Chapter 2
The police arrived quickly.
Under Mr. Pierce’s threatening glare and Summer’s gentle yet cutting presence, I remained firm in my accusation
Right then, Mr. Pierce was taken away.
Ignoring his murderous store, I stood my ground unflinchingly
The wedding had been ruined, and I’d achieved my goal.
After giving my statement, I collapsed by my doorstep, wrestling with my thoughts all night.
Throughout the night, memories of the past seven years lingered in my mind.
The irony was, no matter how many times I sifted through these memories, I couldn’t find a single piece of evidence that
Pierce ever loved me.
Looking back carefully, his infidelity had shown clear signs all along
From the stort of our marriage, I know he had his Moonlight
Just because he said. “I forgot her, just give me time.”
I dove right in.
I thought if I tried hard enough, if I persevered long enough, he would finally se
But reality proved that Pierce couldn’t forget her, nor did he intend to.
The girl he couldn’t have in his youth became his permanent obsession.
The more time passed, the more he yearned for her
At first, he still tried to suppress it.
But when Summer returned to the country and entered showbusiness, everything changed after he saw her shining on
stoge
After that, he didn’t even bother hiding it anymore
When drunk, he would repeatedly cry out Summer’s name
Professing his love for her, expressing his regrets
During geological survey team deployments, he would write letter after letter of last wishes
Each one asking after Summer, wishing her well
During surveys, he would write Summer’s name at the highest, most dangerous spots.
He’d secretly photograph these, print them out, and gaze at them day and night.
His love for Summer was bone–deep
I’d thought about divorce more than once, but every time I brought it up. he’d look at me with those fragile, sensitive eyes, repeatedly promising he’d change, insisting our child needed a father.
Each time, I would soften.
I believed he would change, yielding time after time, stopping back repeatedly, indulging him endlessly.
But what I got in return was his mysterious disappearance.
A year ago, during what should have been a low–risk survey operation, Pierce suddenly vanished.
The survey team searched every inch of the mountain but found no trace of him.
Everyone believed he’d met with an accident, even hold a funeral service for him.
Only Irefused to believe it, refused to give up searching.
Ijuggled caring for Riley, looking after his parents, and continuing the search.
Even when exhausted to the point of collapse, I’d fantasize about him returning one day, finding everything perfectly managed by me, holding me tight in his arms, finally forgetting the past and genuinely building our little family together.
But I never imagined that after waiting for a year.
What id get was his wedding.
Hot tears rolled down my cheeks, somewhat clearing my foggy mind.
Taking a deep breath, I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand.
If Pierce could never lot go, then so be it.
You can’t force love after all.
