Chapter 3

Silas thought for a moment before nodding with a gentle smile. "Alright. Let's reveal our surprises together on our anniversary. It'll be more meaningful that way." Elodie was suddenly curious to find out the kind of expression that he would have when he heard of her death and saw the divorce papers. Would he be shocked, confused, or relieved? He tried to comfort her, "I heard there's a great movie out. Do you want to watch it together?" She didn't want to, but the cinema he mentioned was next to their high school building. It was where he had confessed his feelings for her for the first time. They had shared countless sweet and romantic moments on the street behind the school when they were still students. Those were their happiest and most love-filled days. Since everything had started there, it should end there too. The crowd was thick at the cinema. Silas gently wrapped her arm around Elodie, shielding her from being jostled. A few girls in the crowd recognized them. "Oh my gosh! Isn't that Mr. Creed? That woman in his arms must be his wife! She's gorgeous!" "Oh dear, how does someone like him even exist? He's handsome and even faithful!" "They're such a perfect match. They're a dream couple…" He protected her until they reached their seats. Then, he took off her coat and held it for her. The cinema manager came rushing over with a fawning smile, carrying a hand warmer and a cup of brown sugar ginger tea. "Mr. Creed, we heard Mrs. Creed isn't feeling well these past few days. We've prepared these for her as per your request. Is there anything else you need?" Silas accepted them before placing the warmer on her lower abdomen and handing her the tea. "It's the perfect temperature. Elodie, here. Drink some." She accepted it emotionlessly and wordlessly like a robot. Silas frowned slightly and said to the manager, "Get us some snacks too. Nothing too oily, spicy, or sweet. Elodie doesn't like those." "Sure. Got it. Right away." With that, the manager scurried off. The movie's opening had already played across the big screen. A woman quietly approached Elodie and whispered, "Excuse me. My seat's inside. May I get through?" The lights were already dimmed. Elodie couldn't react immediately and instinctively moved aside to let her pass. It wasn't until the woman walked past her and Silas and finally sat down beside him that she suddenly realized the voice was painfully familiar. She was the woman who was tangled with Silas in the video. It was Avery. Avery accidentally tilted her cup a second later, spilling the soda onto Silas' lower abdomen. "Oh no! I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry…" She apologized as she reached into her bag for a napkin and began wiping his shirt. However, her hands didn't stop at the stomach. His abdomen was clearly the part that was wet, yet she kept moving her hand lower and pressing down as if teasing him. Elodie could feel the arm wrapped around her shoulder suddenly tensing before his entire body stiffened. She glanced at his lower abdomen out of the corners of her eyes. Silas gripped Avery's wrist firmly and shot her a warning glance as if telling her not to make a scene. However, Avery still wore a playful grin and continued wiping with the napkin, neither too gently nor too roughly. "Sir, how about I buy you a pair of pants?" "No, it's fine." His voice turned hoarse. The movie began. It was an animated film. The animals were adorable, and the storyline brought a lot of laughter. However, Elodie couldn't enjoy it at all. The movie had already played for ten minutes, and Silas suddenly got to his feet. "Elodie, the manager doesn't know what snacks you like. I'll go check with him." He still held her coat. He draped the coat over his arm to hide the reaction in his lower body. Avery also got up and followed as he left. She curled her lips into a mocking smile and glanced at Elodie as she passed her seat. It was as if she were saying, "See? He still chooses me." Elodie received a text message five minutes later. "Women's restroom." She left the theater quickly and headed to the end of the corridor where the restroom was. She heard the muffled grunts of a man trying to restrain himself and the broken pleas of a woman from the first stall in the women's restroom. There was no doubt that the woman was Avery. The man's voice sounded even more familiar to her. She froze in place like she had turned to stone. The noises in the stall grew louder. The woman cried out sharply. She then heard him laugh softly. "That's it? You tracked me to the cinema, and that's all you got?" Avery whimpered and was caught between laughing and sobbing as she replied, "I missed you. I just didn't want to see you with her." His voice turned colder. "I can agree to anything else you want, but you can't bring Elodie into this. You've crossed the line today." "Fine. I get it. But don't you think it's thrilling to do it in a dark theater like this?" He let out a chuckle. "Yeah, kind of." "How about we continue tonight?" His voice was now rough and gravelly. "I'll buy tickets for the midnight show." "Make sure it's the last row. That way, we don't have to sneak around in the restroom. We can just do it in our seats…" The manager came running toward the restroom at that moment. He wasn't holding the snacks but a small square box. He called out softly outside the women's restroom, "Mr. Creed, I brought the protection at your request." The sounds inside finally paused momentarily. Silas' figure appeared at the entrance. Elodie quickly ducked behind a pillar. Her heart was pounding. She heard him let out a chuckle again. "Fast service." "Of course. The movie only lasts for three hours. We can't waste your precious moment." Silas sounded pleased. "Take good care of Elodie. Don't let her get suspicious, alright?" "Don't worry, Mr. Creed. Mrs. Creed seems like a naive girl. Girls like her are the easiest to fool. She'll believe everything you say." Elodie left in a hurry, almost as if she were running away. She returned to her seat and cried for a few minutes before telling herself that was the last time—the very last time she would cry for him. The truth was, it wasn't even for him. It was for the boy in her memories, the one who once had eyes only for her. However, he was no longer the same person. Since that was the case, she didn't want him anymore.