Chapter 4
I didi mare it a glance.
But the car stopped beside me, and the rear window rolled down revealing as handsome, aristocratic fed.
I merely glad on him differently and kept walking
“Genre.”
Paul mened slightly. “Where are you going?”
Dragging two large suitcases, I was already struggling to walk, much less in the mood for small talk
So I ignored him and continued forward.
Suddenly. Paul opened the car door and got mit.
“Do you want me to have my
“No thanks”
driver take your
I avoided has outstretched hand and kept wallding.
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 band 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, I had grown tired, utterly exhausted.
“Fine, whatever you want.”
Paullet out a decisive 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 T
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 her.
“Much better.” Helen tilted her lace up, her smile radiant. “Paul, don’t be mad at Grace”
She gave his arma playful shake, her voice soft and sweet.
36.14
tria Affair My Che. Their Scream at 2 AM
being so werk. III worth‘) in frail, tad wonder has
Then, sha wotddict have taken it out în îne.
This bent pour cault, She’s put petty and narrow minded-
Paul shot me a glance, then deliberately pulled Helen into his arms.
“Let’s go livbile. Year Tser is just recovering you shouldn’t be out in the wind
I watched as the two of them walked away, inseparable, libo conjoined twins
But my heart was as calm as a still lake, incapable of stirring even the slighter ipple.
After my mother’s death anniversary, my father didn’t come to take me bark Lor
Seon, 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 to his party.
But this time, I didn’t prepare anything.
I wouldn’t be celebrating his birthday anymore.
5p.m.1 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, en, and I are 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’ll 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 hithday 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 bit her lip and gently tugged at bas sleeve.
“It’s gotting late, and everyone’s hungry
Paul looked at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. Yet, somehow, that smile dan’t quite reach his eyes.
“Or is it you who’s humery!”
He pinched Helen’s cheek teasingly.
35.54
Chapter 4
“I’m starving! I just want to eat cake already, she replied, leaning
As Helen nestled against him, Paul caught a faint lot familusa krent
Hefrore for a moment and asked in a tony voice. “What profiome ate you wearing?
“I just grabbed sonorthing from the dressing room at home.” Helen said, sounding surprised.
“Why, Paul? Does it smell bad?
Paul shook his head
I smelled like the perfume Grace used to wear.
Tor a moment, he couldn’t recall the name of the branil.
As everyone laughed and started a cake fight. Paul stepped out onto the baley with a cigaretic.
His phone remained silent, not a single reply.
He remembered Grace once telling
g him she would never miss any of his birthdays.
2000
But she had broken her promise s0 300DL
Paul’s gaze darkened his lips curling into a faint, fey smirk.
“Grace, are you
He hit send.
dead? Don’t you know how to reply to a message?
But the message failed to deliver. A glaring red exclamation mark appeared on the screen.
He had been blocked.
