I returned home alone, sorted out all the diaries and photos that were tokens of our love over the years and burned them all.
I also signed for my portable crutches so that it would be more convenient for me to leave.
I saw Eloise’s updated WhatsApp story again. [My uncle is too worried about me. I just choked on the water, but he booked the entire hospital to check me up. There were so many doctors surrounding me, making me suffer from social anxiety.]
A familiar voice of a man came out from the video, “Be good and get all the tests done, so I can feel at ease, okay?”
In the evening, Gilbert came back very late.
As he came back, Eloise was with him.
“Eloise is scared to stay at home alone and she needs someone to take care of her until she recovers. So, I will take her home to live with us for a few days.”
Anyway, that would not be my home soon, so I had no objection.
Gilbert smelled the smell of ashes in the air and asked, “Is something burning? Why is there a burnt smell?”
“Nothing, I just burned some unimportant things.”
Gilbert's face darkened after hearing my answer. “Don't burn those things at home anymore. It's not good for Eloise’s lungs.”
I nodded. Since everything had been burned, there was no need to burn any more.
I went to bed early because I had a fever.
Late at night, a loud thunder exploded outside the window.
When I woke up, I subconsciously wanted to hide in Gilbert's arms.
Ever since the car accident, I had had a stress reaction to loud noises.
During those three years, it was Gilbert who hugged me tightly every time and told me that he was there, so that I did not need to be afraid. That was how I was able to get through it.
But that time I failed.
Gilbert had already gotten out of bed and put on his coat. “Eloise is most afraid of thunder. I'll go over and take a look.”
I shook my head and laughed at myself. Even at that moment, I still subconsciously relied on Gilbert.
Watching his back as he left, I stood up and put the signed divorce agreement on the table.
I also took out my mobile phone and dialed the driver’s number I had prepared.
“You can pick me up now.”
As I was walking past the guest room on the first floor with my crutches, I heard Eloise sobbing from inside, “Uncle, you obviously still like me, don't you?
“I can see that you start to forget me and often defend Leonor in front of me now. Please tell me, what should I do to get your love again, uncle.”
Eloise put her arms around Gilbert's neck and offered her lips to him.
Gilbert turned his head away a few times, but finally could not help but grabbed the back of Eloise's head with one hand and kissed her back deeply.
The thunder outside the window illuminating the two people's lips and tongues entwined clearly.
The unstoppable pain in my heart overwhelmed me and I turned around decisively.
We walked out of the villa gate, got into the car that had been waiting for us and drove away into the distance in the pouring rain.
***
The next morning, Gilbert woke up beside Eloise's bed.
He glanced at Eloise who was still sleeping and could not help but kiss her forehead.
The sun was shining outside the window. After all, he had been away from home for no reason all night. He was thinking about ways to apologize to Leonor and make amends.
So, he ordered the breakfast meal that she liked the most.
Leonor was a picky person after all.
Gilbert picked up his phone to order food, but his assistant called him instead.
“Mr. Rogers, something bad has happened. Last night, your wife was traveling by car and encountered a mudslide on the road. Both the car and the people were washed into the lake,” he said.
