Chapter 17
“December 31st, 2020. This is my first time celebrating New Year’s Day with someone by my side, but I’m not happy at all because she’s brought me to her first love’s favorite spot.”
“October 1st, 2021. It’s our wedding anniversary, but I’m still not happy. She’s brought me to the place. where she confessed to her first love.”
*August 29th, 2024. Her first love is back in the country, and I know it’s time for me to leave….
The thick journal was a record of Terence’s five–year marriage to Halley. It showed how he’d gone from feeling hopeful about their marriage to giving up and losing hope.
On the nights Hailey had left Terence alone to be with Matthew, Terence had written his pain and torment in the journal.
A heavy atmosphere filled the room, making Hailey feel like a fist was clenching around her heart. She felt smothered; it was hard to breathe. She felt like she could visualize Terence writing about his unhappy marriage as tears rolled down his face.
The sun slowly disappeared behind the clouds, and stars started twinkling in the sky. Under the lights, Hailey flipped to the last page of the journal.
*September 30th, 2024. I’ve decided to leave. I don’t want you anymore, Hailey.”
A teardrop landed on the page, blurring the words. Hailey touched her face and realized she’d started crying without even knowing it was happening.
The lights at the villa stayed on throughout the night. Thanks to that, Terence almost didn’t recognize Hailey when he saw her the following day. She was pale, and her eyes were bloodshot. Her lips were
di
I of blood, too. She looked at him, her gaze filled with quilt.
A maid greeted Hailey before turning back to Terence. Your room is here, Mr. Stone.”
Though Terence and Hailey were already divorced, Nora and Harold hadn’t informed anyone else about it They didn’t want Richard to hear about it. And so, the maids still treated Terence like they had in the past.
This warmed Halley. It made her feel like she and Terence were still married. Then, she remembered the journal she’d read last night, and her gaze dulled. She was about to speak to Terence when he shut the door in her face.
Hailey smiled bitterly. Then, she made a decision without telling anyone about it. She headed to the hospital.
“Are you sure about this, Ms. Rainer? You’re not in the best of health. If you proceed with this…”
“I’m sure.” Halley placed a hand on her belly. Inside, a new life was growing. She wanted to tell her baby that she was sorry for making the wrong decision and trusting the wrong person.
She prayed her baby would reincarnate and end up with a family that would love it dearly. Finally, she prayed the baby wouldn’t blame her….
The household staff at the Rainer residence couldn’t help thinking that Hailey seemed to have become a completely different person. The first to notice this was the butler. As far as he remembered, Hailey always left the house when the sky was still dark and would return late at night, drunk.
Sometimes, she would be away from home for months after flying abroad to see Matthew. Now, however, the butler saw her seated at the table for breakfast every day. She showed no sign of leaving even when
Terence came downstairs.
The household staff weren’t the only ones who weren’t used to this–Terence felt the same. Since returning to Rainer Manor, she was the person he saw most frequently.
He didn’t know where she found all this free time to stay at home and watch him. It was such an odd
situation.
Nora told him it was because of Richard’s deteriorating health and the fact that he didn’t have long to live. Richard liked having the family together and things being lively, so Nora begged Terence to stay for a while longer.
She also guaranteed that no one would say anything about what he did as long as he put on an act when Richard was around. Nora would tell Harold to make her go elsewhere if Terence found Hailey annoying.
Terence thought about how kindly Richard had smiled at him when they’d first met; his heart softened. He decided to stay at Rainer Manor for some time. Nora immediately arranged for him to sleep in a room separate from Hailey’s.
Perhaps it was because he and Hailey were already divorced–Terence’s attitude was completely different from before. He went about his day and spent time with Nora. The only thing he couldn’t get used to was Hailey looking at him guiltily. It made his hackles rise.
Whenever he saw her, he would act like she was invisible. And so, she hadn’t managed to say a word to
him since their return to the country.
