When Love Rings False in My Mind のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

At breakfast, Elliot placed the croissants closest to me.The buttery scent I had once loved drifted across the table, but now it made my stomach churn. I barely managed to turn away before I started dry-heaving."What's wrong, Josie? Are they making you sick?"Elliot immediately reached over to steady me, his voice filled with concern.He had always taken care of me like this.After my parents died and grief nearly drove me to take my own life, Elliot was the one who pulled me back and gave me a home. Once we were married, he loved me with every fiber of his being.Whenever we had fish, he removed every bone before placing it on my plate. My food was always served at exactly the right temperature, and whatever I liked most would be set within easy reach.He had once treated me with such care, and we were finally expecting the child we had both wanted for so long.I closed my eyes and tightened my grip on his hand."Elliot, I'm tired of those croissants. The bakery is far away

Elliot eventually sent Rachel away.He had discovered that I truly had nothing to do with what happened at the bakery. A few local troublemakers had gotten sick after eating there and trashed the place in retaliation.He looked at me guiltily."I'm sorry, Josie. I let my temper get the better of me."I stared at him as though he were a stranger who had nothing to do with me.Two decades together had meant less to him than Rachel's tears."Josie, things are complicated right now. Can you give me a little more time?"Elliot held tightly to my hand. No matter how hard I tried to pull away, he refused to release me.I lowered my eyes and gave a bitter smile.No one played the devoted husband better than Elliot. He knew exactly what to say to make me believe he loved me, even as every choice he made proved otherwise.Looking down, I asked, "Elliot, are you going to keep lying to me?"He shook his head urgently. "No. Never again. I promise."A notification chimed, but my heart re

Elliot searched everywhere he could think of, but every lead turned into a dead end.Eventually, he returned home exhausted and defeated.Nothing inside the house had changed since the day I left.The beige blanket was still draped across the couch. Whenever Elliot worked there, I used to spread it over his legs so he wouldn't get cold.Our matching mugs remained on the coffee table, while my slippers sat crookedly by the entryway. Everything made it look as though I had only stepped out for a moment and would return soon.Elliot wandered through the house in a daze until he stepped on something.When he looked down, he saw one of the socks. It was tiny, and the uneven stitches made it obvious that I had made it myself.He bent down and picked it up. As he closed his hand around it, his eyes slowly reddened.At that moment, he seemed to understand how much I had wanted that child, as it was obvious I had worked through every clumsy stitch with care.A sharp, stabbing pain shot

Elliot returned many times after that.When I refused to see him, he waited outside the school. He stood there through pouring rain, heavy winds, and blazing heat, refusing to leave.Whenever I refused to come out, he would ask others to relay messages to me.A few of the teachers felt sorry for him and agreed to help twice.The first message read, "Josie, I was wrong. Please give me one more chance."The second was a letter I never opened.The third time, Elliot forced his way inside.It was a weekend, and rain had been falling heavily all day. The children had already gone home with their parents when he walked into the building, completely drenched."Josie…" he said, his voice strained and hoarse. "You said you could hear a chime whenever I lied, so I bet you know I'm telling the truth now."He grabbed my wrist. "I know I messed up. I know I hurt you, but are you really not going to give me a chance to make it up to you?"I tried to pull free, but it was futile."That bab

I calmly watched Elliot as the final sliver of hope vanished from his face.Even while he was trying to win me back, he had refused to abandon Rachel's baby because he believed the child might be his only chance to become a biological father.I understood the fear behind that decision, but it also made his hypocrisy impossible to ignore.Regret, fury, and resentment churned in his eyes as he approached Rachel one deliberate step at a time.The look on his face was frightening."What made you think you could hurt Josie and lie to me?"He didn't wait for her to answer.Elliot lifted his leg and delivered a brutal kick that sent Rachel crashing to the floor with a scream. As she curled up on the floor, a dark crimson stain gradually spread beneath her red dress.Police sirens and ambulance alarms soon sounded outside.The baby couldn't be saved. Officially, Rachel had lost the pregnancy after an "accidental" fall.Rachel, her baby daddy, and the other two men involved were later