Chapter 16
As soon as I made my presence known, Chloe’s sobs grew even louder. Hayden, looking troubled, wrapped his arm around Chloe’s shoulders and gently patted her.
She had cried so much that Hayden’s shirt was stained with her tears and makeup.
“Chloe, are you feeling any better?”
Even when asked, Chloe continued to cry without answering. I saw her fingers clinging tightly to Hayden’s shirt.
“Winter. I’m sorry, but… I think I need to take Chloe home. I don’t think I can let her go by herself.”
Hayden let out a deep sigh as he spoke.
I could immediately tell that he wasn’t asking for my permission.
Hayden took off his jacket and draped it over Chloe’s thin, trembling shoulders.
“You can get home on your own, right?”
He helped Chloe to her feet and looked at me. Chloe still wouldn’t meet my eyes, tears streaming down her face.
“Winter.”
Once more, Hayden pressed me for an answer. Once again, I nodded automatically.
“I’ll see you at home later.”
Without wasting any more time, Hayden left the private room with Chloe in his arms.
Once they left, the atmosphere in the room became strangely cold. Hugging my shoulders, which had begun to tremble on their own, I slowly walked over to the sofa where Hayden had been sitting.
Their warmth still lingered on the sofa. I slowly traced the remaining warmth with my fingertips. I still hadn’t fully processed what had happened.
As I looked around the room, I caught sight of a pale-faced woman in the mirror leaning against the sofa, staring back at me.
Lips drained of color, cheeks ashen, hair disheveled. Someone who looked so wretched it wouldn’t be strange if she collapsed at any moment.
It took me quite a while to realize that the woman in the mirror was me.
“Haha.”
I let out a weak laugh at my own pitiful state. Clasping my cold hands tightly, I tried to pull myself together.
The more I tried to forget, the more that strange, chilling sensation of something brushing against my arm kept coming back to me. The lifeless, cloudy eyes, too.
“Urp…!”
Nausea welled up inside me, and I covered my mouth with my hand. I tried to focus on the lace patterns embroidered at the hem of my dress.
As a dull ache spread from my crushed chest, tears welled up in my eyes. Even though I tried to hold them back, fat drops fell onto my skirt.
‘I was shocked, too.’
Hayden and Chloe’s figures as they left, Chloe being protected in my husband’s arms, lingered in my mind. I thought of how my husband was probably more worried about Chloe’s tears than my own miserable appearance. I felt resentful.
‘No. Don’t think that way.’
I desperately tried to understand them.
‘Chloe was the victim. She must have been really scared.’
Chloe was a sensitive girl, easily affected by outside shocks.
There was no telling what kind of negative impact this would have on her, so I could feel reassured knowing Hayden would be by her side.
‘If I know all that and still hate it, it must just be my own selfishness.’
As I clenched my fists, my nails dug deeply into my palms. The sharp pain jolted my weakening resolve.
It’s fine. I’m fine.
It felt like my emotions were being washed away with my tears. I tried to regain my composure by counting the tears as they fell.
Just as I was finally starting to feel like I might really be okay—
Bang—!
With a rough sound, the private room door flew open. Someone stood there, silhouetted in the doorway. Maybe because of my tears, the figure seemed almost like a mirage.
Once the tears finally spilled over, the image became clear. Eugene strode straight toward me.
“Eugene.”
A strange sense of familiarity washed over me.
It had been like this in my childhood, too. Whenever I cried alone, he was always…
“Why are you alone?”
He took off the jacket he was wearing and draped it over my shoulders. The warmth seeped into my shivering body.
“Where’s your so-called husband, leaving you here by yourself?”
“Ah… Chloe… He’s taking her home…”
As I answered, Eugene’s face twisted with anger. He cursed harshly and lifted my chin.
Then, with an endlessly gentle touch, he wiped my tear-streaked face clean.
“How could he leave his wife, who looks like she’s about to collapse, all alone?”
Damn it. That bastard. Eugene spat out more curses as he grabbed my wrist.
“Ah…!”
He pulled me up, and I felt the pain of my new shoes digging into my already sore heel.
Limping a few steps as he led me, Eugene looked me over with his mysterious violet eyes.
“Damn it.”
Eugene, his face still twisted, sat me back down on the sofa.
Then, in contrast to his rough manner, he gently took my ankle in his hands.
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