Scarlett's POV:
Charles did not come down after a long time. I was starting to get worried. What if he went back on his words and no longer wanted to let me go? I had better run away now.
He said that he would tie me up to the bed and have his way with me if I ran away. How could I take that seriously? I must be out of my mind. There was no way he would actually do that. For all I knew, he loved Rita with all his heart. He would not betray her and sleep with me, would he?
After pondering for a moment, I decided to leave now. A taxi should still be available at this time.
The night was getting darker, so I had to go. But just as I reached for the door, the doorbell unexpectedly rang.
I frowned. Who would come here this late at night? The first person I thought of was Rita. But just when I was about to scurry for cover, a familiar voice sounded outside the door.
"Charles, open the door! It's me." It was Alice, Charles's mother.
It was already deep into the night. What was Alice doing here? I was perplexed.
With a confused look on my face, I opened the door and beckoned her to the living room to sit down. "Come in, Mom. Charles is taking a shower upstairs. He'll be here shortly." Now, it was even more difficult for me to leave.
Alice sat down and took my hand. "Christine told me that someone went to your apartment to spray paint. I figured that Charles would bring you here, so I came here to see you," she said with a motherly smile.
Alice must have come here to talk to me about the divorce. Well, I could not be rude to her nor say something inappropriate. She had always treated me as if I was her own child, after all.
"It's all right, Mom. Don't worry. I'm fine. But I have to go now. I have to go back early to recite the draft." As soon as I finished speaking, I stood up and turned to leave. This way, I could talk to her perfunctorily without sounding rude. If Charles came down now, I would not be able to leave easily.
"I know you've suffered a lot for years. I'm telling you, that bitch was fooling my son. He's blinded by her, so he can't tell the good from bad. I've watched you two grow up. I know for myself that you two have the best relationship. You can't divorce. Charles has liked you since you were young. Do you still remember that time when you were in high school? Some hooligans from the other school stopped you and asked you to go with them for a drink? Charles was so furious that he beat those bastards up all by himself. From what I see, he's just being stubborn right now," Alice earnestly said. It was obvious that she was unwilling to let me go.
However, what she had just said to me was ridiculous. At that time, Charles just treated me as his toy. For all I knew, it was not because he had feelings for me but because he was possessive and controlling. He made sure that only he had me. If he really liked me back then, how could he bear not to show his concern to me while I was abroad for three years? He did not even call or text me!
That could only mean one thing. He did not love me. I waited for him for a long time, only to end up disappointed. I had had enough of it.
"Mom, Charles likes someone else. It's Rita. Your son is a grown man. He knows what he wants. Why don't you look at it on the bright side? When Charles and I are finally divorced, he could finally be with his true love and live a happier life in the future. We should be happy for him, shouldn't we?" I felt my chest tighten as I spoke. Yes, I loathed Rita to the core. She was a scheming, hypocritical, and manipulative woman. Even so, Charles was fond of her, and there was nothing I could do about it.
What Grandma said to us last time was true. Charles was not young anymore. In fact, some men his age already had children.
"Please help me persuade Grandma when she finally gets better," I asked.
"I'm telling you, you can't get divorced. I know Charles. He won't sleep with a girl he doesn't like." Alice seemed to realize that I had already made up my mind. Her tone became anxious and apprehensive.
But this was nothing but a huge misunderstanding. When did I ever sleep with Charles?
"Sorry to break it to you, Mom. But even though Charles and I are married, we've never had sex," I admitted frankly. Charles would never betray Rita. He loved her so much. In our complicated relationship, I was the bad guy. The third party.
"How is that possible? Scarlett, stop lying. I have evidence." Alice took out her phone from her bag and scrolled through her gallery.
She then showed me a picture. In the photo, Charles and I were in each other's tight embrace as we slept.
"This photo isn't enough to prove your statement. I just fell asleep at that time, and nothing happened between us. I'm... I'm still a virgin until now." I knew that Alice would not give up until I told the truth. She had suspected us once in the hospital, after all. I was aware that it was humiliating to admit that I was still a virgin after three years of marriage. But, I had no choice to do so.
Alice was flabbergasted. "But you've been married for three years! Could it be that Charles have... you know... a disease of some sort?"
I lowered my head and did not answer her question. How could I know if he was ill? She should ask Rita instead.
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