Chapter 8
37
The last time Brian mentioned Simon, I cut him off directly.“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Brian paused briefly before replying, “After you left, Simon was crazily looking for you. He also made Abigail‘ s life miserable- you must have heard about it.”
I continued eating my steak and responded indifferently, “I know, but it has nothing to do with me.”
“Simon and I are over. Don’t tell me
anything about him again.”
Brian parted his lips as if to say more but eventually said nothing.
On the way back to the museum after dinner, I ran into Glenda Hall, the primary
investor for this exhibition.
She chatted enthusiastically with me about various curation matters but suddenly
35% 09:12
1/6
Chapter 8
shifted the topic.
“What do you think of Brian?”
I smiled lightly. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’s always been a good person.”
Glenda playfully smacked my head and teased, “That’s not what I’m asking.”
“I’ve never seen him so attentive to any woman before. Since you two know each other so well, why not consider it?”
Her bluntness left me momentarily stunned. After a pause, I shook my head.
“I just got divorced recently. I’m not planning to date again—I don’t want to hold him back.”
Hearing my words, Glenda sighed. regretfully. “It took so long for you to get
divorced, and yet he still doesn’t have a chance.”
Her casual remark made me freeze
momentarily.
35% 09:12
2/6
Chapter 8
Reflecting on the past, I realized I had spent most of my time chasing Simon while Brian, a quiet and understated person, had remained largely unnoticed.
The last significant contact I had with Brian was before the incident between Simon and Abigail blew up. Feeling stifled at home, I began secretly submitting resumes to different places.
Brian found out and took the initiative to suggest several suitable options for me. Among them was the position I now held- a job that had me working abroad.
At that time, I hesitated because moving overseas was a significant step.
It wasn’t until I lost all hope in Simon that I decided to leave.
I was grateful for Brian‘ s support; without him, I wouldn’t have taken that first victorious step. But beyond gratitude, I felt nothing else.
These past months, I’d come to
35% 09:13
316
Chapter 8
understand so much more.
True love wasn’t about control or
possession.
Perhaps from the very beginning, I had misunderstood Simon‘ s feelings for me.
What I thought was love was simply a habit -or perhaps a sense of ownership.
Even now, as Simon scoured the city searching for me, it didn’t necessarily mean love. It was just his inability to accept losing something that once belonged to him.
But none of that matters to me anymore.
Time flew by.
A year later, as an independent curator, I attended a business exchange event.
It was there that I saw Simon again.
He looked haggard, with dark circles under his eyes that he couldn’t hide.
35% 09:13
4/6
Chapter 8
When he saw me, he froze for a long moment before speaking. “Valerie, I thought I’d never see you again in this lifetime.”
I replied calmly, “It’s a coincidence, but I had no desire to see you.”
Even after this unexpected reunion, my heart remained still, as serene as a lake without ripples.
“So you’ve grown to hate me this much.” His voice was hoarse, almost breaking.
I said nothing.
Lowering his gaze, he continued, “Only after you disappeared completely did I realize how deeply I feel for you and how much pain I caused you. It’s all my fault, Valerie.”
“If only I hadn’t wavered in my principles… If only I had understood my own feelings earlier… If only…”
His voice grew softer, choked with
35% 09:13
5/6
9:13
Chapter 8
37
.
emotion, and I could hear the sobs he was
struggling to suppress.
