###3
That commanding tone, as if I were nothing more than his employee or some lowly servant.
Before marrying Elio, I had been a well-known student in the field of sculpture. I had already won several international awards while still in college.
Every year, on his parents’ birthdays, I would carve a pair of statues for them.
For our wedding anniversaries, I always crafted the most unique gifts with my own hands.
But this time, the design Elio showed me was of Alyssa’s favorite anime character.
I fell silent.
After a long moment, it was as if Elio finally sensed how unreasonable his demand was.
He mumbled, “Forget it.”
But I had already climbed out of bed, my lips pressed into a tight line. “I’ll go to my studio to start preparing now.”
Five years ago, if it hadn’t been for him, my father’s legal case would never have been resolved so smoothly.
And without the money for treatment, maybe my father wouldn’t have survived at all.
Once I finished this sculpture, I would consider us even.
As I walked away alone, Elio stood there in a daze and murmured, “Abigail.”
I turned back calmly. “What else do you need?”
“Nothing… Just be careful with your hands… don’t get hurt.”
Before turning around again, I couldn’t help but smile faintly.
If he truly understood what being hurt meant, I wouldn’t have been wounded so deeply and for so long.
On the way to the studio, I began deleting our entire history from my phone.
That was when I realized I had sent him 6,541 messages over the past five years.
He had replied only thirty times.
On the third night, I received a call from Elio.
“What are you doing?”
I was at a sculpture exhibition. My voice was indifferent. “Why? I already delivered the piece. Didn’t you receive it?”
His voice sounded soft, almost gentle. “No, I got it. It’s beautiful, really well done.”
After a brief pause, he added, “Um… for our fifth wedding anniversary, is there something you want?”
Before I could answer, Alyssa’s delicate voice drifted through the line.
“Even though everyone says Sister Abigail and I look alike, you can make such beautiful sculptures, while I can’t do anything. No wonder brother Elio won’t let me lift a finger. Even when I drink, he insists on feeding me himself.”
Elio suddenly raised his voice, cutting her off. “That’s enough. I’m hanging up.”
The next moment, all I heard was the cold, mechanical dial tone.
Two minutes later, he sent me a location pin. [Bring a pack of sanitary pads for Alyssa.]
When I arrived at the hotel pool, Elio was holding Alyssa’s hand, patiently teaching her how to swim.
The instant my footsteps reached the edge of the water, his brows knitted tightly. “What are you doing here?”
Alyssa leaned against his chest, her eyes misting over in the rippling blue. “I’m sorry, brother Elio. I just ran out and lied to Sister so she’d bring them for me.”
Elio’s expression softened at once, and he gently pulled her from the pool.
He ran his fingers through Alyssa’s wet black hair and softly asked if she was feeling unwell.
I tossed the sanitary pads into his arms. “I’ll be going now.”
Seeing my calm and unbothered face, Elio actually looked a little agitated. “Abigail, don’t you have anything else to say to me?”
I looked at him in confusion. “What do you want me to say?”
Watching how gentle he was with her made me jealous.
No. I wanted to congratulate him. He had finally gotten what he wanted.
Elio’s face grew even darker. Suddenly, he let go of Alyssa and reached his hand toward me.
I stepped aside to avoid his touch. As he stared at me in stunned silence, I turned and walked away from the pool with long strides.
Just as I stepped into the hallway, I heard a voice calling after me from behind.
