Alle Kapitel von She Lost Focus of Me in the Crowd: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 10

Lydia's eyes held no concern. Instead, there was only disdain."Clean this up and hurry up with the food. Everyone's starving."The door closed behind her.She didn't know about the tumor in my stomach that needed immediate attention, or that I'd just discovered at the hospital that our marriage was a complete sham.My life had been nothing but a joke from the moment I fell in love with her.The following day was Saturday.Lydia left early in the morning, saying she had an urgent client to meet. Philip, naturally, went with her.The apartment was dead silent.Suddenly, my phone lit up with a notification.The profile picture, a candid shot of a woman from behind, looked familiar. But I recognized the woman's watch right away, as it was the one Lydia often wore.I tapped open the profile.The account didn't have many posts, but every single one made my blood run cold. The earliest was from five years ago, shortly after Lydia and I had "gotten married".A photo showed two

I stood on the street corner, leaning against a lamppost for support. It took me ten minutes to get a taxi.When I got home, I lay down in bed and drifted into a hazy sleep.In the middle of the night, my phone rang.It was Lydia's number. However, when I answered, Philip's voice came through instead."Nathaniel? Ms. Payne had too much to drink tonight. She insists you come get her, or she won't leave otherwise. We're at the bar. Hurry up."I glanced at the time. It was 2:00 am.My abdomen still ached, and I felt weak all over.I opened my mouth to speak, but my throat was too dry to make a sound.I hung up and lay back down.The phone rang again. I rejected the call, only for it to start right back up.The third time, I got up and put on my clothes. Every moment pulled at the pain.Old habits, I supposed.For five years, I'd grown used to being at her beck and call, to setting aside my own needs, and to always putting her first.This time, I told myself, would be my final

Lydia locked herself in her office and called my phone, but it was turned off. She sent a message, only to find that she was blocked. Finally, she tried an email, but it went into the void without a trace.She slumped back against her chair and closed her eyes, yet scenes from the past few years flashed through her mind like a movie.She remembered the first time she brought me to meet her parents. I was so nervous I could barely get my words out, yet I still forced myself to serve food to her father, Donald Payne.Afterward, Mr. Payne said, "That young man is too nervous and clumsy. He doesn't seem like the son of a respectable family."Lydia didn't say anything at the time, but she thought to herself, "He's nervous because he likes me. What's wrong with that?"She recalled the year she wanted to come to Starbrough. My Astorian wasn't good. In fact, I had to gesture for half a day just to buy something at the supermarket.Lydia found it embarrassing and told me not to go anymore

Philip's face went pale for a moment but quickly returned to normal."Of course it's fake. Why would I really marry you? Don't you have Nathaniel?""Then why did you post all this?" Lydia asked.Philip glanced at the screen and smiled."Ms. Payne, what do you mean? What's wrong with me saying 'What the law recognizes is the only thing that lasts forever?' Since the marriage certificate is fake, that means the law doesn't recognize it."And I also said, 'Thanks, Ly.' Shouldn't I thank you for sponsoring my PR card?"Lydia looked at him and suddenly felt that this man was a stranger.For five years, he had stayed with her through overtime, business dinners, and one difficult case after another.She'd thought he was her best partner and the person who understood her most. But now she realized she'd never truly seen him for who he was.Or rather, she'd never tried to understand him, because from beginning to end, she only had eyes for me.I'd get up at 2:00 am to make her a hango

"When I was sick, I didn't dare tell you. I went to the hospital alone for surgery. At 2:00 am, I got a call to pick you up from a bar, and in that alley, I almost got—"I didn't go on.Lydia's eyes reddened."Nathaniel, I—""Lydia." I looked at her, my gaze calm as still water. "The man who used to follow you around is gone."With that, I turned and walked into the studio.The glass door closed in front of Lydia. She stood there, staring at it for a very long time.Lydia didn't leave. Instead, she checked into a hotel near Hapbury.Every morning, she'd buy a cup of coffee and sit on the bench across from the office building, watching that glass door.Sometimes I came very early, other times not until noon.Now and then, I'd catch sight of her when coming or going. But my gaze never lingered. It was as if I were looking at a stranger.Lydia didn't dare approach me. She didn't know what to say, nor what she could possibly do.She just sat there, watching me come and go. She