Chapter 5
Terence was pulled from the sea by the rescue team that had rushed over.
When he woke up again, he found himself surrounded by people. Bethany was the closest to him, her tears falling nonstop.
He glanced around but didn’t see the person he was looking for.
His voice was hoarse as he spoke. “Where’s Ariana?”
All the concerned voices around him abruptly went silent. Only Bethany cried out, “She’s gone. The rescue team searched the sea
for an entire day. All they found were broken pieces of the boat. Ariana… There’s nothing left of her.”
Terence stared blankly at Bethany before asking in a flat voice, “You didn’t have them keep searching?”
Bethany cried even harder.
“How? They searched for 24 hours and found nothing! Unless you can drain the whole sea, there’s no way they could find her.
Even if you did drain the sea, all you’d find is a body!”
Terence shouted in desperation.
“Nonsense! They didn’t even find her remains. How can you be so sure that she’s dead?”
Ignoring his injuries, he struggled to sit up and fumbled for his phone.
Everyone tried to hold him down, but he shoved them off. The needle in his arm got ripped out, leaving small spots of blood.
The moment he spotted his phone, he disregarded its distance and lunged for it, calling the rescue team.
However, what he heard was the same as before. My body couldn’t be found, and there were no remains.
On the other end, the rescue team sighed.
“Mr. Bowen, I’m sorry for your loss…”
A deep rumble tore through the sky outside. The previously cleared expanse had dramatically darkened, and thunder now cracked
across the horizon.
Terence’s tears came first before the rain even began to fall.
Just that morning, I was still smiling at him, saying breakfast was ready. I told him that after we finished eating, we could head out to Bethany’s birthday party.
I looked so happy and adorable, as if I were truly looking forward to it.
Terence’s panic surged, but he calmed down the moment he remembered his original plan. This was all supposed to be revenge against me. That birthday party was meant to be the final blow.
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Chapter 5
In his original plan, once Bethany was happy, he’d immediately call the rescue team to bring me back safely.
He would tell me the truth about everything. Knowing me, I would probably be devastated.
However, that wouldn’t matter. He would simply give me enough money to live well for several years.
We would then part on good terms, and maybe even remain as friends.
But he never expected to be targeted by enemies. The small boat meant for me had been rigged with a bomb.
Terence never imagined I would die right before his eyes.
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After a brief daze, he ignored their continued attempts to stop him and left the hospital, speeding directly to my apartment.
Though he’d often been to this rundown neighborhood, he had never set foot inside.
Terence had always secretly despised this shabby place. He knew I couldn’t afford anything better. Still, he never offered to let me live with him. After all, Bethany would come over to his house.
Following the address I’d once given him, he walked to the farthest building and climbed up to the eighth floor.
The door was in bad shape.
Some beer bottles lay strewn outside the unit across from mine. It looked like a drunkard lived there, and the entire place felt dangerous.
Then, he found a worn–out key among his bunch and used it to unlock the door.
It was Terence’s first time stepping inside.
The interior starkly contrasted with the exterior; the unit was remarkably clean and tidy despite being small and cramped.
The tables in the unit boasted bright yellow tablecloths, and a vase of fresh flowers sat where sunlight would typically fall.
The space looked warm and bright even under the gloomy, rainy sky.
It was clear I loved my life.
The apartment was also filled with traces of him. He recognized the giant stuffed toy by the door. He’d given it to me for my birthday.
On the living room dining table was a mismatched tea set. He’d meant to give it to his grandfather, but his grandfather thought it was junk. So, Terence casually gave it to me instead.
On the wall hung a strange painting.
Terence had doodled something, framed it, and given it to me. He had jokingly said it hid a message meant for me back then.
He walked to the painting and noticed a full page of carefully written notes pinned next to it.
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Chapter 5
The paper was already yellowed. Yet, he only saw it now.
His gaze warmed as he murmured, “What a fool.”
Terence wondered how I could believe his every word.
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Perhaps I was really a fool. If not, I wouldn’t have let them trick me more than 40 times. Although I had known the truth, I still
willingly got on that boat and endured the 50th time.
“I regret it. I just want you back…” Terence murmured.
He took a deep breath before he finally went to the bedroom.
The bedroom looked even more cramped. Things were piled so high he had to look up to see all of it.
And even in a room this cramped, there was still a clothing rack against the wall. It was full of the clothes he’d given me,
carefully covered with a dustproof garment bag.
each one
He’d rarely seen me wear them, except on special occasions such as his birthday, the day he received an award, or the anniversary
of our meeting.
But I still wore ordinary or worn–out clothes on days that belonged only to me.
Thinking of this, Terence suddenly felt something was off. He slapped himself hard.
“Bastard!”
Once wasn’t enough. He slapped himself several more times.
“Fucking bastard!”
Suddenly, a wary female voice came from behind him.
“Who are you? Get out of my friend’s house right
now!”
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