After her leg had finally healed, Niamh drove straight to Harmony Senior Residence. Gemma Rivers was by the window, watering the flowers on the sill. When she saw Niamh, her whole face lit up with delight.
“Nia, come here and look! This rose is blooming so beautifully, isn’t it?”
Niamh forced a smile, trying to hide her awkwardness. “Yeah, Mom, you’ve really got a knack for these things.”
The truth was, the flower was plastic.
Niamh knew Gemma’s mind drifted between clarity and confusion. She sat down beside her mother, keeping her company and making small talk. Before long, Gemma herself brought up Jonathan.
“Jonathan’s such a good boy. Last time I got lost, if he hadn’t found me, I might have starved to death out there.”
“What?”
Niamh stared, momentarily stunned.
Gemma’s face was unreadable, no different than when she’d been watering the fake
flowers.
“Mom, you’re misremembering. Last time you got lost, the police brought you
home.”
Niamh had been in the hospital then and didn’t know all the details, but she was pretty sure it was the police who found Gemma.
No one ever mentioned Jonathan being involved. Jonathan himself certainly never said so.
“I’m not mistaken. It was Jonathan,” Gemma insisted.
Niamh didn’t bother arguing with her mother.
Gemma was ill; sometimes lucid, sometimes lost. She’d often mix up memories or mistake her own dreams for reality.
So Niamh had learned not to take everything Gemma said at face value.
At least, not about this.
17:25
Chapter 235
They chatted a while longer. Niamh noticed that whenever Jonathan came up, Gemma’s face would brighten, her eyes sparkling in a way Niamh hadn’t seen in a long time. She went on and on about how devoted and wonderful Jonathan was.
And only when talking about him did Gemma look truly alive.
“Nia, I miss Jonathan. Could you ask him to visit me soon?” Gemma asked. “By the way, why didn’t you bring him with you today? Did you know, the reason I wandered off last time was because I dreamt you and Jonathan had gotten divorced. I woke up drenched in sweat, absolutely terrified…”
Niamh fidgeted, feeling guilty, unsure how to respond to her mother’s questions.
Maybe her mom was the one person in the world who wanted her marriage to stay together the most.
Even if Niamh tried to explain that Jonathan loved someone else–and that someone wasn’t her–she doubted Gemma would believe it.
“Nia, is there… is there really something going on between you and Jonathan?” Gemma suddenly asked, gripping Niamh’s hand.
Her mother’s fingers were freezing cold.
Niamh sighed, took out her phone, and dialed Jonathan’s number.
It rang a few times, then connected.
“Hello, Jonathan-?”
A woman’s voice answered instead.
Niamh recognized it immediately.
Marina laughed quietly at the silence. “What’s wrong, surprised to hear my voice?”
“1
”
“Niamh, I don’t get you,” Marina continued, her tone almost amused. “You make such a show of wanting a divorce, but here you are, sneaking around, calling Jonathan behind everyone’s back. You’re about to split up, aren’t you? Do yourself a favor–show a little dignity. Stop calling a man who’s about to become someone
else’s husband.”
With that, Marina hung up.
Just then, Jonathan pushed open the office door.
“What’s going on?” he asked, noticing Marina quickly hiding her hands behind her
272
17:25
back.
“Nothing,” she replied, setting Jonathan’s phone on the desk. Then she pulled out
her newest design. “Jonathan, look! This is one of my main pieces for Luminous Divas Fashion Week–the centerpiece of my ‘First Love‘ collection…”
