Chapter 8
Stephanie’s world fell apart in that moment.
She saw the doctor’s mouth moving, but couldn’t hear any sound.
There was only a sharp ringing in the ears and the roaring of blood rushing to the temples.
She staggered towards the covered white cart, trembling fingers grasping the edge of the fabric. When she suddenly lost the courage to lift it.
She didn’t tear open the white cloth until the cold tears dripped onto the back of her hand.
Grandma’s peaceful face came into view, but she would never again show her kind smile.
“Grandma…” she choked, tears splashing onto the old woman’s cold face, “I am Stephanie… look at me…”
“Wake up, please wake up. You said… you wanted to see our baby being born. Don’t leave me, I only have you!”
Edgar stood to the side, his eyes flashing with a rare hint of guilt.
He was about to step forward when Amelia suddenly screamed and fell to the ground.
“My feet… hurt so much… she said, looking at Edgar with red eyes, looking pitiful.”
Edgar’s footsteps came to a halt.
He glanced at Stephanie, who was crying almost to the point of shock,
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then looked at Amelia, who was teary–eyed. In the end, he turned and walked towards the latter.
“I’ll take Amelia to see the doctor first,” his voice was soft, yet it felt like a sharp ice pick stabbing into Stephanie’s already broken heart, “You… wait for me for a while.”
Stephanie did not answer.
She just held her grandmother’s gradually cold body tightly, crying as if she were a child abandoned by the whole world, her heart torn apart.
The medical staff in the corridor all had red eyes, and some quietly turned
their faces to wipe away tears.
And Edgar, holding Amelia in his arms, walked out of her sight step by
step.
She cried so painfully that in the end, everything went black before her eyes, and she passed out completely.
***
When he woke up again, Edgar was rarely sitting by the bed.
“I have arranged everything for my grandmother’s funeral,” he said in a low voice. “The cemetery is chosen in the best suburb of the city, and the funeral…”
“Get lost, Stephanie interrupted him hoarsely.”
Edgar frowned, “Stephanie, don’t be unreasonable. It was just an accident, and I have done my best to make amends.”
Stephanie didn’t say anything else, she lifted the covers and got out of bed.
Her movements were slow, as if all her strength had been drained away.
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On the day of the funeral, it was drizzling continuously.
Stephanie stood in front of the grave, with rain mixing with tears streaming down her face.
12 Richie
When the last handful of soil fell, her legs went weak and she almost knelt down on the ground.
A pair of hands caught her just in time.
“Don’t touch me, Stephanie snapped, pushing Edgar away.”
Edgar’s face looked grim. “How long do you plan to keep causing trouble?”
He grabbed her wrist and said, “I cancelled all my work these days to be with you. I also arranged my grandmother’s affairs properly. What else do you want from me?”
Stephanie looked up at him, her eyes empty. “I want you to stay away from me.”
Edgar took a deep breath and said, “Fine, since you don’t know any better, I’ll go keep Amelia company now.”
“Go ahead,” Stephanie suddenly laughed, “Haven’t you always wanted me to be generous? Now I’ll grant your wish.”
Edgar paused for a moment, then showed a satisfied expression, “It’s good that you’ve figured it out.”
“I promised you that I would return to the family in ten years and spend the second half of my life with you every day. So, please don’t make trouble during these ten years. I don’t have time to pacify you every day.”
When he turned around and left, his steps were light, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden.
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Stephanie watched his back as a faint smile of bitterness crept onto her lips.
She didn’t want him anymore.
For the rest of his life, he would just guard Amelia’s past.
In the following days, Edgar did not go home.
Stephanie didn’t mind, she just quietly packed up the last of her belongings.
The night before he left, Edgar came back unexpectedly.
“Edgar,” she called out to him, her voice calm, “Tomorrow at ten o’clock, there is a big gift for you.”
She paused, “Right at the courthouse entrance, we’ll go pick it up together.”
Edgar was taken aback for a moment. “You want to give me a gift? What day is tomorrow?”
The nanny on the side couldn’t help but interrupt: “Sir, tomorrow is your and your wife’s wedding anniversary.”
The air suddenly became quiet.
Edgar’s expression momentarily blanked, and Stephanie also froze.
Tomorrow was their wedding anniversary.
In the past, Edgar used to start preparing surprises a month in advance, he would personally write greeting cards, customize unique gifts, and take her to the place where they had their first date to relive old memories.
And she would also carefully prepare, learning to cook his favorite dishes, staying up late to knit scarves, even if her fingers were sore from being
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pricked by the needles.
But now, both of them have forgotten.
Just like this marriage, it should have been forgotten a long time ago.
Edgar cleared his throat and said, “Alright, then let’s meet at the courthouse.”
The next morning, when Stephanie woke up, Edgar was already not at
home.
She calmly washed up, changed into a simple white shirt and jeans, and finally looked around the home that was once full of memories.
Then, she carried her suitcase and took a taxi to the courthouse.
At ten to ten, she got the divorce certificate.
At ten o’clock sharp, Edgar did not show up.
At ten past ten, she dialed his number.
It took a long time for the call to be answered, Edgar’s voice sounded impatient: “I have something to do right now I can’t come over temporarily. Please take the ‘big gift‘ back home.
He was about to hang up when he heard Amelia’s coquettish voice on the other end of the phone: “Mr. Ferguson, this necklace is so beautiful! I never expected you to remember our anniversary so clearly, even though we’ve only known each other for a few months…”
Stephanie mocked as she curled up her lips.
So that’s how it was.
She hung up the phone, found a runner to deliver the divorce certificate to the villa, then deleted all contact information for Edgar and Amelia, and
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took a taxi to the airport.
H25A Abachas
In the airport terminal, the announcement rang out: “Boarding for flight CA937 to London is now beginning…‘
“I
Stephanie grabbed her suitcase and walked towards the boarding gate without looking back.
Behind him, everything that belonged to Edgar became a thing of the past with that divorce certificate.
This time, she was finally free!
