Having gotten the answer she wanted, Elise turned and left.
From the moment she walked into the hospital room to her departure, less than five minutes had passed.
Aaron asked Sam to drive Elise back home. Once she was gone, Aaron stepped back into the room.
On the hospital bed, Dylan lay with his eyes closed. His handsome face was noticeably gaunt, his skin pale and cold, and his lips utterly drained of color.
Aaron knew he wasn’t actually asleep. "Finished talking that fast?"
Dylan kept his eyes closed, offering only a faint, low hum in response.
Frowning, Aaron pulled up a chair and sat by the bedside. "Dylan, honestly, so many years have passed since everything happened back then. Maybe... you could consider letting her—"
"No."
Dylan snapped his eyes open, his dark gaze locking onto Aaron, sharp and piercingly cold. "If you dare spill a single word, don’t blame me for cutting ties with you."
Aaron went silent.
Dylan knit his brows, reading a flash of guilt in Aaron’s expression. "Who did you tell?"
"Only Madeline!" Aaron said helplessly. "You know how I am—I can’t resist when she starts crying. Besides, we need her to keep Elise company as much as possible right now, so she ought to know the actual situation. Otherwise, if she accidentally says the wrong thing, it’ll backfire on us. Don’t you think?"
Dylan’s expression turned grim. "With a mouth like Madeline’s, do you really think she can keep a secret?"
"Hey, that’s not fair. Madeline is a lawyer! Sure, she acts scatterbrained half the time, but when it comes to major matters, she’s more reliable and sensible than anyone. Relax, she won’t say a word."
Hearing this, Dylan’s tense expression softened slightly.
Clearing his throat, Aaron asked again, "So, what did you two actually talk about just now?"
Dylan shifted his gaze to the ceiling. "She came to ask about getting the official divorce certificate."
"What?!" Aaron was stunned. "She came all the way here just for a divorce certificate?"
"Dr. Sanders said she’s been dreaming frequently lately," Dylan said, his voice laced with deep exhaustion. "The hypnosis is losing its effect. If this keeps up, it’s only a matter of time before her memories come back."
"Even so, what does that have to do with agreeing to sign the final divorce papers?"
"She has always wanted a divorce—she feels trapped in this marriage. Because her subconscious was never truly freed, she’s plagued by frequent dreams at night. Maybe if we draw a clean line between us, she’ll feel better. Without the constant dreaming, her memories won’t return."
Aaron sighed heavily. "And what if you get divorced, but she suddenly recovers her memory one day anyway?"
"Then that’s fate," Dylan’s voice trailed off softly. "Divorcing her is giving her freedom. Before, I stalled because I was terrified she’d run abroad. As long as she stayed in the country, I could still protect her. But overseas, everything becomes uncertain—those people are particularly ruthless abroad. Now that everything is resolved, if she isn’t happy with me, why should I keep her trapped?"
"Ha, go on being stubborn! You’re really moving yourself with your own sacrifice, aren’t you?!"
Aaron looked at him with sheer frustration. "Everything is finally settled, Robin is back, and the second baby is on the way. Divorcing now... what was the point of all your endurance and planning over the last five years?"
"Five years..." Dylan’s eyelashes trembled slightly, his Adam’s apple bobbing with difficulty. "Yeah... five years. It really was far too long."
"What do you mean?" Aaron looked at him, puzzled.
"In those five years, my secrecy made her endure so much suffering. I’m the one who destroyed her love for me, and I’m the one who shattered our trust." Dylan closed his eyes, his breathing heavy. "It seems... I was wrong right from the start."
Aaron froze.
"If she wants to leave, I’ll fulfill her wish," Dylan let out a self-deprecating laugh. "What right do I have not to?"
VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Walking Away While Pregnant: Dear Ex-Husband, I Don't Love You Anymore