After His Eyes Opened のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 41 - チャプター 50

I've been to hospitals many times. Whenever kids at the orphanage got sick, when my best friend, Betty lost her leg, and even when my father died. But I couldn't remember the sinking feeling in my chest as Louis was wheeled away. I could barely hear the sound of the doctor's barking orders over my heart pounding in my chest. I wanted to follow them, to hold him and hope he could hear me — to tell him I loved him, even if it was going to be the last time. Yet, my legs refused to work and I stood, dazed in the middle of the wreckage. My knees buckled but someone caught me, I turned and our lips brushed. Atlas moved to press a kiss to my hair, his arms tightening around me. I didn't stop him, I couldn't. "He's going to be fine," Atlas promised. I looked at him, my bottom lip quivering as I hugged him tight. Like I was holding on to his promise and like my entire life would fall apart if he didn't keep it. I pulled away and Atlas' eyes softened. "I should have bee

“J-Julia!” My eyes locked on my sister’s wide orbs as she gasped for air. Her body jolted as my hand hovered over the button that would end her life. Despite the situation, my vision blurred with tears as I recalled everything we used to be — all the possibilities she killed. I leaned, her familiar scent filling my nostrils. She reminded me of cinnamon, the scent of our father cooking in the kitchen while his two daughters played tag in the vast Knight Estate. Before the suspicions, before the jealousy, before we were old enough to feel. Before loving my husband, Lovie was just my older sister. The one my father begged to protect as he died from the brakes of my car she tampered with. I swallowed, my hands retreating from the button. Lovie’s body slacked against the sheets as the beeping of the machines drowned under the intensity of our locked eyes. I leaned, pressing my hands on each side of the hospital bed before speaking. “All of this was for him, right?” a

“So, he just agreed?” Greta said as she shoved my clothes into the suitcase. “Atlas is…” She stopped as if struggling to wrap her head around it. “Letting you go?”“Was he ever holding on?” I retorted, despite the ache in my heart. I wasn’t sure what I expected, maybe I wanted him to grab my wrist and stop me, or force me to stay. Maybe even lock us in the knight mansion until I changed my mind. But, the reality was different. Something flickered in Atlas’ eyes, he stumbled as if run over by a truck before his fists tightened in the realization I could not fathom. Then, he just turned and left. He just… he left! My grip on the suitcase tightened. Not a word, not even a second stare, Atlas just… he left me standing there — feeling like a fool for wanting to be stopped? It felt as if he finally understood something and something died in me because I thought… I felt like he understood we weren’t meant to be together. Did I want us to be together? If I did, why was I leaving? “Oh no

“At this rate, you’ll end the night in bankruptcy!” I snapped as Atlas handed the fifth driver a blank cheque.He leaned against the wall, his lips twitching. “I have a vast vocabulary, Peekaboo, Bankruptcy is not one of them.” I raised an eyebrow at him for a few seconds before it escaped my lips. A low, soft snort that almost sounded like a chuckle. Atlas froze, his gaze lingering on me as he bit hard on his bottom lip. “Did I just make you laugh?“Do you think you’re funny?” I retorted, rolling her eyes before he could appreciate the win. I hailed another cab and huffed when Atlas smiled and handed him his Patek wristwatch. “Have a nice day!” he chuckled, grinning like a five-year-old with candy. “Where is it?” I spat, tapping my feet against the ground. “Where is what?” Atlas scrunched up his nose. Was he playing dumb now? “Where is your car, Atlas?” “Oh no, are you abandoning project bankruptcy? I don’t know about the abundance of cars in Chicago, but I know that I can

My knees buckled as Atlas paced to and fro, his soft breaths loud, but not enough to block out the newscaster’s voice. “… Investigations are ongoing to determine whether Business Mogul Atlas Volkan is responsible for assaulting Adeline Mars, his childhood friend turned lover…” She was his childhood friend. She was not a stranger. I shut my eyes as reality washed over me, stabbing me in the chest like a thousand daggers. I pressed my hand against what was left of my heart, tears clouding my eyes. Everything rushed back to me, his disheveled appearance, the marks on his skin, the hickey and lipstick. Darn it. “Julia…” Atlas was in front of me now, but I couldn’t be sure because of the tears rolling down my cheeks. “You… you don’t think I did this, right?” He dared to reach out, shaking me for a response. “Julia, I’m not a rapis—“ “You said she was a stranger, Atlas.” Our eyes met. “You lied…” My bottom lip wobbled as I spoke. Lovie’s words echoed in my mind.