###Chapter 7
A burning slap landed on my face. I fell to the ground before I could react. My ears rang loudly. My words had clearly torn open Robert's darkest secret. He was both furious and ashamed.
For a moment, Robert’s pupils shrank when he saw the blood seeping from the back of my head. But very quickly, that panic was covered by cold hardness again.
Click.
He lit the lighter. The flame jumped up and moved closer to the scarf.
Even though my love was already gone, I never imagined he would torture me like this. I knew that if I didn’t give in, I would lose the last thing my mother left me.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, there was nothing left inside my heart.
“I’m sorry.” My voice was completely calm. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have provoked you.”
I raised my head and looked at him and at the proud Silvia in his arms.
“I’m sorry I got pregnant and got in your way. I’m sorry I dreamed about loyalty and dirtied your great love. I wish you a happy ending Robert and Silvia, together forever,” I said.
“Enough!” Robert shouted, cutting me off. His chest rose and fell violently, his eyes red.
Robert stared at my lifeless face. Something inside his chest seemed to crash wildly. I wasn’t crying, but it was as if he could see that all my tears were already gone. For a second, he felt the urge to hug me like before, to wipe away all my wounds and tears.
“The doctor is here, boss!” The shout at the door pulled Robert back to reality.
His face hardened again. He threw the scarf at my feet. “Don’t think I wouldn’t burn it. If you're harming Silvy again, you'll get your consequences.”
Then he picked Silvia up and walked away without hesitation.
I leaned against the bathtub, hugged my knees and started laughing. My laughter was hoarse and broken. My whole body trembled.
After a few minutes, I heard a car engine outside. Mixed with Silvia’s cheerful laughter and the man’s gentle voice: “Of course, my little princess. You can have anything you want for your birthday.”
Her birthday was the day after tomorrow. It was also the day I planned to leave.
I held the bathtub and slowly stood up.
The woman in the mirror looked miserable. My face twisted from the pain in my head. But I knew the worst pain had already passed.
I cleaned myself carefully and waited for the night, then waited for the morning again. I picked up my suitcase and looked around one last time to the place once called “home.”
The curtains, the sofa, every plant, every tile, even every flower in the garden... Robert and I chose them all together. Passing the mirror in the hallway, the woman reflected on it looked pale, but I gave her a peaceful smile.
Passing the living room and on the sunniest sofa, I used to lie on Robert’s legs. The sound of him turning documents was my favorite lullaby.
Passing the garden... we once ran on the grass and kissed in the wind. He said he hoped that moment would last forever.
Sadly, nothing in this world lasts forever.
I walked toward the heavy black gate. Just then, the door opened from outside.
My heart tightened. Wasn’t Robert supposed to be at Silvia’s birthday party?
“Ayla, I’m here to take you.” The person standing there was someone I hadn’t seen in a long time.
A handsome face, walking toward me quickly, covered in travel dust.
I stared in shock. “Why are you here?”
“I was worried about you.” Trevor’s eyes darkened when he saw the bandage on my head. A storm rose in his black eyes. “Did that bastard do this to you?!”
At that moment, my phone vibrated. A message from my lawyer friend: [Ayla, everything is done. I’m waiting for you at the airport.]
Trevor gave me the investigation report about Silvia. After reading it, I finally smiled for real.
Then I handed it to the maid of our house. “Aunt Poppy, please give this to Robert.”
There was also a divorce agreement, my wedding ring, the bone marrow donation certificate and the 2000 love letters Robert wrote to me over eight years.
“Madam… are you really not coming back?” Aunt Poppy asked, her voice shaking.
I looked past her, at the wide sky. “I’m not your ‘Madam’ anymore. Take care.”
I got into the black sports car with Trevor. The engine roared and the car shot forward like an arrow.
The familiar scenery moved backward fast, then disappeared.
I let out a soft breath. I was really looking forward to it.
When Robert sees those documents, what kind of face will he make?
***
At the same time, at Silvia’s birthday party, Robert stood among the crowd but felt restless for reasons he couldn't name.
Suddenly remembered Kayla’s empty eyes. He remembered the blood on the back of her head. Kayla was afraid of pain. Even when her finger got stuck in a door, she would truly cry.
Damn it.... He shouldn’t have left her.
After calming down Silvia, he rushed out of the hall... all the while ignoring his little sister's plea for attention.
He had been too impulsive. No matter what wrong Ayla did… she must've done it because she loved him too much.
Robert stepped on the gas. The car reached a speed it had never reached before. He even crashed into several cars. Finally, he arrived at a familiar intersection.
At that moment, Robert saw a black sports car pass by his car at high speed.
