10%
Giselle’s voice was hoarse and muffled, like she’d been crying for a long time./
The moment the call connected, her tone turned sharp and cold. “Gracie, did you call just to laugh at me?“%
“When exactly did you and Frederick start seeing each other?” I asked.
Giselle suddenly burst out laughing.
“What? Planning to forgive him and go back to being his wife? If it hasn’t been that long, does that make his cheating easier to accept?“% I closed my eyes, forcing down my anger and replied steadily.
“Giselle, I’ll say this one last time–I’m not going back. I just want to know the truth. When did you and Frederick start sneaking around behind my back?“W
“It was on your two–year anniversary,” she said with a cruel kind of satisfaction.”
“You two were still in your honeymoon phase then. But that day, you left him alone to go care for some stray cats. So I kept him company… We drank a little too much, and one thing led to another.”
Then she added another dagger.
“Let me tell you a secret. You always thought Frederick lost his memory because he saved you from that oncoming truck. But the truth is- it wasn’t about you at all. It was my birthday. He was in a rush to get a ring engraved with my initials. He sped up for that reason. It just so happened that you showed up that day.”
My heart sank to the rock bottom. Any lingering hope crumbled in an instant.”
Taking a deep breath, I made up my mind. I would go on the trip Frederick and I once planned to take together. Only this time, I’d go
alone.
First stop–the Northern Lights.
When I told Azrael, he said he wanted to come too. My first reaction was to decline. I’m not stupid–I could tell he felt something for me.2 But after everything I’d been through, I didn’t have the courage to step into another relationship.
Azrael was sharp. Maybe he saw through my hesitation, so he just smiled in his usual relaxed, easygoing way.”
“What are you thinking? I just happened to be planning a trip to see the Northern Lights too. Total coincidence! Since we’re old classmates, why not be travel buddies? I’m pretty decent with a camera, and we can look out for each other along the way.”
I agreed, and we decided to leave the next day.
But just as we stepped out of the apartment, our suitcases rolling behind us, I accidentally bumped into something hard. To my shock, it was Frederick–sleeping on the ground.}
He woke up with a start. His eyes went from drowsy to furious the moment he saw our luggage.
“Where are you two going? Just the two of you? Gracie, have you no shame?”
I glanced at him, unfazed.
“Move. Don’t sleep here again, you’re disturbing the neighbors. Also, where I go and who I go with has nothing to do with you.“/ Frederick’s face darkened. He stood squarely in Azrael’s path, refusing to budge.
Azraei met his gaze. The air between them sparked with tension. I remembered all too weil how Frederick had hit him that day.” Nervously, I gripped Frederick’s arm.
“Frederick, don’t start anything. Don’t make me hate you more than I already do.“}]
He looked at me with wounded eyes, head hanging low.”
“Do you really hate me that much? Why can’t you forgive me?“}}
“Because I’m going to see the Northern Lights. It was something you once promised we’d do together. But instead, you took Giselle.“@ “And I spent so long blaming myself, thinking you lost your memory because of me–because you saved me. But now I know the truth.” Frederick stood frozen, mouth slightly open, unable to speak.
Before I could say more, tears began to roll down my face. Inhaling sharply, I swore to myself it would be the last time I cried for him.§ “What hurts the most isn’t the betrayal. It’s realizing that even on our second anniversary–when I thought we were at our happiest–you were already cheating on me. That love… all that passion you showed me, it was all fake.“}
Frederick trembled, pain etched across his face. “I’m sorry, Gracie. I really did love you. Back then, I was just curious about Giselle. You two were always together. I never thought things would go this far…”
I was stunned. He still didn’t get it. Still trying to justify everything.”
Wiping the tears from my face, I said with finality. “Since everything’s out in the open now, step aside. When I come back, I want to see your name on the divorce papers.“W
Without waiting for his response, I pushed past him, grabbed Azrael’s hand, and walked away without looking back.
-80
Frederick returned to his hotel in a daze. Outside, the rain poured, drenching him to the bone.!!
Giselle had just come out of the shower, and put a face mask on. Her lips were painted with a smug expression until she saw him at the door.
det hannannd in our Vau’r angled adunan bahu mnt ha feANTINA O
.
“Freddy, what happened to you? You’re soaked. My poor baby, you must be freezing.“”
“Oh really?” he said with a voice like ice.
Giselle’s smile faltered. She knew exactly where he had been. And though she didn’t know what Gracie had said to him–she was certain it hadn’t been anything good.”
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