6
615words
Childish.
Half an hour later,Vanessa appeared.
No trace of illness,just red,puffy eyes from crying.
She looked at me,smiling thinly.
"Sarah Harper,I know you're avenging your sister.
But too bad—I didn't kill her or make her inhale anything.
You were incompetent,dozing off while driving,causing the crash."
I shrugged."Doesn't matter,as long as the internet believes it."
Her face twitched,then she forced a smile."That night,Nathan planned to see her,but I said I was unwell,so he stayed.He'll never abandon me—then or now.Wanna bet?"
The front door creaked open.
Vanessa curled her kups at me.
Then she plunged a dagger into her abdomen.
I knew she'd pull this act.
Harming herself to prove her innocence.
I smiled.
Exactly what I wanted.
Nathan entered,seeing her collapsed on the ground,blood pouring out of her stomach.
She pleaded,"I'm sorry for my mistake.I'll atone for your sister—please forgive me..."
Nathan walked past her with indifference.
Vanessa froze,then whimpered,"Nathan,it hurts.Won't you take me to the hospital?"
He glanced at her coldly.
"Get her forgiveness first."
Vanessa paled,forcing a smile."Wh,what you say?"
"Here to apologize,aren't you?"
Nathan was icy,almost ruthless.
Vanessa,humiliated and pained,bit her lip,tears falling fast.
"I'm really hurting..."
She wasn't faking—colour was now gone from her face,blood pooling beneath her.
Nathan didn't budge.
Vanessa's cries turned to manic laughter.
"Yes!I suppressed the new of crash so you wouldn't know,I told you Emily was on vacation.You bought it!
If you cared,one check would've revealed the truth.
You didn't love her enough.Now she's dead,and you play the devoted husband?
She'll never know!"
"Shut up!"
Nathan roared,veins bulging,and carried her out.
But he returned quickly,locking the door behind him.
As if nothing happened,he smiled gently.
"Pasta tonight?You said rainy days and pasta go together."
I looked up—the sky was overcast.
Vanessa wailed outside,calling his name.
Her cries,raw with rage,pain,and despair,echoed mine from long ago.
Soon,security hauled her away.
I turned and walked back inside.
Nathan set up cooking gear,starting dough.
He looked at me eagerly,cautious.
"Can you help?"
This felt familiar,with roles reversed.
I'd once asked him,"Nathan,rainy days are perfect for pasta.Let's make some together?"
He'd frowned,annoyed.
"You called me back for this?"
I flinched."I just missed you,wanted to spend some time with your."
I offered him the mold.
Without one glance at it,he left.
"You can find pasta in any diner out there.Buy some.Don't like store-bought?I'll get a chef.I'm busy—don't waste my time."
Ironically,the"busy"man was photographed playing tennis with Vanessa thirty minutes later.
I'd always wondered when my love for him died.
I thought it was that night of my car crash.
Now,I realized it had actually slipped away in every disappointed moment.
Facing his hopeful eyes,I approached the table.
I wanted to test my true feelings.
His joy was obvious,sparking conversation every minute.
I lasted three minutes before giving up.
I dropped the dough,turning to leave.
He grabbed me,voice tense."The pasta isn’t done yet."
I said,"It's pointless.I don't want to make it with you, not one bit."
The expression on his face crumpled,fragile.
I still felt nothing in my heart.I brushed off his hand and walked to the backyard.
He followed cautiously.
The backyard had a minil playground in it,built two years ago for my baby.
Long neglected,it was dusty.
Nathan's soft sobs came from behind.
He hugged me all of a sudden,breaking down."I'm sorry,Emily,it's all my fault.I was a fool,I killed you both...
Let's start over again,okay?We'll have another child.I'll be devoted,I’ll never hurt you again."
I chuckled."Look closely—I'm Sarah Harper."
I shoved him off,cold."How would Emily feel,seeing you treat me like this?"
Uncertainty flashed across in his eyes.
"You're really not her?"
"Whoever I am,you won’t be in my future."
