Chapter 8
He rushed to the bed in two quick steps and grabbed my wrist.[]
“Vivian.” His voice was hoarse beyond recognition.[]
Iv
winced from the pain, only then noticing his hands wrapped in bandages.]
He let go in panic as if burned, blood seeping through the gauze.[]
“Sorry, I thought you were really…” His Adam’s apple bobbed several times. “Thank God! You’re alive!“]
I coldly pulled my hand back. “What’s this performance for, Dr. Harrington? Disappointed to find out I’m not dead?“[]
His pupils contracted sharply: “No! I’ve been regretting it every day. You’re not dead–you don’t know how relieved I am…“]}
I looked at him indifferently. “Is there anything else?“]]
He slowly spoke. “How have you been these past days?”
“I’ve been great.” I cut him off. “After leaving you people, I’ve been especially peaceful.”
His shoulders sagged, his voice barely audible. “I’m sorry, really sorry.”
“Save it.” I turned away. “Aren’t you head over heels for Celeste? Go find her.”
“You pretended to be my personal doctor for two years, broke my hands and feet for her, reopened my wounds over and over for
her…”
“Stop!” He suddenly clutched his head, his voice breaking. “Please! Stop!”
Watching his stumbling figure leave, I calmly pressed the call button. Time for my medication change.
On discharge day, the sunlight made me squint.[]
Just as I stepped out of the hospital, a hand suddenly pulled me into a car and the door slammed shut.]
Kai floored the gas pedal, the engine roaring.
“Vivian, let’s go to where we first met, okay?“]
His voice was low and urgent, like he’d been suppressing himself too long and finally exploded.[]
“Are you fucking insane? Stop the car!” I pounded on the windows, but he ignored me completely.
Finally, the car screeched to a halt in that run–down alley.
Kai practically fell out of the car, kneeling on the dirty ground as his expensive suit pants immediately soaked up mud and water.
“I bought this whole alley and restored every shop decoration to exactly how it was back then. Just look, just one look–you were wearing a white dress then…“]
“Move.” I frowned. The alley was too narrow for me to run around him.[]
Chapter 8
“Vivian, I was wrong.” He looked up at me with bloodshot eyes. “You can get revenge however you want–hit me, curse me, even stab
me…”
“Don’t go.” His voice trembled. “Please.“]
I laughed coldly. “Kai, who’s this act for?”
He suddenly grabbed my hand and slapped it against his own face. “Hit me! Don’t you hate me?!“[]
I yanked my hand back. “Don’t touch me!“]
He looked completely unhinged, his eyes red–rimmed.[]
“Ever since you stabbed yourself with that knife, I dream about you covered in blood every night! Vivian, I’m going crazy!”
“Vivian, I finally figured it out–after all these years together, I’ve fallen in love with you!“]
Iturned to leave, but he grabbed my legs.]
“Don’t go! PLEASE!” He cried like a child, shaking all over. “I really know I was wrong…“]
“Vivian, I didn’t leak your story! It was Celeste! All Celeste’s doing! I already made her pay!“]
“Forgive me, please!”
Just then, a sharp female voice rang out:
“You bitch! Go to hell!“]]
Celeste charged over with a knife, her face twisted, the blade aimed straight
at
me
!
I instinctively closed my eyes.[]
Cold steel flashed as Kai shoved me aside and blocked the attack himself
The knife plunged straight into his chest, blood suddenly gushing out.
Security pinned Celeste to the ground, but she kept screaming hysterically, “Vivian! Why are you still alive! Go die!”]]
Kai collapsed to his knees but still gripped my hand tightly, blood dripping through his fingers.[]
“Vivian, don’t… go, please…“]
I pried his fingers open one by one and left without looking back.[]
Later I heard that when he woke up in the ICU, his first words were asking where I was.
But by then, the plane had already crossed the clouds, flying toward Switzerland.[]
Decades later, I returned to America holding my grandson’s hand to visit Dad and Ryan’s graves.
In the cemetery, a familiar photo caught my eye.[]
The photo showed a young, handsome Kai, with a death date from the year after I left.
Chapter 8
My grandson looked up and asked, “Grandma, who’s that?“]
“No one I know.“[]
I shook my head gently and took his hand toward the exit.[]
Behind us, the headstone gradually disappeared into the dusk, as if it had never existed.]
