Chapter 9
When I left, I chucked my SIM card and blocked all of Trevor’s contact
info.
As soon as I landed, I transferred 160,000 dollars to Nick.
If it weren’t for him, I’d probably still be stuck in Trevor’s trap.
***
Time flew during my treatment abroad.
Meanwhile, Caroline was propelled to fame by Trevor, releasing albums. frequently and racking up awards.
But for some reason, the two of them hadn’t tied the knot yet.
Trevor kicked off a global tour, making his name even more hyped.
As for me, I was pushing myself to the limit with my treatment schedule. Within a year, my hearing and speaking abilities were back to normal, and I even joined a band.
People around me thought I was nuts, practicing singing even when I had a high fever.
No one knew how badly I wanted to reach the top.
Luckily, on this lonely journey, I met some people who were worth holding on to.
***
0.00%
Chapter 9
“Vanessa, stop practicing. The show is still a week away.”
The drummer from our shared apartment walked out of the bathroom.
Zachery Fowler was wilder than Trevor. He looked a bit like Trevor, but he was way gentler.
I glanced over his bare abs.
“Not tonight.”
A shadow fell over the light.
Zachery took my hand, pressed it down on his abs, and whispered into my ear, his voice thick with desire. “Stop playing the guitar. Play with this instead, please.”
I swallowed hard, about to speak, when there was a knock on the door.
Zachery wrapped his towel back on and cursed under his breath.
I couldn’t help but laugh, and he turned around and playfully nipped at my cheek a couple of times.
“I’m looking for Vanessa.”
My hand stopped as I put the guitar on the rack, and I whipped my head around.
Trevor, wearing a black coat, stood still at the door, staring right at me.
After a year, he looked a lot thinner, with dark circles under his eyes.
“Who the hell are you? What do you want with my wife?”
Zachery blocked his view.
Trevor gave a soft sneer. “I’m her boyfriend of seven years. Who are you?
“I checked. You two haven’t even made it official.”
Zachery slammed the door shut, his eyes turning red.
That night, Zachery went all out to prove himself, just to get some kind of “title.”
The jealous guy, while touching the bump on my stomach, showed hist true colors and asked obsessively, “Am I the first one to get here?”
The next morning, when I went out, the ground in front of the door was covered with cigarette butts.
The meeting with Trevor was set at a quiet bar.
He took off his sunglasses, his eyes bloodshot.
He looked like he hadn’t slept all night, and his voice was hoarse. “You moaned loudly last night to piss me off, right? Vanessa, you sure got me. I was fuming outside!”
I calmly checked out his face and said indifferently, “Don’t overthink it. It’s simply because he’s better in bed than you,
Trevor’s eyes flickered with a pang of pain. “Don’t be like this. I had such. a hard time finding you.
“I came to Australia for the concert. When I heard about your performance at the bar, I was over the moon.
“After you left, I realized that I never loved Caroline. I only love you.
“We knew each other for ten years and were together for seven. How could you just walk away and get into this sordid physical relationship?!”
I took a sip of my drink and came to a conclusion.
Trevor was a total idiot.
I hesitated for the right words, looked away, and noticed a familiar figure to my left front.
I forced a smile and said, “I don’t believe you. If you loved me, how could you help Caroline make a name for herself? You know how much I hate her.”
Sensing the old feelings in my words, Trevor relaxed and said.
nonchalantly, “I don’t love her. She looks like you, so I kept her around.
“I could ruin her reputation. If you want, I could even send her to jail.”
Crash!
Caroline, who had been eavesdropping, dropped her glass, shattering it on the floor. She walked over, tears streaming down her eyes. “Trevor, you’re joking, right? You said you loved me.”
Trevor grabbed my hand, held it tight, and said coldly to her, “I thought you knew your place. You’re just a stand–in, someone who happens to look a bit like Vanessa.”
As he spoke, his eyes turned fierce. “If you hadn’t tricked me, how could I have gone all this time without realizing that the only person I ever loved was Vanessa?!”
Caroline picked up a glass and splashed its contents in Trevor’s face. “Then how could you stay with me for a whole year? You’re crazy!”
***
The whole drama was over, and I left feeling pretty good.
“Vanessa, can I chop his hand off?” whined Zachery.
I knew he came from a decent family, but the way he said it made me a bit nervous about what I had got myself into.
“No. I’m not done with him yet.”
With that, I held out my hand. “Take me home and wash it. It’s all dirty now.”
“Hmph.” Zachery took my hand.
Chapter 10
