Chapter 4

The person by the window stiffened.

He was silent for a long time, either too guilty to speak or having completely forgotten his vows. I said softly,

"You said, 'Favoring the new and disliking the old is human instinct.' But love is humanity's choice to overcome instinct, to defy its own nature. For you, I will spend my entire life defying my instincts, fighting my own nature, loving you boundlessly, forever and always. If you fail, then I shouldn't hold back. Exact revenge on you as I would on my most hated enemy. Because that person is no longer you; the fearless you who would have died for me has been killed by him. You wanted me to avenge you.' Do you still remember?"

My voice was choked with emotion by the end, but inside the apartment, Brittany reached for Caleb's hand and guided it under her clothes. Caleb's voice was hoarse as he quickly mumbled to me, "Eleanor, I have an urgent task here. I need to take care of it, so I'm hanging up now?"

He quickly hung up.

He didn't hear my last words. All that responded was the dial tone.

I thought, there was no need to waste any more breath.

I sent all the evidence to my attorney.

That night, I sat blankly in a hotel, not going home.

Because our memories were etched everywhere in that house.

The scarf he knitted for me, the painting he drew for me, the matching couple mugs he bought...

But now, they all felt like a mockery.

I used to express my emotions whenever anything happened, but now, all my words were stuck in my throat, I couldn't say anything.

What could I say? Who could I talk to?

I stayed up until dawn and went to the office the next day, running right into Caleb at the entrance.

"Good morning, Mrs. Eleanor."

He winked at me. "Eleanor, isn't it time to announce my promotion to director today?"

I suddenly remembered: Caleb had been drifting after graduation, so I got him a job at my company to give him something to do. That day, I promised to promote him to director.

I smiled at him. "There's a surprise waiting for you later."

He beamed with joy, reaching for my hand. "You're the best, Eleanor!"

The morning meeting began. Caleb adjusted his tie. I had to admit, time had been kind to him.

Nearing middle age, it had only added a touch of maturity to him, making a few young women in the office frequently glance his way.

But his smugness quickly crumbled.

I opened the large screen, and displayed there was exactly what he didn't want to see.

He stood up, looking at me frantically. "Eleanor..."