Chapter 7
Seraphina immediately smiled and shook her head: “Nothing, just talking about travel stuff.”
Adrian didn’t press further, just stumbled over and grabbed Violet’s wrist: “Let’s go home.”
His palm was burning hot, so hot it made Violet’s heart ache.
On the way back, Adrian kept leaning on Violet’s shoulder, mumbling academic terms she couldn’t understand.
But occasionally, he’d slur out a name.
“Seraphina…”
Violet’s whole body went rigid, tears nearly falling.
So even drunk off his ass, she was still on his mind.
The next afternoon, Violet thoroughly cleaned the apartment.
When Adrian woke up, Violet had already made hangover soup.
“Thanks.” He took the bowl, his voice still raspy. “You’re heading back today?”
Violet nodded: “Yeah.”
“I’ll drive you.”
Violet didn’t refuse.
These were their last few hours–she wanted to look at him a little longer.
He drove her downstairs and called for a cab while asking: “How long will you be gone? When are you coming back?”
He paused, then added: “Should I come pick you up?”
Violet opened her mouth to answer, but his phone rang.
The moment he picked up, Seraphina’s voice came wheedling through the speaker: “Adrian! Can you come to the lab right now? I really need
you!”
Adrian frowned: “I’m busy right now.”
“Please!” She softened her voice pleadingly. “It’s really important!”
Adrian hesitated, then looked at Violet.
Violet smiled: “Go handle your business. I can get to the station myself.”
He was quiet for a moment, then finally nodded: “Okay.”
After putting her suitcase in the trunk and opening the car door for her, he said:
“Drive safe.”
Violet sat in the car, watching his figure grow smaller in the rearview mirror until he became a blurry dot.
She whispered in her heart: “Goodbye, Adrian.”
Chapter 7
On the train, it gradually got dark.
Her phone buzzed–a video from Seraphina.
In it, Seraphina was in a lab coat in the laboratory, blushing as she said to Adrian: “I love you.”
The video ended there, but Violet knew by the time she got home, she’d probably see their official announcement.
Violet took a deep breath and sent Adrian one final message:
[Adrian, I’m gone.]
[You don’t need to feel like you owe me anything, and don’t need to keep thinking about repaying me. Everything over these years–1 did n willingly. I saved you, put you through school, stayed with you through the hardest times, and I never did it to make you grateful or to make you spend your whole life paying me back.]
[Now you have your own life, you have Seraphina. She’s better suited to stand by your side than I am. You have your future, and I have my own path to walk.]
[From now on, we won’t have any relationship whatsoever.]
[I wish you and Seraphina happiness, and I’ll find my own happiness too.]
After sending the message, Violet turned off her phone and looked out at the rapidly passing scenery, feeling strangely calm.
Ten years of obsession, ten years of sacrifice, ten years of waiting–finally coming to an end in this moment.
