“Why won’t you tell her? She deserves to know. I’ll tell her right now.”
Lily pulled out her phone. I stopped her.
“There’s no need!”
If this had been any day before yesterday, I might not have stopped Lily. But after everything that happened yesterday—every word Sophia said—I couldn’t bear it.
I was terrified that if she knew I was dying, she would stand before me and spit venomously, “Why couldn’t you have died sooner? You destroyed the happiness Ethan and I could have had!”
If she said that, I would crumble.
“Why won’t you tell her? Does she still misunderstand what happened back then? Let me explain it to her.”
Once again, I stopped Lily and waved her off.
“It’s not necessary. Let the truth of what happened back then stay buried with me.”
Sophia believed that it was I who pressured her parents to stop her from going abroad to find Ethan and forced her to stay and marry me.
But the truth was, it was her parents who disapproved of her relationship with Ethan. They came to me and begged me to help them stage a charade.
Of course, I agreed. Because I loved Sophia.
I thought that as time passed, she would forget Ethan and I could slowly tell her the truth. But no matter how much warmth I offered, it couldn’t thaw her frozen heart.
For years, we lived as a couple in name only. In reality, she saw me as an enemy, blaming me for interfering and ruining her happiness with Ethan.
Rather than reveal the truth and make her resent her parents as well, I’d rather be the villain she hates. After all, I don’t have much time left.
Sophia’s call came through. “I’m waiting for you in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau.”
Her voice was cold. I replied calmly,
“Okay.”
As soon as I hung up, Lily spoke, “I’m coming with you.”
I instinctively wanted to refuse, but before I could say a word, she added, “I won’t tell Sophia anything. I just don’t feel comfortable letting you go alone.”
I didn’t refuse again and nodded in agreement.
Sophia wasn’t waiting alone in front of the City Hall. Beside her stood Ethan.
Ethan looked just as he had years ago. Today, he seemed especially cheerful, unable to hide the smile on his face.
When Sophia saw Lily and me arrive together, she was surprised.
“Lily, why are you here?”
Lily’s expression was blank. “Sophia, do you really have to divorce James?”
Sophia sneered at me.
“James Charbel, did you ask Lily to come and plead for you?”
Before I could respond, Lily cut in, “No, James didn’t ask me. I came on my own.”
“Sophia, I urge you to reconsider. James loves you deeply—more than your parents do. You must have felt that over the years.”
Sophia frowned but didn’t argue.
Ethan stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Sophia. Smiling, he said to Lily,
“James indeed loves Sophia, but love has to be mutual. Sophia doesn’t love him; she’s always loved me.”
“And I believe my love for Sophia is no less than his.”
Lily sneered. “You have the nerve to say that? Who was it that abandoned Sophia without hesitation to go abroad back then?”
“I never saw any sign that you loved her. The only person you’ve ever loved is yourself.”
Ethan’s face darkened.
Sophia’s expression turned grim.
“Lily, there’s no need to bring up the past. Ethan had no choice back then. He didn’t mean to abandon me. It was James who forced my parents to forbid me from going abroad and made me marry him.”
