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"Miss Morgan,can you come?I'm Daniel's friend.He's drinking himself sick,vomiting blood,muttering your name..."
I listened to his friend's frantic voice,then replied calmly.
"Hope he drinks himself dead and finds peace."
He also tried entering my life,loitering near my building.
He'd knock on my door,leave silently,leaving only gardenias outside.
He knew I loved gardenias.
"Enough!Must you make me hate you?"
One day,fed up with his acts,I cornered him,glaring.
He had changed drastically that I barely recognized him anymore—his once-handsome face was now stubbled,his eyes dull,his clothes filthy,no trace of his former charm.
He panicked and lowered his head to avoid my gaze.
"Live your life.Stop bothering me,okay?"
My voice softened.
"I'm begging you."
His body shook,eyes reddening.
Finally,he clenched his teeth."Fine,I'll do it."
He turned,pausing.
"Tell her I miss her."
"I will."
Watching him leave, I had this strange feeling.
Maybe this was the last time I'd see him.
...
The next time I heard about him, he was dead.
His father called.
His voice,still deep,carried grief,speaking hoarsely.
"He jumped off a building."
"The last words he said were your name."
"He said this time,he kept his promise.He did what you asked..."
Daniel Harper's Epilogue
Why must childhood sweethearts end up together?
I felt no love for Sophie,yet my father forced us together.
Maybe it was me being rebellious as a youth,but I felt an irrational dislike for her.
Her cooking?I said I didn't like it.
Her dishes?Too salty.
I loved going against her on everything,finding joy in her sad,lonely expressions.
Maybe I was sick.
Claire called,saying she was seriously ill.
Without thinking,I left a note and went to her.
Sophie just watched,she wasn’t angry, nor did she begged me to stay.
Somehow,I was disappointed.
How I expected her to react,I didn't know.
When she called,saying our daughter was dying,I was furious.
She was just jealous,using our daughter as an excuse.It enraged me.
I blocked her calls.
Later,she wanted a divorce.
I almost laughed.She had always been obedient,she was just pretending this to win me back.
Our daughter wasn't home—probably at my parents'.
If she wanted to play,fine, I’d play along.
But...I didn't expect our daughter was really gone.
Seeing Sophie's agony,my heart stopped.
I was devastated,wanting to hold her in my arms.
But pitiful pride made me retreat,losing her forever.
Did I love her?
I didn't know.
But without her,something vital was missing.
I felt panic,fear,and unease.
I tried approaching her,but I met only her cold eyes, she looked at me as if I was something disgusting.
The look in her eyes pierced through my fragile heart.
I loved her,deeply.
This time,I wanted to atone.
But where was redemption?
I leapt from the building,yet felt relief,unburdened.
This time,I kept my word.
Sophie,be happy.
