Chapter 7

It rained lightly on the day of the funeral. Alyssa held the urn containing Paul's ashes in her arms. However, not a single teardrop fell. She went through all the funeral rites mechanically like a soulless puppet. When she got home, she saw Nicole's latest post on social media. In the photo, Nicole leaned sweetly into Hendrix's arms. The caption read, "Thank you for turning off your phone just to take care of me!" Alyssa gently set down Paul's portrait. Her lips pulled into a strained smile that rendered her expression even uglier than if she were crying. The sound of the door lock turning startled her. Hendrix rushed in, rainwater still clinging to his suit. In a trembling voice, he said, "I'm sorry… I just found out about Paul. I didn't mean to hog all the blood. I didn't turn off my phone on purpose too. I'm sorry, Alyssa. I honestly had no idea." He then stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. "Look at me! Yell at me, or hit me. Please just don't ignore me like this." But Alyssa didn't respond. She gave him a long, weary look before pulling away to walk back to her room. In the days that followed, Hendrix desperately tried to make amends. He hired the best gardeners to plant the entire yard with camellias, Paul's favorite flower. Next, he bought an entire island and named it after Paul. He even purchased a rare sapphire, claiming it was the gem Paul had loved most. Every gift was extravagant to the point of absurdity, and every gesture was flawless in its execution. But they all came too late. Paul was gone. He didn't need any of it now. So, no matter what Hendrix did, Alyssa remained indifferent. She didn't even glance at him. Eventually, Hendrix broke down completely. One day, he grabbed Alyssa's wrist and forced a dagger into her hand. With bloodshot eyes, he croaked pleadingly, "Alyssa, if you hate me, stab me. Please… Just don't treat me like I'm air. It's all my fault. Please forgive me." Alyssa's fingers were as cold as ice, and the dagger lay motionless in her palm. Her eyes showed no fluctuation of emotions. She remained unperturbed, as if the man in front of her had nothing to do with her anymore. Her lack of reaction spurred Hendrix into grabbing her hand and thrusting the blade toward his own chest. "You're insane!" Alyssa blurted in shock, wrenching her hand free just in time. With a sharp clang, the dagger clattered to the ground. Her chest rose and fell as her breath quickened due to the intense shock. Her fingers trembled intensely. She clearly had not expected that Hendrix would go this far. After taking several deep breaths to regain her composure, Alyssa said frigidly, "I won't hurt you, Hendrix. You have to live well." Of course, he had to go on living to feel unimaginable pain. He had yet to experience suffering so immense that he'd wish he were dead. He still had to live with the realization that he was the one who had pushed her to disappear from his world forever. But Hendrix didn't catch the weight of her words. He thought she had softened her stance. Joy flooded his eyes as he pulled her into an embrace and cried into her shoulder without restraint. He choked with relief, "I knew it. I knew you wouldn't let me go just like that…" Alyssa didn't push him away. She didn't return the hug either and simply stared out the window. Her gaze fell on the gentle smile Paul had in his funeral portrait. From that day on, Hendrix stayed glued to her side. He gifted her priceless jewels, but she never spared them a glance. He held her every night as they slept, even when she lay with her back to him, silent and unmoving. He also cleared his entire schedule to make it up to her. Alyssa was like the most delicate and exquisite toy he cared for and tended to meticulously. Only in the dead of night would she stare at the calendar. Her gaze zoned in on the date circled in red, which was the day the divorce cooling-off period ended. That day was fast approaching. Her freedom was close.