Chapter 3
Harlan showed up with the money, but the kidnappers never intended for him to live.
They wanted him dead.
When his life was hanging by a thread, it was I who took the fatal blow
for him.
The kidnappers, enraged, shifted their attention to me.
The cops finally showed up right before I passed out.
When I opened my eyes, I was in the hospital. Harlan was holding my hands tightly, his eyes red.
“Fiona, it’s all my fault.
“I was this close to… lose you forever.
“Be my girlfriend, OK? I wanna protect you forever.”
I knew he did nothing wrong, but I couldn’t help but be angry with him.
He hid his identity from me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had to suffer or lose the right to be a mother.
But he cried pitifully, apologizing to me again and again.
Maybe it was guilt, or maybe it was the fact that I saved his life; anyway, other than anger, I had to admit my feelings for him were real.
Three months after what had happened, I finally agreed to be with him.
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Joje joj jou ojdwus
He was so over the moon that he posted ten times on Instagram in one day, showing off to everyone he was no longer single.
After a year that we officially started dating, he took me back to the Trivett’s villa.
On that day, I met his parents, his elder brother Hunter Trivett, and hist sister–in–law Bonnic.
Back then, I didn’t get it. In Harlan’s mouth, Bonnie was so perfect–she was always so gentle and considerate, but she treated me coldly. And it also baffled me why he always hurled sarcastic remarks at her.
I just wanted to get along with her, my future sister–in–law, so I invited her to go shopping for clothes frequently.
Yet, she was still cold to me. Sometimes there was even an odd look in
her eyes when she looked at me.
I didn’t dwell on it. After graduation, Harlan and I got married as we had always planned.
In our three–year marriage, we were a loving couple.
But because of our work, we lived apart most of the time.
As my friends all became mothers and settled down, I wanted to be a stay- at–home wife. I wanted to give birth and take care of Harlan and our baby.
But because of what had happened years ago, it was a really long shot that I got pregnant.
I quit my job and started to do all kinds of things just to get pregnant. I underwent surgeries again and again and endured disgusting, bitter folk medicines.
Yet, after Hunter died, Harlan ended up sleeping with Bonnic.
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The second I knew this, all those doubts that had haunted me vanished.
Maybe Harlan had loved me back then, but just a little. The real reason he pursued me was that he wanted to get back at Bonnie.
After all, before I was enrolled in the university, everyone knew how relentless he was in courting Bonnie, his senior.
Only I, a freshman who didn’t care for gossip at all, would be fooled. easily by him.
And the odd look in Bonnie’s eyes? It was pity mixed with pride, the kind that was exclusive to those being loved only.
***
By saying we should “calm down“, Harlan meant he was staying with. Bonnie again.
Bonnie posted again.
This time, there were photos of her selfie as well as fireworks outside the
window.
I also saw the reflection of the man, who had just had a row with me, in the glass window.
Her caption was, “Someone will always come to me and stay by my side. at just a word.”
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