Chapter 3
Early the next morning, I packed my bags and left the villa.
As the car rolled out of the tree-lined lane, I caught one last look at the house I'd lived in for four years through the rearview mirror.
The morning mist still lingered, shrouding the entire garden in a pale, grayish light.
The garden was overflowing with red roses.
Years ago, he had them flown in from Deshien, just because I said I liked them.
He was the most powerful man in this city, but he spent months by my side, planting all 999 roses by hand.
To make sure everything looked perfect, he even pulled all-nighters, personally reworking the layout nine times.
I used to joke with him, "For a guy, you're way more meticulous than me."
He'd lean down and kiss my forehead. "That's because this is our home."
I looked away, leaned back in my seat, and closed my eyes.
These days, he would bring home different lovers all the time. I was the only one left tending the roses.
What used to be our home was now theirs.
Instead of heading back to my hometown, I went straight to a rehab center on the outskirts of the city.
The doctor was already waiting for me.
He said, flipping through my report, "Mrs. Terry, according to the latest results, there's no sign of infection. But just to be absolutely safe, you should avoid getting close to anyone for the next month."
"I understand," I nodded.
"As for Mr. Terry..." he paused, not finishing his sentence.
I cut in. "Just keep an eye on him. If anything comes up, let me know right away."
I moved into a small building hidden deep in the back of the sanatorium.
My days were simple and routine. I would do check-ups, take my meds, read, and go for walks.
It was like I was quietly counting down the days, just waiting for time to run out.
On the seventh night, Troy called me.
It was the first time he'd reached out to me since I left.
When I answered, there was a lot of noise in the background. It sounded like he was out at some business gathering, probably drinks with colleagues.
"Where are you?" Troy asked, his tone tinged with impatience.
"I'm at my hometown," I replied calmly.
He frowned. "Why haven't you replied to my messages? I've been feeling a bit off these past couple of days, probably just tired. When are you coming back?"
I said quietly, "I'm not sure. My mom still needs me here, so I can't leave yet."
He was obviously a little pissed, but he held back. "Fine, just make sure you take care of yourself."
Just before hanging up, he added, "Oh, by the way, Samantha is feeling better and she's out of the hospital now.
"She doesn't know anyone else in the city, and I couldn't just let her stay in a hotel forever, so I had her move into the villa for a few days.
"She's staying in your room, so don't be surprised when you come back, and don't read too much into it."
"Okay," I replied.
Of course, I wasn't going to read too much into it.
After all, that was the place I'd picked out for them in the first place.
Four more days later, his assistant called me.
His voice was shaky as he said, "Mrs. Terry, something's happened to Mr. Terry."
My fingers clenched around the phone.
"What happened to him?" I asked.
He said, "He had a high fever all night and was sent to the hospital this morning. The doctor said his condition is complicated and asked his family to come right away."
I was silent for a couple of seconds.
I asked, "Which hospital?"
The assistant gave me the address.
It was the same hospital where Samantha had stayed before.
I said, "Alright. I'll head over right away."
After hanging up, I sat on the edge of the bed, lowering my gaze to the quiet lawn outside the window.
The sunlight was gentle and warm.
Everything felt so peaceful. It was hard to imagine anything bad could happen.
The doctor knocked and came in.
He said, looking at me, "Mrs. Terry, are you heading out?"
I said, standing up, "Yes, I'm going to see my husband."
He looked like he wanted to say something, but held back. In the end, he just said, "Be safe."
I smiled and slipped on my mask.
"Don't worry," I said, reassuring him.
I was not the type to take risks with my life.