Chapter 3
Ryan nodded. “I’ll come with you. Let’s make things clear.”
Chloe seemed about to refuse, but Ryan continued, “After all, this kidney came from Liam. Even if he doesn’t know now, I want to thank him.”
After a few seconds, Chloe gave a very slight nod.
That night, I watched Chloe constantly checking her phone, even opening our old chat history.
It struck me that she was waiting for a message from me, and I was surprised.
All these years, she had been aloof; I was always the one clinging to her. But every time I shared something about my life, she either didn’t reply or just gave a faint “Mm.”
Our last message, too, had been from me.
It was a photo of a beautiful diamond ring. I had told her: “I feel like this suits you perfectly. I can’t imagine how beautiful you’d look wearing it.”
Thinking about it, Chloe now finally replied, “It is very beautiful.”
Perhaps she expected me to reply as usual, because the next morning, Chloe woke up and immediately grabbed her phone, opening our chat window.
Still, there was no reply.
Chloe seemed a little annoyed. On the way back with Ryan, she was distracted even when he spoke to her.
Ryan squeezed her hand reassuringly. “It’s okay.”
Chloe frowned, growing even angrier. “Whatever. So what if we divorce? We were just set up anyway; it’s not like we were deeply in love.”
Ryan told her not to say things in anger, but Chloe remained silent.
The car soon pulled up in front of the building where we rented an apartment. The house I’d worked so hard to buy had been sold to help Chloe pay her debts, and we were now living in a dilapidated resettlement house.
As she got out of the car, Chloe spotted something in the trash can and frowned slightly.
It was her usual set of bedding.
She visibly grew angrier, her face dark as she went upstairs.
“Liam, aren’t you going too far?” As soon as she walked in, she angrily yelled.
Leo emerged from the adjacent bedroom. He seemed even smaller, thinner, and his eyes were still red and swollen.
Seeing Leo, Chloe’s anger subsided a bit. “Leo, where’s your dad?”
Leo merely glanced at her blandly, saying nothing, and then tossed her cosmetics from the house into the trash can.
Chloe frowned, a hint of unease on her face. “Leo, I’m asking you a question.”
Ryan walked over, gently soothing. “Chloe, don’t be angry. Let me talk to the child. I’ve been through this phase, I know how to communicate.”
Chloe usually wasn’t very concerned about Leo, so she believed Ryan and nodded.
Ryan walked up to Leo, crouching down. He smiled. “Leo, I know you’re very angry, but you have to trust Mommy. Don’t be angry with Mommy and Uncle, okay? I believe in you. You’re a little man who can handle his emotions.”
He reached out and gently rubbed Leo’s shoulder.
But I noticed a cruel glint flash in his eyes as he subtly, harshly, pinched Leo’s shoulder.
Leo flinched in pain and shoved Ryan away.
Ryan lost his balance, tumbling to the floor, clutching the area where he’d had surgery, his face contorted in agony.
“Leo, what are you doing?”
In a fit of rage, Chloe not only called Leo by his full name, but she rushed forward and roughly pushed him away.
Leo’s head hit the nearby table with a dull thud. Chloe didn’t even glance at him, frantically helping Ryan up.
Ignoring Leo’s stunned, numb gaze, she yelled, “Who taught you to be so rude? Was it your dad? Where is he? Tell him to come out!”
Just as she finished speaking, the front door opened.
A man in a black suit entered, carrying an urn. He surveyed the room and asked, “Who are Liam’s family? This is Liam’s ashes. Please sign for them.”
The side of the urn with my black and white photo faced Chloe directly.
Chloe froze, staring blankly at Leo.