Chapter 4
I didn’t say a word. The bitterness and pain intertwined relentlessly within me.
I once believed I would grow old with her and never separate from her, only to discover it was all a cruel joke.
Laura believed that being a blind man there was no way I could satisfy her need. She craved excitement and a younger man so because I was over thirty years old, she moved her affection to Jock, who was four years younger than me.
The vow that she said on our wedding day had long forgotten.
However, the gaze that her friend threw at me was full of malice and disdain. I
became even more heartbroken when I saw the banner that was hanging there.
It said “Happy Birthday, My Dear Jock!”
I pried her fingers off mine, one by one,
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with all the dignity I could muster. How ironic. Laura had promised the night was just for me, a gesture to cheer me up. However, it had all been a lie.
Her best friend openly showed her contempt and said, “What is your problem, Jerome? You‘ re just a blind man! Is there anything you can brag about? How dare you take your hand away from her.”
Laura shot her a warning look to silence her. She picked up a glass of fruit tea from the coffee table and held it out to me.
“Come on, darling, smile for me,” she cooed. “It’s such a shame you can’t see. If you do, you’ll recognize it as the place I proposed to you. Back then, I was madly in love with you.”
Her words dripped with nostalgia as she placed my hand against her cheek as her eyes turned red.
I knew she loved me in the past but now
she shared that love with Jock.
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Suddenly, the door burst open and Jock walked in. Seeing him, Laura, who just showed her love to me, looked at him with stars in her eyes.
He was wearing my tailored made suit. The same one that I wore on my and Laura’s wedding day. He had stolen it himself, just as he had stolen everything else from me.
Seeing him come, Laura’s friends rushed over, surrounded him and greeted him. They acted as if he was Laura’s real
husband. As for me? They treated me as an outsider. Luckily, I knew that and I also did
not care.
Laura released my hand without a second thought and walked toward Jock. She had forgotten about my existence.
They both sat down. Laura perched herself on his lap while talking and laughing together.
Laura’s friend teased her because she was
afraid that I would understand their banter,
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she spoke in German with them.
“Please, don’t say it in English. Otherwise, Jerome will know.”
“Don’t worry! We all get it,” one of them replied.
Jock silenced her with a kiss, drawing gasps and cheers from the group. When they glanced at me, their eyes were filled with mock pity.
“This blind man, Jerome, is so pathetic. His wife and best friend are flaunting their love right in front of him and he’s clueless
about it.”
“Laura, aren’t you afraid he’ll catch on?” another friend asked. “You even brought Jock home! It’s such a thrill thing to do, but what if he finds out?”
Laura’s lips were swollen from Jock’s kiss.
“He won’t. I spend my days with him, my nights with Jock. I’ve got it all worked out.”
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Her smug words immediately sent the group into fits of laughter.
“Laura is really brilliant.”
At that very moment, the cup in my hand slipped and shattered on the floor. The
sound attracted their attention. This made Laura so scared that she jumped down from Jock’s arms and rushed toward me.
She asked in alarm, “Hubby, what’s wrong? You don’t look good. Are you having a cold?”
I stared at her coldly. She had no idea I had learned multiple languages just to integrate myself into her world, so I comprehended all the words they said.
Feeling discomfort, I excused myself from
the bar.
Laura, reluctant to leave Jock‘ s side, called the nanny to come and escort me home.
When I stepped out of the bar, I dismissed.
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the nanny, took a taxi and rushed to the Civil Administration Office to erase my identity.
The administrator kept urging me to think about this matter more carefully. After all, once my identity was erased, from that moment, Jerome Atkins was gone from the world.
insisted firmly, “I’m sure.”
An hour later, I left after my ID number was erased. Immediately, the stone that had been weighing me down for a long time was taken away and was immensely comfortable.
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