BOOK3 Chapter4
In my junior year, I started an internship. Since the company was quite far from school, I had to spend a lot of time commuting every day.
One day, I ran into Charles. He casually asked about how things were going, and I told him everything.
Shortly after, I got a call from Lily. She mentioned she had a vacant house near my
workplace and invited me to move in.
It’s hard to turn down an elder’s kindness, so I accepted with gratitude.
Once I settled in, I noticed traces of Charles’s life everywhere in the house. Aware of my improper feelings, I decided to keep all my belongings in the guest room to minimize my presence.
That was until one night when I came home after working late and found a drunken Charles sprawled on the couch.
Worried about him catching a cold, I grabbed a blanket to cover him up while trying to avoid any awkwardness.
As I approached, Charles opened his eyes and looked at me.
I thought he might question why I was in his home, but instead, he trapped me under his muscular body, and that led to a huge mistake.
To be honest, I don’t remember the chaos of that night very clearly anymore.
The human body has a self–protection mechanism; sometimes, when the pain is too intense, we gradually forget it.
That was my first time. However, the name Charles screamed in bed was of
BOOK) chaptert
another woman.
Thinking back, it seems that Charles has only called my name once.
On the day we first met at the train station, he looked me up and down and said, “Evelyn Swan?”
“That’s me.”
The school site is quiet after dismissal.
Charles and I stand at the end of a corridor, surrounded by vibrant greenery
behind us.
“Don’t you want to have a private chat?” he asks. “Just say what’s on your mind.”
With that opening, I have no reason to hesitate. “What have you been telling Aaron all these years?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ve been divorced for four years.”
“For these four years, I have kept my promise, stayed away, and made sure to
deposit the child support into your account every month.”
“Kids have short memories. Besides, Aaron never really liked me as his biological mother.”
“If no one constantly reminds him about me, it’s unlikely that he’d still remember me or have any feelings for me.”
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