he saw her.

"Mrs. Locke, are you..."

"I'm leaving. Thanks for taking care of me all these years."

"What?! But Mr. Locke—"

"We're divorced." Elise smiled. "Starting today, I'm not Mrs. Locke anymore."

She wheeled her suitcase out of the mansion and grabbed a cab to the courthouse.

When she got the divorce decree, she glanced down at it.

Her name.

Colsen's.

Side by side on the page.

Cold. Final.

'Good. It's finally over.'

She took another cab to the airport, checked in, and waited at her gate.

Her phone rang.

Colsen.

She ignored it.

He called again.

And again.

Elise shut off her phone.

The boarding call came over the speakers.

Elise stood, grabbed her suitcase, and headed for the gate.

As the plane took off, she watched the city shrink below.

For once, her heart felt completely calm.

'Goodbye, Colsen.

'Goodbye to the past.

'From now on, I'm choosing me.'

The plane climbed above the clouds.

Straight toward her new life.

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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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