Chapter 4
I didn’t spare it a glance.
But the car stopped beside me, and the rear windmy rolled down, revealing handsome, actocratic face.
I merely glanced at him indifferently and kept walking.
Paul frowned slightly. “Where are you going?”
Dragging two large suitcases, I was already struggling to walk, much less is the meal for small talk.
Soignored him and continued forward.
Suddenly, Paul opened the car dom and got out.
“Do you want me to have my driver take you?”
“No, thanks,”
Lavoided his outstretched hand and kept walking.
Paul grabbed my wrist “Grace, why are you so stubborn this time?”
“If you cried like before, maybe I’d soften up again.”
I shook off his hand forcefully and looked at him calmly
“Paul, I don’t need it anymore.”
I didn’t need to cry, nor did I need his momentary softness.
Again and again, 1 had grown tired, utterly exhausted.
“Fine, whatever you want.”
Paul let out a derisive laugh, but disbelief was written clearly in his eyes,
In the past, no matter how heartbroken I was, I always waited for him to come back willingly and silently,
He had grown used to it.
Everyone around him said I would never leave him.
And he believed it wholeheartedly
Dragging my suitcase, I was ready to leave.
Helen’s gentle voice rang out
Paul, you’re here.”
She rushed over, clinging tightly to Paul’s arm, her body leaning almost entirely against him.
“Are you feeling better from the allergy?
Paul brushed aside the strands of hair on her forehead, carefully inspecting h
“Much better.” Helen tilted her face up, her smile radiant. “Paul, don’t be madht Grace
She gave his arm a playful shake, her voice soft and sweet:
its really my fault for being so weak. II weren’t so frail, Dad wouldn’t have ked me to switch rooms with Grace.”
“Then she wouldn’t have taken it out
“This isn’t your fault. She’s just petty and narrow–minded,”
Paul shot me a glance, then deliberately pilled Helen into his arms
“Let’s go inside. Your face is just recovering–you shouldn’t be out in the wind
“Okay”
I watched as the two of them walked away, inseparabile, Ike conjoined t
But my heart was as calm as a still lake, incapable of stirring even the slighteskipple
After my mother’s death anniversary, my father didn’t come to take me back lome.
Soon, it was Paul’s birthday
In previous years, I would have prepared his gift well in advance.
I would’ve gone out of my way to book a venue and meticulously decorate it for his party.
But this time, I didn’t prepare anything
I wouldn’t be celebrating his birthday anymore.
A15 pm. I was in a car heading to the airport.
Messages kept coming in on my phone.
Even my father was urging me, “Why aren’t you here yet? Your stepmother, Helen, and Lare all here.”
“Grace, you need to be more generous. Paul is going to be part of our family in the future.”
“If you don’t show up, what will people think? They think you and your sister don’t get along.”
I found it laughable, I didn’t reply to any of it and simply blocked him.
As I prepared to board my flight, I suddenly received a message on WhatsApp
It was from Paul
“Why aren’t you here yet? Everyone’s waiting for you,”
I smiled faintly and didn’t reply. Instead, I blocked every way he could contact me.
Then I walked into the boarding gate and never looked back
It was already seven o’clock, but Paul still hadn’t announced the start of his birthday party.
He sat on the sofa, idly toying with a lighter in his hand, his expression calm and indifferent.
Every now and then, he glanced at his watch or unlocked his phone to check the screen.
“Paul,” Helen hit her lip and gently tugged at his sleeve
“It’s getting late, and everyone’s hungry.
Paul looked at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. Yet, somehow, that smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Or is it you who’s hungry?”
He pinched Helen’s cheek teasingly
That Screams at 2 AM.
15.2%
Chapter 4
I’m starving! I just want to eat cake already,” she replied, leaning but his arm
As Helen nealed against him, Paul caught a faint best smiliar seen.
Be froze for a moment and asked in a low voler. “What perfume are you wearing?
“I just grabbesi something from the dressing rooms at horpe,” Helen said, smurdang surprised.
“Why, Paul? Does it smell bad?
Paul shook his head.
“No, It’s nice
It smelled like the perfume Grace used to wear.
For a moment, he couldn’t recall the name of the brand.
As everyone laughed and started a cake fight, Paul stepped out onto the balcony with a cigarette.
His phone remained silent, not a single reply.
He remembered Grace once telling him she would never miss any of his birthdays.
But she had broken her promise so soon.
Paul’s gate darkened, his lips curling into a faint, icy smirk
“Grace, are you dead? Don’t you know how to reply to a message?”
He hit send.
But the message failed to deliver. A glaring red exclamation mark appeared on the screen.
He had been blocke
