“I’m sorry. I hope it’s not too late for me to atone for my sins.”Upon hearing what Shirley said, Madeline and Jeremy felt a little touched in the depths of their hearts.“Don’t speak. If Adam was aware of this, he wouldn’t want you to be like this as well Let’s go to the hospital.”Madeline urged but Shirley softly shook her head, her eyes starting to close from exhaustion.“I miss my parents and my brother. I also want to apologize to that girl who had been taking care of me for so long …”Shirley closed her eyes. Warm tears flowed down from the corners of her eyes.Carter’s eyes reddened as he sobbed.“Shirley, you only remember your parents, your brother, and Cathy with whom you have no blood relation. But what about me? Did you ever think about our child?”“Heh.”Shirley closed her eyes and chuckled.“We don’t have a child. This child has been destined to die in my womb since the beginning.”“...”Once again, Shirley’s words simultaneously stabbed Carter’s heart like
From the anxiety in Carter's tone and statement, Madeline could hear how much he wished Shirley and the child in Shirley's stomach to be fine. However, what he got was the doctor’s remorseful shake of his head.“What’s your relation to the patient?” the doctor asked him.Carter seemed to be stunned by the question.Who was Shirley to him?Was he her husband?No.However, she was pregnant with his child.Her sweetheart?Not even that.He had never given her any promise as sweethearts would.The relationship between them could no longer be described in simple words.The doctor thought it odd when he saw Carter not speaking for a long time. And then Carter finally spoke.“I am her... lover.”‘Is that right?‘She should still love me, right?’Carter thought, comforting himself. When the doctor heard this, he interpreted this as them being husband and wife.“Sir, I’m sorry to tell you that the child in your wife’s womb was already gone while you were on the way here.”Car
“Jeremy, stop thinking about those unhappy memories. I’m right here with you now, and I’m fine.”When he heard that, Jeremy smiled warmly, then lifted his hand, pulled Madeline into his arms, and held her tightly.“Linnie, I’m really stupid, right? I only realized how important you are to me at that moment. You had already rooted yourself in my heart, yet I had no idea even though I loved you deeply.”Jeremy felt extremely remorseful and he blamed himself.Madeline smiled and lifted her hand to pat his back. She comforted gently, “Sometimes, the onlooker sees more of the game. Don’t blame yourself.”“Of course, I blame myself for not appreciating such an amazing wife.” Although Jeremy said that in a joking tone, he was sincere when he said that.Madeline, too, certainly knew how much this man in front of her cared about her.“Eveline, where’s Carter?” Camille, who finally arrived, asked. “Do you know what’s Shirley's condition?” When they were leaving the house, Camille had su
Madeline eyed the letter Jeremy took out from the bottom of the box.When she opened it, it was evident that it was from Shirley.There was but a simple line of words on the letter. “Jeremy, these are the test reagents that can get rid of the remaining poison in your body. When that happens, the color of your hair and pupils will return to normal. I’ve written down the directions to use them on the box. I hope you get well soon. I’m sorry.”The signature was Shirley’s.Her handwriting was very beautiful, just like how she had looked.In reality, however, Shirley’s heart was not that vile and foul.After Madeline and Jeremy finished reading the letter, they shot another look at the box of test reagents, feeling slightly touched.However, right now, Madeline felt more relieved.He could finally go back to the way he had been.…In the hospital.Shirley woke up from her deep slumber groggily. To her surprise, she saw Carter at the side of her bed with his eyes closed.She was
She remembered him calling her this way back then, but it had been before she left without notice.Before that, Carter had truly been good to her.“Shirley, don’t worry. No matter what happens to you, I’ll take care of you forever.”Carter promised softly.Shirley could not believe what she heard. She felt her heart skipping a beat, and tears escaped her eyes disobediently once again.Carter, noticing the tears in the corners of Shirley’s eyes, paused, looking pleasantly surprised.“Shirley, you’re awake? Are you awake?”Shirley did not want to keep up the act any further. She slowly opened her wet, red eyes, and calmly met an elated Carter. “I don’t need you to take care of me, and I won’t go back to St. Piaf with you. I want to die in Glendale, to die in my hometown. I want to be buried with my parents and brother.”Shirley, determined, pulled her hand away from Carter’s palm.“I don’t want to see you again. Seeing you merely reminds me that I killed my brother and that in
When Madeline and Jeremy were about to leave the house, Jeremy received a call from an unknown number. The young woman from the other end of the line said she was a nurse from a hospital.After listening to what the nurse from the other end said, Jeremy discussed it with Madeline and decided to drop by the hospital.Shirly was in bed, staring at the clock in front of her as the time passed second by second. Amid her uneasiness, the door finally opened.She had thought Madeline and Jeremy had arrived, but the one who had pushed open the door and entered was Carter.Carter caught sight of the expectant look in Shirley’s eyes turning into disappointment in a flash.“Who are you expecting?” Carter, finding this suspicious, asked and glanced toward the door.Shirley did not speak. Ignoring Carter, she closed her eyes and laid back down.Upon seeing Shirley’s cold attitude, Carter walked to the side of the bed.“I’ll take you back to St. Piaf soon.”Shirley did not even lift her eye
She had said that she was Jeremy and Madeline’s family. She hoped that they would come to pick her up soon, but it was just wishful thinking that her feelings were reciprocated. She had hurt them so badly. Why would they come and help her?As Shirley despaired, Jeremy and Madeline appeared before her.Shirley looked at the approaching husband and wife, and she felt an indescribable feeling in her heart.“I didn’t think that you'd come.” Shirley’s eyes were filled with gratitude, as well as regret.“Enough with this prattle. Why have you called for us?” Madeline asked bluntly.“Carter’s going to take me back to St. Piaf in an hour. I don’t want to have any further contact with him, so I was hoping that you could take me away from here.”Shirley looked pleadingly at Madeline.“I don’t have anyone else in this world anymore, and I don’t have friends. I also know you don’t see me as your friend, but this is my wishful thinking. Please help me this one time, for the sake of Cathy a
Madeline and Jeremy were about to take Shirley away when suddenly, Camille came through the door to stop them.Madeline knew Camille was not an unreasonable person, so she walked over and politely smiled at Camille.“Madam Gray, you’re a reasonable person. I hope you can respect Shirley’s decision. She doesn’t want to go back to St. Piaf with you.”When Camille heard what Madeline said, she gave an understanding nod.“Don’t worry, Mrs. Whitman. I’m not here to stop you. I’m just here to ask Miss Brown a question.”Miss Brown.Shirley, lying on the stretcher, had mixed feelings when she heard how Camille addressed her.Camille had never addressed her like that.This way of addressing her distanced the two of them, making them strangers.Shirley was still lost in thought when she heard Camille asking, “Miss Brown, are you absolutely sure you don’t want to go back to St. Paif with us? Are you sure that you don’t want to see Carter ever again, and that you don’t want to have anyth