Home / The Rose Withered in the Seventh Autumn / Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

All Chapters of The Rose Withered in the Seventh Autumn: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

1

The moment our eyes met, we both froze.Chloe was too busy gloating to notice anything off about the man beside her.She stepped forward and kicked the bottle of wine I'd brought, sending it crashing to the floor. "Ivy, you've been hustling in the big city for six years, and this is what you bring home for your own mother?"She nudged the broken bottle with the tip of her shoe. "Funny enough, Nathan bought me the limited edition from the same brand."Just so you know, yours is a freebie they throw in when you spend fifteen thousand at the boutique!"A ringing filled my ears, drowning out everything else.Nathan had given me that wine himself. I'd been touched by the gesture for days.Seeing me frozen on the ground only fueled Chloe's momentum.She walked up to me and tipped my chin up with the toe of her shoe. "Come on, Ivy. Don't play dumb. When are you paying us back?"If you really can't come up with the money, get on your knees and wipe my shoes clean. I might even consider waiving

2

Chloe's saccharine voice cut through the receiver. "Honey, where did you go? My parents are waiting. They want to talk about our engagement next week."Every word stabbed into me like a needle.Next week was supposed to be our sixth anniversary.I'd booked the flights to Paris three months in advance.But just last week, Nathan told me the firm had sent him on a last-minute business trip.I'd sat on the couch, staring at the cancellation screen on my phone.He'd wrapped his arms around me from behind. "Don't worry. There'll be plenty of chances."How about next year I make time to go home with you and meet your mom?"I'd been ecstatic, convinced he was finally ready to make us official.Now it all just seemed like a sick joke.A dull ache throbbed in my chest, dragging me back to reality.I stared blankly at the man in front of me.Nathan, there was no forever for us.Just hearing his voice made me nauseous. I raised my hand and pointed at the door. "Get out."Nathan stood there for a

3

Chloe shook out her hand and looked down at me. "What's with the pity act? Nathan already told me everything. You're the one who wouldn't let go!"Aren't you the one who's always going on about how much you despise homewreckers?"And when it's your turn, you're more than happy to be one? Disgusting!"While she was talking, she yanked open my desk drawer.Inside, neatly stacked, were all the photos Nathan and I had taken together over the past six years.Chloe grabbed them all and flung them across the floor. "Take a good look, everyone. This man is my husband!"In the photos, Nathan's eyes were soft, his smile so tender it burned to look at.The year my mother and I were thrown out of our family home, we didn't get a single cent.Nathan was there for me every day, doing everything he could to make me smile.Through tears, I'd told him that the thing I hated most in this world was betrayal and lies.All I ever wanted was a love that could stand in the open.He'd pulled me into his arms,

4

Before he could finish, my blood ran cold. "Nathan, stop insulting me."I threw off the covers to get out of bed, but Nathan lunged forward. "You're not leaving!"You're mine, you're mine!"Don't even think about leaving me. You're not going anywhere..."His voice grew louder and louder until he was practically shouting.Just then, the hospital room door burst open.Danny, his secretary, rushed in drenched in sweat. "Sir! Ivy, she's... she's gone viral!"I grabbed my phone.The moment the screen lit up, "Ivy Mercer, homewrecker" was already plastered across every trending page.Not only had my personal information been exposed, but they'd dug up my mother's too!Nathan sprang from his chair and was at my bedside in two strides. "Ivy, don't panic. I'll handle everything."Half an hour, tops, and it'll be taken down. Trust me!"I watched numbly as his figure disappeared out the door.Every second felt like an eternity.That was when my mother called. "Ivy, I've been getting all these mes

5

(Nathan's Perspective)Nathan stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office.He looked at the new trending topic on his phone and let out a long breath.He had just done something that left everyone speechless.He'd posted a lengthy statement on his official social media account.He admitted that Ivy had been the victim from start to finish, that she had never pursued him.The final paragraph read:"Ivy Mercer is one of the most important people in my life."She is completely innocent. The fault is entirely mine."After posting, Nathan set his phone on his desk and rubbed his temples.To him, what he'd done amounted to an enormous effort.He had stepped forward to take the blame and redirected all the public outrage onto himself.He had even risked alienating Chloe and his entire family.Nathan imagined the look on Ivy's face when she saw the statement.She'd probably freeze, then call him with red-rimmed eyes.Her voice would soften, as it always had after their fights, and she'

6

(Ivy's Perspective)The new city was quiet, by the sea.I rented an old apartment and slowly settled in.I'd buried my mother's ashes on the hill behind our old house.I sat under the tree for a long time, until the sun went down.Only then did I stand, brush the dirt from my pants, and say, "Bye, Mom. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay."I thought changing cities, changing jobs, would be enough to cut the past away for good.That illusion lasted until one evening outside my apartment building.I was coming out of the supermarket with groceries.Under a streetlight not far away, a figure stood in the amber glow.He was thin, dressed in a black coat, with a cigarette burning down to the filter between his fingers.He looked up and saw me, and instinctively stubbed out the cigarette.He tugged at the corners of his mouth in something that barely passed for a smile. "You really know how to hide. It took a private investigator almost two months to find you."It was Nathan.I stood at the m

7

Nathan stood there stunned for a long moment before slowly turning his head back.His lips moved, his voice broken into fragments. "I really didn't mean for any of this... I didn't know it would go this far..."I thought if I just explained everything, it would be fine. I didn't know your mom would...""You didn't know?" I let out a hollow laugh, uglier than any cry."Nathan, how dare you stand there and tell me you didn't know."You didn't know Chloe brought people to trash my mother's house?"You didn't know she threw your marriage certificate in my face in front of all my coworkers?"You didn't know I was pregnant and lost the baby?"By the end, a cold, bitter scoff escaped me. "Wasn't it you who lied to me, tricked me into six years of a secret relationship?"Wasn't it you who, even after everything came out, still wanted to hide me away and make me your mistress?"Did you not know, or did you just forget?"Nathan, is this what you do? When guilt stops working, you play dumb?"With

8

Chloe's voice climbed higher and higher, cutting through the evening air.I looked at her face, once so polished, now twisted beyond recognition.I couldn't help but sigh.Her mother had been the one who broke up my parents' marriage.How did she have the nerve to stand here and accuse me?Between the two of us, who had really ruined whose life?"Chloe, Nathan and I are over."What do you want from me?"Ignoring the hatred deepening in her eyes, I spoke through my exhaustion, "Instead of wasting your time here, you'd be better off going back and working things out with Nathan."Chloe blinked, then her glare turned even more venomous.I lowered my voice. "Chloe, your life is yours to live. It has nothing to do with me."You know better than I do why he divorced you."Coming here to make a scene won't change anything.""Won't change anything?"Chloe lunged forward and clamped her hand around my arm, her nails digging into flesh.Her eyes were bloodshot, brimming with hatred. "You know wh

9

Chloe screamed and dropped the knife.She stumbled backward into the opposite wall and slid to the ground.She was shaking uncontrollably, repeating the same words over and over. "I didn't mean to!"I didn't want this, I didn't want this!"He threw himself in the way!"Chloe's voice was shrill and shattered, teetering on the edge of madness.I dropped to my knees, pressing both hands over the wound in Nathan's chest.Blood pulsed between my fingers, warm and thick, smelling of rust.I called his name, over and over. "Nathan, wake up!"Nathan's lashes trembled.His unfocused gaze sharpened for a brief moment and settled on my face.His lips twitched into the faintest smile. "I'm... sorry... I'll go... find your mom... and explain everything..."I'm going to make things right. I can finally... rest."This was all my fault, Ivy. Please... forgive me."Nathan's eyes slowly closed, and his hand slipped from my palm.The ambulance came quickly. So did the police.When they put the handcuffs

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