Valentin was eventually rescued by the police, but the help came too late—his leg was broken. As his neighbor, I quickly heard the news. It wasn't just about Valentin's condition; it was accompanied by murmurs about me.
"Did you hear? Graham's kid begged Sylvie Powell to save Valentin the other day, but she just stood there, saying it wouldn't matter if he died. Can you believe someone would say that?"
"I thought they were always close? Sylvie Powell has been training in self-defense since she was young, and she's pretty good. Why would she suddenly freeze up when it counted?"
"They were supposed to become in-laws, right? Well, that's off the table now."
Listening to the gossip, I didn't feel guilty. I knew the police would save him, so I wasn't truly leaving him to fate.
When I saw Valentin again, he was limping, and his eyes showed nothing but disdain as he looked at me. "Sylvie, thanks for leaving me hanging. From now on, let's go our separate ways."
Hearing his words and seeing the hatred in his eyes, I realized he had also been reborn. I met his gaze calmly and replied with a simple "Fine."
Valentin looked surprised, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "I hope you mean it. Don't come after me like a shadow later."
A wave of bitterness washed over me. In our past life, Valentin's parents had pushed for our marriage partly because I had saved him and partly due to their fears about his involvement with the troublemaker, Anais Gray, worried it would derail his future.
But he thought I'd used saving his life to emotionally blackmail his parents. For thirty years of our marriage, he treated me with cold indifference.
I believed with enough patience, I could eventually warm his heart. But those thirty years of silence taught me that some hearts can't be thawed. Not only that, but they freeze everything around them.
My beloved daughter turned against me, swayed by a few of his words. Anais had won her over with a simple stuffed bear.
I had bought her so many toys, but it never mattered. All she ever cared about was that I had supposedly kept Valentin and Anais apart.
"It's all because of you that Dad and Aunt Anais couldn't be together."
Fine, then. I hope they find happiness together.
I let it go and quickly went home to update my college applications.
