Chapter 8
My new day began with my advisor leading me and my lab mates in research.
We worked in the lab with complete focus, forgetting to eat or sleep.[]
Before, I’d get distracted missing Caspian and earn criticism from my advisor.]]
Now, throwing myself completely into experiments, they expressed their concern for me through playful teasing.]
“Posey, don’t work so hard–you’re making us look had! The professor will scold us for not being motivated enough!“]
Seeing my lab mates‘ mock distress warmed my heart.]]
People who truly loved me wouldn’t want me to work myself to death.[]
Unfortunately, for the past two years, Caspian had known exactly how hard I pushed myself just to see him, yet he’d remained unmoved while playing me for a fool.[]
After another fulfilling day, I was walking home under the streetlights when 1 unexpectedly ran into Caspian downstairs.
When I saw him, I thought I’d mistaken him for someone else.]]
In just two weeks, he’d become shockingly thin
I tugged at my lab mate’s sleeve, wanting to avoid him and go straight upstairs.[]
But he recognized my silhouette immediately.
“Posey!”]]
I kept walking forward, but he rushed in front of me.]
The moment he saw my face clearly, his gaunt features lit up with the joy of finding something precious he’d lost.
He held a bouquet of bright red roses, offering them to me with deep affection in his eyes:]
“Posey, I was wrong. Come home with me.”
I brushed away the roses, reminding him expressionlessly:]
“Chasing after me like this will make Ruelle sad! Besides, I already broke up with you–continuing to harass me is really beneath your
Caspian didn’t get angry at my coldness; he even patiently tried to coax me:[]
“Posey, let me explain. I just got confused for a moment and agreed to play that ridiculous game with Ruelle.”
“When I first came to Cambridge, I was looking for you, but I had an accident right after landing. Ruelle took care of me around the clock for two weeks.”
“I didn’t want to worry you, and I was afraid you’d be angry if you knew Ruelle and I had gotten close, so I kept it from you.“[]
her for you. I was too ashamed to face you, so I went back home.“]
“Later I got drunk and mistook her for you.
“But I never expected that it was Ruelle’s first time, and she got pregnant from that night…”
“I wronged her and wanted to make it up to her. After all, she had an abortion for me–I had to take responsibility…“]
No matter how well he dressed up his pathetic lies, I wouldn’t believe them anymore.
If he’d been truly drunk, he couldn’t have performed.
If he wasn’t drunk, there was no way he’d mistake someone else for me
As long as I didn’t present evidence, he’d always think he wouldn’t be caught.
He was just relying on my love for him to toy with my feelings.]
“Posey, didn’t you say that no matter what I did wrong, as long as I admitted my mistakes
d changed, you’d wait for me? I
know I was wrong now. I promise I’ll never have anything to do with Ruelle again. Can you give me a chance to start over?”
I had said those words.
But this wasn’t admitting mistakes and changing.
He was only
only forced to acknowledge his wrongs because he realized he was about to lose me forever.]
The man I’d once worshipped and adored like a hero had torn off his mask to reveal such despicable behavior.[]
I’d been blind for ten years, unable to see his true nature.]
