Chapter 3
Neither my husband nor my child saw me, and not a single drop of blood trickling down my leg caught their attention.
Only the driver paid attention to me.
I stared blankly at the car's exhaust as the pain grew sharper, threatening to drown me in sorrow.
I bowed my head and noticed two lucky charms hanging on a nearby branch.
They belonged to Jairo and Morgan.
The virus was spreading rapidly back then; both Jairo and Morgan were unfortunately infected. Their conditions deteriorated, and with no specific treatment available, they could only stay in the ICU, fighting for their lives.
With nothing else left to do, I made a desperate journey to a distant mountain, Ironcrest. Step by step, I climbed to the very top, kneeling at every turn. Only after nine hundred and ninety-nine prayers did I earn these two charms—meant to protect and carry blessings.
Now, I was left abandoned in the wilderness among weeds.
I slowly crouched down, picked up the charms, walked to the riverbank, and threw them into the water.
With a gentle splash, the charms shattered into pieces. The rushing water swept away the fragments, erasing part of my memories without a trace.
Soon, I too would vanish quietly from this world, just like the charms.
We fell in love in Maplewhisper Grove, and unexpectedly, our relationship ended there as well.
I looked at the bleeding wound on my leg, tied it tightly with my clothes to stop the bleeding, and then limped down the mountain, enduring the pain.
I walked for several hours before finally reaching the outskirts of the city, where Jairo arrived in his car.
"Lorelai, I thought Gloria was bitten, and the situation seemed urgent. So I acted out of worry…"
But the dog only tore Gloria's clothes.
He knew the truth.
He hugged me in a panic, as if holding something precious he'd nearly lost. "Lorelai, it's all my fault. Can you forgive me?"
Jairo truly seemed anxious, with cold sweat beading on his forehead and dripping down to the tip of his nose.
Confused, I gently broke free from his embrace and asked, "When do you plan to get a divorce? I'll sign the papers as you wish."
After he heard this, shock filled Jairo's eyes.
"Honey, what are you talking about? I never thought about getting divorced. Didn't we agree to stay together for life?"
He glanced nervously at the blood on my leg, surprise and concern crossing his face.
"Are you hurt? Let me take you to the hospital," he said.
He tried to pull me into the car as he spoke, but I gently placed my hand on his.
"If we don't get divorced, then what about Gloria?" I said.
Jairo's frown deepened. "Lorelai, Gloria is coming to stay with us. My cousin passed away, and she's struggling on her own. Taking care of her for the rest of our lives doesn't change anything, and it's what Mom wants too.
"She's my cousin's wife—our sister-in-law. Even if I take extra care of her, it will never affect your place. You will always be number one in my heart."
Was she really just a sister-in-law?
A faint twitch crossed my lips. "But I don't want another woman living at my home for the rest of our lives."
Jairo's lips drooped slightly. "Lorelai, you are the one I love. You will always be my wife.
"The reason she stayed with us was because my mother was worried that staying home and seeing familiar things would remind her of my cousin, and I simply couldn't refuse.
"We've spent seven years together. Haven't you realized how I feel? I'm caught in a difficult position. Can you understand what I'm going through?
"Let's not waste any more time. I'll take you to the hospital first; I have to shoot a new scene soon.
When he saw that I wanted to say something else, he chose not to look at me.
I lowered my head and silently got into the car.
Back then, just to marry me, he was willing to give up his top position in the film empire—defying everyone, just to say he loved me.
He managed to handle that tough situation, but now, when his mother wanted him to care for Gloria for life, he found himself unable to refuse.
Whenever Gloria faced danger or trouble, he left me without hesitation and even brought our child into her life.
Was it really so hard to admit he didn't love me anymore?
It did seem difficult—falling for his late cousin's wife would not be well received if people found out.
Jairo took me to the hospital, registered for me, but didn't say another word. He just left after saying, "Get some rest."
He walked away without looking back, leaving me with nothing but the cold silhouette of his retreating figure.
Suddenly, intense pain shot through me, but large parts of my memory quickly faded, and the ache in my heart disappeared.
I forced myself to return home from the hospital. I staggered, and Hope, the housekeeper, quickly came over to steady me.
"Mrs. Harmon, you're so weak. Should I call a doctor to take a look?" she asked.
I shook my head.
I brought this pain on myself.