Chapter 4

He didn't even need to finish his sentence. He just waited for me to pick up where he left off just like countless times before.

I'd always been considerate, never doubting him for a second.

For some reason, at that very moment, I suddenly recalled what happened more than half a year ago.

It was also a late night—quiet and lonely, just like this.

Shawn had rushed back from a business trip, promising to spend the weekend with me.

But upon landing, he called to say there was an emergency meeting at work, and he wouldn't be able to make it home that night.

Without a second thought, I immediately told him to put work first.

In the wee hours of that night, I saw a post on Anna's Instagram.

Her first post said she had an argument with her father. While driving home recklessly in a fit of pique, she injured her hand.

The second post was just a single line: [You're always by my side, and only you…]

A world of unspoken emotions lingered in those unfinished words.

The photo showed her right hand wrapped in gauze, a cup of milk on the table, and a delicate velvet jewelry box.

It also captured in the frame the forearm of a man.

Back then, I actually thought Anna had a boyfriend.

And it never even crossed my mind how familiar that forearm looked.

Nor did I ever question why the necklace Shawn promised to bring me ended up being "left on the plane" and never made it to me.

I simply never doubted that possibility.

I truly didn't even have a shred of suspicion.

I had been with Shawn for six years and married for three.

I was convinced he treated me well and loved me wholeheartedly.

I was convinced he despised Anna for how she had bullied me.

I believed him just as I believed the sun would always rise in the east, and fish would always live in the water.

Yet it turned out the signs were there all along.

My legs gave way as I slid down the wall, my back pressed against its cold surface.

Shawn waited for a long moment but got no response from me.

He finally spoke up, his voice tentative, "Joss, are you doing okay there by yourself?

"I called your mom. She'll bring over some food for you."

Not long ago, he told me not to call the police, saying he was worried my mom couldn't handle the shock.

But now he called her over without a second thought about how she'd feel seeing me in this state.

I stared out the window at the bare, lifeless branches.

When I finally spoke, it barely sounded like my own voice.

I replied, "I'm not really okay. Can you put your work on hold for a while?"

I had never made such a request to him.

The other end was probably surprised, and he fell into silence for a long while.

But in the end, I heard Shawn's answer. "I'm afraid I can't. Things are a little urgent here.

"Babe, I promise to finish my work as soon as possible tomorrow and immediately..."

"It's alright," I interrupted him, "Just go ahead."

He would not notice anything.

But I knew he was guilty. He hung up the phone with a few perfunctory words.

My body was trembling, and the chill spread from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

I didn't know if it was nausea or something, but I let out a burst of retching uncontrollably.

There seemed to be cold sweat on my forehead, and my vision was blurred. Only then did I notice the blood on my hand that was about to dry up.

I just remembered that when I left my ward, I had ripped the needle on the back of my hand.

The pain only came at this time, and it didn't seem to come from my hand.

I couldn't tell where the pain was, and I felt dizzy.

The ward door was pushed open at this time. Just now, I seemed to have heard knocks on the door.

Jackson Reed, the doctor in his white coat, walked in.

After seeing me, he heaved a sigh of relief and teased, "Why didn't you answer the door? I thought you passed out."

I looked up at the blurry figure in front of me blankly.

Jackson leaned down to look at me, his face suddenly serious. "Why are you sitting on the floor? Wait, why are you crying?"

I want to retort that I was not crying, and that I wouldn't shed tears for someone who didn't deserve it.

But before I could speak, my body seemed to have fallen into an abyss, and my world turned completely dark.