Chapter 4

Julia's face was red from crying.

"I've been diagnosed with depression. I know you look down on me because of what happened before, but I can't accept this either."

"I want a good life too, but I was young, and I got tricked into it before I even understood what was happening."

I cut off her sobbing and grabbed Jayden, my hands trembling.

"Hurry, Dr. Finch said my dad's condition is very serious this time. If we don't get him into surgery soon, it'll be too late."

At that moment, Julia, standing off to the side, cried her eyes out too.

"In this whole world, you're the only person I have to hold on to. If even you leave, you'll never see me again."

Jayden's brow furrowed. He looked at Julia, crying uncontrollably, then at me, his face full of struggle.

Without hesitation, I knelt down and clutched the leg of his trousers. It was the first time in my life I'd been so wretched, but if it could buy my father's life, I was willing to do anything.

"Please, you know how much my father means to me."

He gritted his teeth and turned his face away in pain, his voice hoarse.

"I'm sorry. I've done everything I can for your father's illness. Julia needs me more."

"Even if your father is gone, you still have me. I'll always be your family."

"The person I owe the most in my life is Julia. I can't give her a proper title, and I can't bring her to meet my family and friends. So this time, I can't let anything happen to her."

...

When I woke up, the doctor looked at me apologetically and silently handed me an urn of ashes.

I held the box, tears falling without stop.

The first time I brought Jayden to meet my father, that thrifty old man, who scrimped and saved on everything, brought out the good wine he'd been treasuring and put on his most presentable clothes, just to make me look good, afraid Jayden might slight me.

Back when Jayden gave up going abroad to study because he had no money, I was so desperate I worked three jobs a day. My father, aching for me, somehow scraped together three hundred thousand to send Jayden off to study. Later I learned that money came from him doing the hardest, most grueling labor.

Thinking back on all of it, one thing after another, my heart felt like it was being cut with knives.

My phone suddenly lit up. It was a message from Jayden, explaining himself.

I'm sorry. I never expected your father wouldn't pull through this time.

Julia's symptoms are a little better, but I'm still worried, so I'll stay here for now.

I'll come be with you when I have time.

Too bad. I didn't need it anymore.

I deleted all of his messages, then blocked his number.

Then I took out the divorce papers I'd prepared long ago and signed them, and sent all the unbearable videos that had been filmed of me to the police.

The night I finished giving my statement, I boarded that plane without looking back.

When I saw that the seat for two now held only me, it dawned on me in a daze that the person who loved me in this world had completely vanished.

The last trace of love I still held for Jayden dissolved without a trace.

Jayden had just left Julia's house when several people came looking for him.

"Mr. Whitney, this is bad... The police just called. Your wife has exposed what we did that day!"

Jayden's heart lurched. "What did you do to her that day?!"

"Julia said it was just to teach Daniela a lesson. It couldn't be... no."