3
Julian kept saying I was truly insane, seeing the look on my face. Just then, I received a notification from the hospital.
11:30 Sun, 6 Jul 4 10
<
“Ms. Anya, your mother’s condition is very poor. Please come to the hospital
immediately.”
59
I tugged on Julian’s sleeve, begging him to drive me to the hospital. But Julian hated my mother even more. He’d probably throw a party if she died, and he just pulled Chloe into the
car and drove off.
I hobbled to the hospital. My mother’s eyes couldn’t focus anymore. She looked at me, her expression a little confused.
“Anya, why can’t I see your feet?”
Perhaps she was dying and seeing my soul. I brushed it off. “You’re mistaken.” My mother
started to sob.
“Anya, I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have taken that $50,000 back then. It made Julian resent you, and your illness was never cured, burdening you for so long.”
The money was accepted by my mother and deposited into my account.
When Julian’s stepmother showed him our transaction records, I was utterly lost for words, with no way to defend myself.
But now, it was all in the past. I couldn’t let my mother die uneasy. I just kept comforting her: “It’s okay, it’s all over now.”
My mother said she wanted to apologize to Julian. I stopped her. What was the point of dwelling on right and wrong now? Julian was convinced I had tricked him; he’d only think my mother was fabricating another lie.
1
I personally closed my mother’s eyes. Mr. Thorne took my mother’s soul, pacing back and forth in front of me, worried about my lingering obsession.
But I had seen through it all. I thought I didn’t need any more dangerous scenarios to test Julian.
Faced with a threat to life, he would certainly choose Chloe. If he could just stay with me for once, I could let go.
11:30 Sun, 6 Jul A M
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59%
When Julian came home, I placed a bowl of simple rice, a traditional mourning meal for the departed, on the table.
“My mother died. Our old custom is to eat a bowl of remembrance rice for the dead. If you eat it, I’ll divorce you.”
Julian was startled. “Is this the third dream?”
Of course not. Before I could speak, Chloe’s call came in.
“Julian, I did fifty squats today, don’t you want to reward me?”
Then she started to whine.
“Come on, my stamina’s much better now. Let’s try something new.”
Julian hadn’t even warmed his seat before grabbing his jacket and heading for the door. I grabbed his sleeve.
“This is the last time. Julian, are you not going to divorce me?”
“You wouldn’t still want to be with me, would you?”
Julian scoffed. “Don’t try to threaten me with divorce.”
“And what if we don’t divorce? Your mother’s dead. No medical bills. How much can it
cost me to keep you? I’ll just treat you like a blow–up doll.”
I let go of his sleeve and watched him walk out the door. I sat by the table and ate the bowl of remembrance rice for my mother myself.
Julian suddenly ran back, throwing a red envelope into my lap. “Didn’t you say your mother died?”
“Go buy something to celebrate.”
A sudden lightness filled me. It was as if a heavy chain had been lifted from my heart.
I smiled at him, and my body began to vanish before his eyes, like erased marks from an
<
11:31 Sun, 6 Jul AMO.
eraser. Julian reached out to grab me, but his hand met only air.
He probably thought he was dreaming, only pausing for a moment in confusion before walking out the door.
Julian lay on the bed with Chloe in his arms, his hand pausing as he unclasped her bra. He suddenly realized why this dream had been so long.
Without bothering to get dressed, he rushed home. But he searched every corner of the house and couldn’t find Anya.
A sudden, indescribable panic welled up inside him. He remembered Anya’s words and called the hospital. The nurse’s emotionless voice came through.
“You’re asking about Ms. Anya’s mother? She passed away two hours ago. Ms. Anya said she would be cremated tomorrow.“”
“Oh, by the way, her mother left a letter. I’ll send you a photo.”
Julian opened the image. A few lines were scrawled crookedly on it.
[Julian, when your stepmother paid me, Anya truly knew nothing about it. It was all my
fault. I don’t ask for your forgiveness, only that you treat Anya a little better.
She anonymously transferred a lot of money to support your business; she wouldn’t let me tell you. If you don’t like her, then divorce her.]
