Chapter 3
So Quentin could worry about others after all.
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I remembered in my past life, when he received orders to transfer to the Alaska base, Sharon fainted from worry. I was anxious and restless, only able to think of going to church to light candles and pray for him. I knelt before the pews until my knees were bruised, and they never fully recovered after I got home.
The day we saw Quentin off, he watched me struggle to walk properly. Not only did he show no sympathy, but he scolded me: “These religious rituals are useless. You’d be better off cooking a good meal for my parents. Lily, you’re not a little girl anymore. You need to learn how to be a proper military spouse.”
Now Lauren had merely gotten a small cut on her hand–one that probably wouldn’t even leave a scar. Yet Quentin was extremely worried about her, cradling her finger as if afraid she might be in pain.
“Lily Brown, you knew perfectly well that Lauren’s favorite book is ‘Gone with the Wind.‘ What did you mean by hiding that razor blade in it?!”
Quentin’s eyes were bloodshot as he carried Lauren toward the door. His footsteps made my heart ache. Lauren struggled shyly for a moment, then gripped Quentin’s hand tightly and shot me a provocative look.
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Before I could say anything, Quentin slammed the door shut.
I stood there, my grip on the book suddenly tightening.
“Lily! Your hand!”
Blood gushed down. It turned out my beloved book had hidden an even sharper blade. Lauren was still treating me like a rival, as always.
But there was no need. This time, I wouldn’t compete with her.
Quentin’s outburst ended the book club meeting on the spot.
Nathaniel carefully bandaged my wound. He said, “You really won’t go to the ER? Then I’ll have to use everything I learned to patch you up properly.”
As Nathaniel spoke, he leaned closer, his breathing right by my
ear.
“Baby, what will you do without me in the future?”
I turned my head and accidentally brushed his cheek with my nose. I said, “Then stick to me like gum. I’m not chasing you
away…”
Nathaniel looked at me in surprise, then shyly lowered his head. Then he laughed self–deprecatingly: “I wouldn’t want to
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interfere with your dates with Quentin.”
After saying this, he shot me a petulant glare.
I found it baffling.
Early the next morning, I used my unbandaged hand to inventory the jewelry my mother had left me.
That’s when Quentin angrily pounded on my door.
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“You had Lauren’s dance competition eligibility revoked, didn’t you?”
His collar was slightly open, completely different from his usual proper appearance. I’d never seen him this angry over anyone.
“I didn’t.”
I pushed against Quentin’s shoulders, trying to get him to leave.
Lauren ran over, pleading with me: “Lily, I know the chairman of the arts committee is your relative. Yesterday I accidentally cut my hand myself—it had nothing to do with you. I’ll testify to clear your name. Can you give me back my spot?”
Lauren wiped away tears, as if I had really bullied her.
“You didn’t have the ability to earn that spot yourself, so how is it my fault?” I couldn’t help but argue back.
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I heard a sharp crack and felt pain on my left cheek.
銀
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Quentin’s hand trembled as he slapped me: “Lily, you’ve gone too far. How can you be so careless with other people’s futures? I only criticized you a little, and you went and framed Lauren. We all grew up together as friends–you’ve gone too far.”
I looked at him coldly.
Quentin was the last person in the world who had the right to say those words.
It was too much when he abandoned me to go on dates with his lover at the military base. It was too much when he faked his death to trick me into supporting his parents. And forty Christmases after my death, when Quentin brought his mistress to visit my grave and asked me to let them go that was the most excessive of all.
Quentin noticed my bandaged hand and snorted coldly: “Lauren hurt her hand, so you bandaged yours too. Are you hoping I’ll pity you? Your acting is pathetic.”
I shoved him hard and said, “Get out!”
Blood seeped through the bandage on my hand.
When Quentin saw it, he froze: “Lily, you…”
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I felt utterly powerless.
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I regretted not listening to Nathaniel yesterday and going straight to the ER for proper treatment. My hand wound must have gotten infected–otherwise, why would my head feel so dizzy and my consciousness so unclear?
I passed out.
“Lily!”
“Lily!”
When I opened my eyes again, I saw a mess of tousled hair.
“Nathaniel?”
“What’s wrong?” Nathaniel’s voice was hoarse, and he looked exhausted as he lifted his head to look at me.
I checked my watch and realized I’d slept the entire day.
Seeing me looking around, Nathaniel sighed. “Stop looking- that jerk isn’t here.”
Megan walked in carrying a lunch box and said, “Quentin is such a bastard. He seemed so worried about you, but the moment Lauren said she felt dizzy, he ran off to her again. If Nathaniel hadn’t wanted to take you to the hospital to change your bandages, you would’ve burned to death right at your doorstep!”
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Nathaniel told Megan to stop talking.
For a moment, I stared at that familiar back of his head.
All my memories of Nathaniel came flooding back.
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I remembered Nathaniel taking off his jacket to cover my dirty dress, riding his bike to take me home.
When I was grounded, Nathaniel would climb up to my window in the middle of the night, telling jokes to cheer me up.
Nathaniel helped me organize Tom’s funeral.
He once knelt by my gravestone all night before finally leaving in despair.
Even after achieving success, Nathaniel still kept my photo on his nightstand.
Someone secretly left nutritional supplements with my name on them at Quentin’s door. For forty Christmases after my death, Nathaniel still prepared birthday gifts for me every Christmas.
I suddenly wanted to rush home and discuss marrying him with Nathaniel’s parents.
The day felt incredibly long.
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By the time I was discharged and returned home, it was already midnight. Tom took two phone calls, and the next morning he was dressed and sitting properly in the living room.
I didn’t expect Sharon to arrive first.
She appeared at my door carrying gifts.
“Lily, how’s your hand?”
I was surprised.
Behind her stood Quentin, looking guilty.
He had gauze on his forehead, as if he’d been hit.
Nathaniel, who had been coming to my house morning and evening, snorted coldly in displeasure.
After exchanging pleasantries with Tom, Sharon said nervously, “Lily, don’t be angry. Once you two get married, I’ll make it up to you. Mr. Brown, Quentin and Lily are such a perfect match- what do you think about them being together?”
As she spoke, she pulled out a jewelry box from her bag.
Quentin frowned, but seeing Nathaniel looking dejected nearby, he inexplicably straightened his chest.
I was stunned.
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The doorway suddenly became noisy.
My friends had arrived.
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A complete set of Tiffany jewelry and a custom wedding dress were brought into the living room.
“We want a bride as wonderful as Lily too!”
Nathaniel’s parents came over from next door.
“Nathaniel usually seems pretty carefree, but he really only cares about Lily. Lily, why don’t you consider dating Nathaniel?”
Nathaniel changed from his previous nonchalant attitude and said seriously, “Mom, Dad, Lily actually doesn’t…”
Before he could finish, Quentin let out a cold laugh.
Quentin’s arrogant expression seemed to be waiting for his prize to voluntarily return to his hands.
Suddenly, the room fell silent, with only the sound of my footsteps breaking the quiet.
As I moved, Quentin’s expression changed from smug arrogance to disbelief. “Lily, you…”
As I moved, Quentin’s expression changed from smug arrogance
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to disbelief. “Lily, you…”
I said, “I’m willing to marry Nathaniel!”
I said, “I’m willing to marry Nathaniel!”
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