Chapter 2

2: 2

2

The wound in my stomach started to throb.

I closed my eyes, drew a slow breath, and forced all the churning hatred and humiliation back down to the deepest part of me.

When I opened them again, what was left in them was a calm that was almost numb.

"There's no misunderstanding."

My voice came out tired and hoarse. I didn't look at Louis. I kept my eyes on Erica.

"Erica, I don't want to keep going with this."

"Let's break up."

The mask of false concern on Louis's face nearly slipped.

He took a deep breath and spoke in a tone tinged with self-reproach. "Ms. Henson, maybe... maybe this really is my fault."

"Marlin sees me always at your side, and he got the wrong idea."

"I wasn't thinking. I overlooked how he felt."

He turned to me, his eyes full of "sincere" apology.

"Marlin, I'm sorry."

"If I'm the reason there's a rift between you and Ms. Henson, I'll resign right now and leave Riverport."

"I only want the two of you to be happy."

Retreating to advance—every word of it hinting that I was the small-minded one, the one making an unreasonable scene.

Sure enough, Erica flared up again.

She grabbed Louis, who was making a show of leaving, her voice flat and final. "You don't have to go! Louis, this isn't your fault at all!"

"You're my assistant. Of course you stay at my side."

"He's the one throwing a fit out of nowhere!"

She turned to me, fury burning in her eyes.

"Marlin, have you had enough? I know you're hurt and feeling low, but there's no need to threaten me with a breakup, and no need to take it out on Louis!"

She was still living in the old understanding, believing that after three years of pouring out everything I had, I couldn't live without her.

Every bit of my resistance, to her, was nothing but a play to lure her in by pushing her away.

Suddenly I felt tired. Worn out.

I didn't argue anymore. I let silence answer for me.

I closed my eyes and shut out all the sickening performance, all of it.

The last bit of warmth still left in my heart quietly went out.

In the days that followed, my time in the hospital grew unusually quiet.

Erica came once every few days, staying a few minutes each time before hurrying off.

Sometimes she didn't even bother to talk to me.

Louis knew better than to show his face in front of me again, as if he'd vanished.

The day I was discharged, the sky was overcast.

Just as I'd expected, Erica used a meeting as her excuse not to come.

I finished the discharge paperwork alone. The wound still ached faintly, but the pain in my body was nothing next to the numbness inside.

I caught a cab back to the villa.

I pushed open the heavy carved doors to a silent house.

Dragging a body that hadn't fully healed, I'd barely made it up the stairs when the sight in front of me froze the blood in my veins.

Louis was in my dark blue silk pajamas, lounging comfortably against the railing, a cup of coffee in his hand.

The clothes hung a little loose on him, but they lodged in my eyes like a poisoned barb.

He looked at me, not surprised, the corner of his mouth curling slowly into open mockery.

"Well. You're back?"

He took a light sip of coffee, his tone flippant.

"Looks like you recovered nicely. Even managed to walk home on your own."

"Here I thought you'd be stuck in bed the rest of your life."

I clenched my fists, nails digging deep into my palms, forcing myself to stay calm.

"Why are you here? Who said you could wear my clothes?"

"Your clothes?"

Louis laughed, as if he'd heard something funny.

"Marlin, let me be honest with you."

"Soon, none of this will have anything to do with you."

"Erica didn't want me getting bored waiting for her here, so she told me to find something comfortable to put on."

"I looked around, and yours were the only ones that more or less fit. Though... they carry a bit of bad luck."

He set the coffee cup down and strolled over to me, unhurried.

He looked me up and down, his eyes full of contempt.

"Marlin, look at the state of you. You can't even stand steady. Like something useless."

"You think taking a few knives for Erica makes you a hero? That it earns you a lifetime with her?"

"Please. In her eyes, you're nothing but a pitiful little thing."

I clenched my jaw, every muscle in my body drawn tight, the wound throbbing faintly.

"Get out!"

"You're the one who should get out."

Louis stepped closer, his voice dropping very low, like a snake flicking its tongue.

"Be smart about it, Marlin. Disappear on your own. Don't come back."

"Erica's soft-hearted. Maybe she'll even leave you a little alimony."

"Otherwise, when you get thrown out the door, it'll be a very ugly sight."