Lili’s endless praise of Zacky did nothing to heal the wound in Qiara’s chest. From Lili’s outside perspective, Zacky might have seemed like a flawless dream man.
But to Qiara, the fact that she had to marry her late sister’s former husband was still a forced nightmare. Besides, the pain of Dewa’s betrayal was still far too fresh.
Two years of loving him, believing every sweet word he said, and even nearly running away from home with a backpack—all that effort had been repaid with the disgusting sight she’d witnessed at the hospital.
Dewa laughing freely, hugging that woman named Mimi, and letting her kiss his cheek kept replaying in Qiara’s mind like a broken record.
“Why did it have to happen like this, Dew...” Qiara whispered to the evening breeze, wiping at the corners of her eyes as they misted over again.
With heavy steps, Qiara left the coffee shop. She drove her car through the city traffic, her mind somewhere far away. It felt as though the world had turned against her.
The house that should have been her refuge now felt like a prison, while the man she’d considered home had turned out to be the mastermind behind her heartbreak.
When she arrived home, Qiara deliberately slipped in through the side door to avoid running into her parents. She didn’t have the energy to argue or listen to another lecture about the wedding preparations.
Qiara pushed open her bedroom door, locked it securely from the inside, then dragged herself toward the bed. She collapsed onto the soft mattress and stared at the silent bedroom ceiling. A vast emptiness suddenly spread through every corner of her chest.
Suddenly, the flat object on her vanity began vibrating loudly.
Bzzzt... Bzzzt... Bzzzt...
Qiara closed her eyes for a moment and let out a heavy sigh. She didn’t want to move, but the vibration refused to stop. Call after call kept coming in without end.
Reluctantly, Qiara got up and reached for her phone.
Her chest instantly fluttered painfully. The name displayed on the screen stole her breath.
Dewa
That bastard dared to call her again after all the lies he’d created. The anger and pain she’d managed to bury surged back up, scorching Qiara’s entire chest.
Qiara’s fingers trembled violently over the screen. Torn between the hatred boiling inside her and the lingering wounds demanding answers, she finally swiped the green button. She pressed the phone to her ear without saying a word.
“Hello? Qia! Where have you been?!” Dewa’s voice shot through the phone, frantic and breathless.
“I’ve been calling you since this afternoon, but you haven’t picked up! You’re okay, right, sweetheart?”
Qiara clenched her fists, gripping the bedsheet until it wrinkled. Hearing that man’s fake concern made her stomach churn.
“Why are you calling?” Qiara whispered coldly, her voice hoarse and devoid of emotion.
Dewa fell silent for a moment on the other end, as though Qiara’s unfamiliar tone had caught him off guard. But he quickly regained control of his voice, coating it in a sweet, deceitful tone.
“Qia, I’m sorry about yesterday...” Dewa coaxed gently.
“I know you must’ve been really disappointed that we didn’t get to leave. But I swear, Mom really was in terrible shape yesterday, Qia. I panicked so badly that I didn’t have time to let you know.”
Qiara let out a small laugh, a bitter sound that cut straight through her heart.
“Oh, really? Auntie was in terrible shape?”
“Yes, sweetheart! Why would I lie to you?” Dewa pressed, without the slightest hint of guilt.
“But Mom’s doing better now. You’re home, right? I’ll come over to your house, okay? We’ll make new plans to run away. I won’t let you marry Zacky, Qia!”
Hearing Dewa still string together lies so shamelessly, Qiara’s defenses collapsed. Tears slipped down her cheeks again, but this time they weren’t born of weakness. They came from the depth of her hatred.
“Stop pretending, Dewa,” Qiara hissed softly, each word striking like a blade.
“What do you mean, Qia? I’m not pretending...”
“I went to the hospital yesterday,” Qiara cut in quickly.
The line went dead silent. Dewa’s panicked voice and sweet coaxing disappeared.
“I stood outside Room 304,” Qiara continued, her voice trembling as she held back her tears.
“I saw you. I saw Mimi. And I heard everything you said about me.”