In the end, I pulled the blanket over my face and shut myself off.
Cameron and Zachary rushed over and were met with the sight of a dejected Ashton standing by the bed.
The older woman turned her attention to me. “Why did you vomit blood? Were they able to find out the cause?”
I did not answer, as I had neither the strength nor the desire to.
Ashton looked at them but continued to keep mum. It was the beginning of a prolonged silence.
In the days that followed, Ashton, Cameron, and Zachary all visited in turn. It was as though they had a mutual agreement to maintain the placidity.
As it was not any serious affliction, I was discharged after three days.
Ashton came to fetch me and brought me to the villa.
The quietude almost felt like second nature to me. One look at everything in the bedroom had me feeling what a joke this life of mine had been.
I did not have much that I needed to take with me, as everything that came into my possession since my marriage into the Fullers was purchased by Ashton. Apart from my identity card and graduation certificate, I had practically brought nothing along.
“It’s already late and won’t be safe for you to go out now. You should rest for today.” Ashton reached out from behind me and held down the hand I was packing with.
With my lips pursed, I withdrew and regarded him staidly. “That won’t be necessary. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Fuller.”
His brows folded into a deep frown. “Must we go down this path, Scarlett? It doesn’t have to be like this.”
“Yes. We didn’t. But why have I come to see this as the only way out?”
His expression was wrenched in despondency and misery. “I’m sorry!”
“If you could bring back my child and Macy, I’d gladly accept your apology.” To believe that a simple apology could erase his sins was sheer mockery.
It was a grey day in February. A slight drizzle tapped icily against the other side of the fogged-up windows as I took my luggage from his hands.
When I left the bedroom behind and stepped outside the doorway, I breathed a sigh of relief. At long last, it was over.
Jackson turned in. With his hair cropped short, he looked energetic as he loaded my bags into the trunk.
He then looked me straight in the eye. “Let’s go!”
Ashton was by the entrance to the house as I got into the car.
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