I gently freed my hand, cutting off her endless chatter. “Valerie, we are even now. The debt is paid; the feelings are spent.”
Her lips began to tremble, her carefully applied makeup streaked by two rivers of tears. “No, Caleb, look at this.” She pulled an env-
elope from her bag, her hands trembling as she handed it to me. Inside was a photograph–a family portrait of the three of us. The
very same one she had torn to shreds. Now, it was meticulously repaired, every single tear seamlessly mended, shimmering in the sunlight. Her voice was barely a whisper. “I spent three days and three nights putting it back together.”
My heart gave a sudden, sharp pang. In the photo, Leo smiled so brightly, his small hand tightly gripping my finger, while Valerie
stood to the side, her expression cold and distant. How ironic. Now, our positions were completely reversed.
“Do you know?” She suddenly grabbed my wrist. “For the past six months, I’ve gone to the hospital every single day, just to see if you would appear.”
I yanked my hand back. This was Valerie–even her atonement was laced with her own peculiar obsession and madness. “Enough.” I signaled to the bodyguards in the distance. “Don’t humiliate yourself any further.”
As the bodyguards moved to restrain her, she suddenly erupted with surprising strength, breaking free and lunging at my feet. “Ca-
20.12
Chapter 2
2013
leb Thorne! You can’t do this to me!” Her forehead pressed against my knee, hot tears soaking my pants. “Please don’t leave me. I truly can’t live without you.” Her voice broke. “Can we start over? Please? We can still have children.”
I stood up, and the photograph slipped from my knee. The sunlight was too bright, stinging my eyes. “Take her out.” I told the body- guards, my voice hoarse, unrecognizable even to myself. As Valerie was dragged away, she didn’t scream or cry. She just stared at me numbly, mouthing three words. I understood. She said: “I’m sorry.”
Three days later, I packed my bags, ready to leave the recovery facility. The butler stood respectfully by the car. “Mr. Thorne, everyt- hing is arranged.” I was about to get in when my phone suddenly vibrated. It was a news alert: Valerie Stone, CEO of Stone Enterpr- ises, Suffers Mental Breakdown, Stabs Jasper Davies, Then Attempts Suicide. I tapped to open the article. It reported that she had stormed into the interrogation room, plunged a knife directly into Jasper’s heart, then slashed her own wrists. The scene was desc- ribed as a blinding crimson.
“Sir?” The butler looked at me with concern. “Should we cancel your trip?”
I shook my head, turning off my phone. Jn the distance, that sparrow had finished its nest, chirping happily. “Let’s go,” I said, settling into the car. “To the airport.” As the car slowly drove out of the estate, I took one last look in the rearview mirror. Having finally buried my marriage with my own hands, I silently vowed:
“I will live well, carrying my son’s hope, and live out the rest of my life.”
The sunlight was perfect, falling gently on that hillside covered in wildflowers. Leo would like this beautiful weather.
