Chapter 2 The Dark Truth

The ride was long, and it stopped many times. I watched them visit every single couple's spot along the way.

I watched how they switch poses during a wefie. I watched how they exchanged thrilling, nearly romantic gestures in the haunted house, and I watched how they blushed just because they shared a drink in the theater.

I followed them, even though everything I saw was torturing me. I did it as if a clearer look could kill my hopes and give me the courage to demand Chris for answers.

In the end, they stopped before a daycare center. A child who looked just like Chris barreled into his embrace and loudly, lovingly called him 'Dad.'

I was thunderstruck as I was stuck to my seat.

Not only were they married, but they also had a child together. The family of three stood together, warmly, perfectly, just like a family.

Meanwhile, I was nothing but a bug who was stealing glances at the happy family, with no chance to even present myself.

My hand went to my belly. The scar was proof that I'd gotten into a car accident. It was proof that it had nearly robbed me of all hope I had with the death of my baby, but now I was relieved it was never born.

Then again, this also painted the old me as a joke. The old me, who used to scold herself whenever she couldn't sleep and thought she should see Chris.

The little family stopped before the villa, and the cab followed them. Before I got out of the car, Chris suddenly texted me, "Once I'm done with work, I can finally fly back to Bluelis and see you again."

The old me used to look forward to his visits. Those few, precious moments were the only times I could see him. Now, everything felt like a big joke.

Perhaps it was fate. In the first year of our long-distance relationship, I kept trying to come to Imperia for him, only to run into all kinds of accidents.

The first time I took that trip, I forgot to turn off the stove before coming out, and the fire devoured the whole house. The money we'd saved to build our family went up in flames.

The second time, I ran into a malfunctioning elevator, and the hypoxia nearly killed me. I developed claustrophobia after that.

The third trip ended with that car crash that killed my unborn child. The scar still lingered on my stomach, and it still throbbed.

I naively thought all the good luck in my life was already redirected toward meeting Chris. He was the one who helped me escape that hellhole I once called home.

It was nothing but an abyss filled with curses and abuse, with monsters that would marry me to an old widower for a handsome dowry.

Chris protected me. The pursuing villagers broke three of his ribs while we were running away, but he didn't let go. Instead, he kept holding me.

I cried and asked him to put me down, but he didn't. He earnestly said, "I won't. We'll have a better future. You've got good grades. You shouldn't be trapped here. We'll have a home, a family we call our own. Believe it."

Chris graduated before I did and later joined the company where he was now working for. He worked for long hours and even got himself hospitalized due to overwork, but he only said, "I want to make you happy."

The man who promised never to let go already had. Soon, strangled sobs escaped my throat.

The cab driver gave me a worried look before understanding filled his eyes. "Out with the old, in with the new, girl. Don't obsess over one guy."

Unfortunately, I just couldn't let go. He promised me we'd have a family, but he also lied to me for three whole years.

I wondered if he was thinking about his family in Imperia every time he came back to my cramped place and held me in his embrace.

He had so many chances to tell me the truth, but he didn't.

Right now, he was even texting me and sending me pictures, claiming that he'd asked his vacationing colleagues to buy me several gifts. However, I knew the truth.

When I was following them, I'd long seen how those gifts were merely the ones they'd casually thrown in the basket after carefully picking out their anniversary gifts.

Disappointment slithered and crawled across my heart, biting deeper into its flesh and hurting me even more.

I squeezed out a smile and thanked the cabbie for driving me and for his advice.

The family had gotten out of their car.

I was about to step in and finally air things out, but that girl hugged Chris from behind as she said with a sob, "Chris, I know you always sent someone to hurt Wendy so she wouldn't come to Imperia and ruin my or our child's life, but you can't just keep her in the dark forever."