Five Years of Marriage to Mr. Bradford (by Koi Fish) novel Chapter 5

After that incident, Rebecca turned to books.

She hadn't planned far ahead; she simply wanted to infuse her empty life with quiet pursuits. Keeping busy might dull the sting of those words.

She never expected these small, personal distractions would, in the end, become her lifeline.

She needed to ace tomorrow's exam. She had to leave this place, as far away as possible. The thought still brought intense pain to her heart.

She couldn't distinguish if the ache stemmed from Vance or from her five wasted years. But it no longer mattered.

What counted was refusing to wallow in the pain any longer. Even if it lingered for ages before fading, she was committed to saving herself.

She ordered a light meal and a set of disposable clothes. Then she phoned the front desk for a morning wake-up call, and at last, she compelled herself to sleep.

Perhaps due to the previous night's insomnia, she slept soundly.

The next day, she woke up on time and turned on her phone. Messages poured in, the device vibrating incessantly, all from Vance.

She skipped reading them, fearing they'd disrupt her focus on the exam. After breakfast, she left for the exam center, which was a mere five-minute walk away.

As soon as she stepped out of the hotel, her phone buzzed with a call from Vance. In a panic, she nearly dropped it, swiftly rejecting the call before shutting it off again.

Emerging from the exam hall, her heart pounded with exhilaration. She felt satisfied with her performance.

The oral examiner smiled throughout their conversation. She understood most of what she heard, and the written parts felt steady and controlled.

She dared not predict her score, but at least she had completed everything. She wasn't useless after all.

Walking alone on the sidewalk, she kept her head down, mentally reviewing every detail of the exam until a pair of leather shoes appeared in her path.

Expecting no deliberate block, she couldn't retract her step in time and bumped into the person.

Without his steadying grip, she would have fallen. And that person was the last one she wanted to see.

"Rebecca," Vance muttered, his voice strained.

She remained silent, sensing his barely contained anger. He grasped her shoulders and softened his tone, asking in his usual gentle, warm manner, "Why didn't you come home?"

He asked that question while knowing the answer, but it wasn't the time to argue with him.

Her bag had just been knocked to the ground, the flap open, and her exam pen peeked out, which could give away her participation in the exam.

She quickly wrenched free, squatted down, shoved the pen inside, and secured the bag.

"What's that?" he asked, looking at her bag.

"Nothing. Just a pen," she replied, trying to sound natural, though her fingers gripped the bag so tightly they blanched.

"Let me see it," he said.

She clutched it closer. "What do you need a pen for?"

"Give me your phone," he demanded.

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