Chapter 2
Maybe that was for the best.
I had already cried too inany times, because of Paul in the past few days
From now on. I probably wouldn’t shed another tear for him or let him break my heart again.
That evening, the mutual friends group chat became lively all of a sudden.
Paul sent a message:
“Suddenly feel like getting married. Whi
The group chat instantly exploded.
“Paul are you finally going to marry Grace?”
“Time to start calling her sister in law, huh?”
Everyone began tagging me in their messages. “Congrats, sis–in–law! Are you going to give us big red envelopes?”
“Paul, when are you inviting us to your wedding with Grace?”
The chat was a chaotic mess, with messages flooding in one after another.
Twas about to send a message to clarify.
I wasn’t their sister–in–law.
Paul wasn’t planning to marry me.
But Paul was faster than me.
“What nonsense are you all talking about?”
I never said I wanted to marry Grace.”
Then he added Helen to the group..
Tagging everyone, he wrote. “Take a good look, this is your real sister in law.
The noisy group chat fell silent.
For a long while, no one said anything.
Paul. “Why is everyone so quiet?”
“Say hello to your sister in law.”
Gradually, people started sending sparse greetings to Helen.
1 thought about it for a moment and decided to send one last
“Congratulations. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.”
After that, I left the group chat without looking back.
I had just left the group chat when Paul’s call came through
“Grace, come over right now.
Where to?”
message.
Chapter 2
“You know where. The usual place ·
“What’s this about
“To apologize to Helen ”
“Why should I apologize
You suddenly left the group chat, Do you know what the others might think other because of that?!
Taul’s tone was harsh, almost domineering
“I don’t want anyone slandering Helen,”
“It’s me who loves her. I want to give her a rightful place?
-she’s innocent and shouldn’t beat the label of a homewrecker because of your recklessness and impulsiveness.”
Though I had long stopped letting his words or actions affect me, a sign of ner rose in my chest at that moment, leaving it tight and painful.
My fingers holding the phone trembled slightly.
When I finally spoke, my voice was shaking too.
Taul, you can’t
at treat people like this
“How dare you bully me this way?”
You’re the one who was unfaithful. I did nothing. I even congratulated you two. Isn’t that enough?”
I hit back my tears, refusing to let them fall, though my voice betrayed the lump in my throat,
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.
“Grace.”
TI let this go this time.”
“But I want you to remember, Helen is innocent.
“Don’t take your anger out on her or hurt her.”
The call ended.
I sat down on the carpet, my entire body trembling.
On the bedside table, my mother’s memorial photo rested. She was gazing at me with her usual gentle and loving expression.
Suddenly, t
the tears I had held back came pouring out as I threw myself over the frame, holding it tightly
Through the cold glass, 1 pressed my face against hers.
My tears streamed down relentlessly, and it felt as though the mother in the photo was grieving with me for her daughter’s pain.
I didn’t want to cry anymore. I didn’t want my mother to feel sorrow for me, ayen in the afterlife.
Once her death anniversary had passed, I would take the keepsakes she had left me and leave Capital City forever.
I would never return to this place again.
Helen had moved into my room.
Afor me, I didn’t move into hers.
Instead, I found a random guest room and settled there for the time being.
The bedding the servants had prepared for me was enld and damp
didn’t even bother facing it and just lay down Tully clothed.
After all there were only a few days left.
“I just had to endure, and then everything would finally he over.
The next morning, as I walked downstairs, I saw a scene that made my blood.
In the side hall, where my mother’s memorial photo andl offerings were placed, chaos triguell
Her picture had been thrown to the ground, the frame shattered, and the photograph itself was smeared with muddy footprints
The once–smiling image of my mother now seemed to cry out in pain as she lo
Offerings were scattered all over, and Helen’s pet dog was chewing on them.
Helen stood off to the side, clapping her hands in delight.
1 froze, feeling all the blood in my body rush to my head.
Every shred of reason, every ounce of patience I had tried to hold onto, disappeared.
Like a madwoman, I grabbed a vase and hurled it at the dog.
