- 4.
Ethan stood at the doorway for a long time
before he reacted, rushing into the bedroom.
“Lori, Lori, what are you doing?”
A deep unease gnawed at him.
In the bedroom, clothes were strewn on the
floor, the closet was wide open, but
surprisingly, not much was missing.
For years, to support Ethan’s career, I’d taken virtually no money. Aside from basic living
expenses, I bought nothing.
As a result, I only took a few clothes, a
laptop, and my design tools.
Just as Ethan’s company was starting to take
off, Lana returned.
I’d repeatedly told Ethan about this, urging
him to investigate what Lana was doing
overseas.
But he thought I was being petty and scolded
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me endlessly about it.
Ethan paced anxiously around the house until
he noticed my toiletries were gone.
His hand trembled as he frantically dialed my
number.
But I’d thrown my SIM card into the ocean
before leaving. Only the mechanical busy
signal answered him.
His drunkenness completely evaporated. His
face turned pale, his body trembled, and he
muttered,
“Lori, this is going too far. When I find you,
I’m going to give you a piece of my mind.”
In his turmoil, he suddenly remembered my
determination to get the necklace back
yesterday.
Two sentences flashed through his mind:
“Ethan, these three things are the most
important things in my life.”
“You must never lose them. If these three
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nings are gone, you I never na me again.
Ethan panicked. He realized how wrong he’d
been.
Countless memories flooded his mind.
In college, I’d patiently and gently taught him
jewelry design.
During the tough startup phase, I stayed up
late working on design proposals for him,
often falling asleep at my desk.
And at the temple, our embrace, our fervent prayers, our hopeful gaze towards the future. Those beautiful moments he’d ignored came
crashing down on him, drowning him.
“What have I done?”
Ethan collapsed to the floor, tears streaming
down his face, regret wrapping around his
heart like vines.
Meanwhile, I drove along a strange highway,
the scenery flashing by.
I couldn’t define my feelings: numb? Empty?
<
Lifeless?
After some time, I parked beside a small
beach cottage.
Before I met Ethan, this was a birthday gift to
myself, my only one.
I’d always dreamed that once I was
successful and financially stable, I could come
here to rest.
But all those years, helping Ethan, I’d burned
myself out.
I’d never even visited this cottage.
When stressed, I’d dream of being here.
Waking to the sunrise, falling asleep to the
sound of waves.
No need to rush. I could go to the nearby
market for fresh seafood in the morning.
At night, I could roast food on a deserted
beach under the moonlight.
This life, once a distant dream, was within my
grasp.
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I suddenly felt that I didn’t need Ethan; my life
was even better without him.
Only late at night, under the moon, would
memories come flooding back.
