9
1:07 PM
<
“Lucas! Why have you been avoiding me?”
He barely glanced at her before stepping into the elevator and heading to the basement.
By the end of the day, Lucas had claimed my body under the title of “husband” and arranged for me to be buried in a quiet cemetery on the
south side of the city.
The day of the funeral, it rained heavily–just as it had on the day I died.
I stood there in the downpour, watching Lucas kneeling in front of my grave. His entire body was soaked, but he didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were fixed on the black–and–white photo etched into my tombstone.
For a long time, he didn’t move.
Then, finally, he reached out, his hand trembling as he gently touched the cold stone, as though he were caressing the face of a lost lover.
“Claire,” he whispered, his voice low and filled with regret, “I used to wonder why you were always so cheerful, so full of life whenever you were
around me.”
“This diary… it gave me the answer long ago.”
He pulled a small, weathered notebook from his pocket. My heart clenched as I recognized it immediately–it was mine.
That diary contained all my secret thoughts, every unspoken feeling I’d had for Lucas.
So, he had known all along.
Lucas let out a bitter laugh as he stared at the diary, his voice heavy as he continued:
“People who are loved always take it for granted. That’s why I was so careless, so cruel. I hurt you over and over because I thought your love would never leave me.”
“I owe you an apology, Claire. One I should’ve said
to your
face.”
“If I come to find you someday, please… don’t hide from me.”
His voice cracked as tears welled in his eyes.
When Lucas returned to the hospital late that night, I followed him, silently trailing behind as he walked into Evelyn Snow’s room.
The moment she saw him, Evelyn pouted, crossing her arms and turning her head away. Even as she sulked, her voice was soft and playful.
“You’ve been so cold to me lately, Lucas,” she whined. “I know you’ve been busy handling Claire’s funeral, but you can’t just ignore me because
of that.”
“You know I’m still recovering from surgery. I can’t be left alone!”
Evelyn had always been shamelessly confident in front of Lucas. I used to envy her for it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my heart–my actual heart–would one day save her life.
Lucas didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he pulled out a chair and sat down by her bed, his eyes cold and emotionless as he stared at her.
Evelyn shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, frowning. “Why are you looking at me like that, Lucas?”
His lips curled into a bitter smile. “You really didn’t know that body was Claire’s?”
Evelyn froze, her expression faltering. For a moment, she didn’t say anything.
But her silence was answer enough.
Lucas closed his eyes, his breathing shaky. When he opened them again, they were bloodshot with rage. He suddenly grabbed Evelyn’s shoulders, his grip firm and unrelenting.
“You knew it was her,” he growled, his voice trembling. “And you still made me cut out her heart with my own hands!”
1:07 PM
<
“And so what if I did?” Evelyn snapped, shoving his arms away and yelling back.
C
“Lucas Ryan! I’ve regretted leaving you every single day since we broke up. The moment I came back to this country, I searched for you. Even when I found out you were married, I didn’t care–I still chased after you!”
“I did it because I love you!”
“You married her just to spite me, didn’t you? You never even loved her!”
163
“I loved her!” Lucas interrupted, his voice sharp and unwavering.
Evelyn’s face froze, her expression twisting into something cold and bitter. She let out a low, humorless laugh.
“But she’s dead now,” she said, her vong without
beat. “And it was you who gave me her with venom. She raised a hand to her chest, lightly touching the spot where my heart now
“Lucas Ryan, stop deluding yourself. Let’s just pretend none of this ever happened. We can start over. Isn’t that what you always wanted?”
Those words-“start over“-would’ve been irresistible to the Lucas Ryan I had known years ago.
If Evelyn had given him even a sliver of hope back then, Lucas and I would’ve divorced long ago.
Instead, every time he brought up divorce,
I stubbornly refused, clinging to the fragile threads of our marriage.
But this time, Lucas shook his head, his voice hollow and resolute. “The only person I want is Claire.”
His unwavering answer made Evelyn pause. Her eyes burned red with frustration, but she forced a bitter smile.
“Fine,” she said softly. “If that’s how you feel, I won’t force you.”
“But this heart…” She tapped her chest again, her expression smug. “I’ve already accepted it. You can’t exactly take it back now, can you?”
She was right, of course. That heart–my heart–was beating inside her chest.
Even if Lucas hated her, even if he wanted justice, there was no way to undo what had been done. No one would take the heart from her now.
And Evelyn knew it. Her smile widened, brimming with triumph.
