Chapter 4
When I woke up again, Noah was gripping my hand tightly. His eyes were bloodshot, like he was about to cry.
"Erin, you scared me to death. I thought I was going to lose you."
He pulled me into a tight embrace, his voice choking. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone on the side of the road. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
"Thank God you're okay. I really wouldn't know how to go on living if something happened to you..."
He kissed my hair, his voice still trembling with lingering fear. But I only felt the irony of it all.
I pushed him away coldly. "You're hurting me."
Noah immediately let go and apologized.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke. "Why were you in a car accident on Second Street? That's nowhere near the hospital."
"A friend called me at the last minute. He lives nearby."
I hated lies, yet here I was, lying with such ease.
Noah's brow furrowed immediately, his tone tinged with jealousy. "What friend? Who would ask you to go out while you were running a fever?"
I wanted to laugh. Hadn't he done the exact same thing, abandoning his feverish fiancee on the roadside for his mistress?
I made up a random name to brush him off, then claimed I wasn't feeling well and asked him to leave.
Shortly after, the company called. "Erin, we heard you were in a car accident. About the overseas assignment..."
"I'm still going. I'll be on that flight tomorrow."
I stared out the window at a plane crossing the sky, my resolve stronger than ever before.
After hanging up, I immediately steadied myself against the wall to handle my discharge paperwork for tomorrow. Suddenly, Heidi burst into the hospital room.
She put on a show of concern, her fake sympathy making me sick. Unable to take it anymore, I shoved her away.
"Heidi, stop pretending! I know everything about you and Noah!"
She froze for a moment, then laughed. "Oh? I didn't expect you to find out. But do you know something else? Because of this accident, you can't have children anymore."
I froze, staring at her in disbelief.
Heidi smiled lightly. "Noah decided to keep it from you after all. Makes sense though. This is the perfect reason for a future divorce. Why would he reveal it early?
"Since you already know the truth, why are you still clinging to him so shamelessly? Noah says you love him, but I think you just love his money and power. That's why you won't leave, right?
"Erin, you're really pathetic."
"Say that again!" I raised my hand to slap her, but a hand caught my wrist firmly.
"Erin, what are you doing?" Noah stormed in, his face dark.
Heidi immediately put on a wounded expression. "I just came to check on my sister, but she's still mad at me about the wedding venue. She said I was out of line and wanted to teach me a lesson..."
Noah frowned. "Erin, I already agreed at the banquet to have the wedding in Bapo. What more do you want?"
Looking at the two of them, I couldn't help but laugh bitterly. I didn't even have the energy to explain.
I just turned my head to look at the bruise spreading across my wrist and choked out, "Noah, I'm still injured. Can you let go?"
Noah froze and immediately released me, discomfort flashing across his face. "You're still injured, so I won't hold today against you. But I don't want to see you bullying Heidi again.
"Tomorrow is our wedding. There's no need to make things ugly today."
With that, he pulled Heidi out of the hospital room. I'd never felt so exhausted in my life. But I couldn't stop now.
That night, I wrote a long letter for Mom and Dad. They'd always doted on me. They would never agree to let me go somewhere so remote and dangerous.
So I planned to tell them the truth only after I'd left.
As I placed the letter in the drawer, Noah walked in. He sat on the edge of the bed, gently touching the wrist he'd injured. "Does it hurt?"
I immediately pulled my hand back without answering him.
Noah sighed. "Erin, Heidi is just a bit naive. She doesn't have any bad intentions. She..."
"I know." I cut him off directly. "If there's nothing else, please leave. I'm tired."
Hearing the coldness in my tone, he paused, but quickly recovered his composure. "Get some rest then. The flight to Bapo is scheduled for tomorrow at noon. I'll come pick you up."
Before leaving, he gripped the doorframe and looked back at me once more. "Erin, I don't want to fight with you anymore. You have to believe that I love you. Okay?"
When I didn't respond, he slowly closed the door.
He wanted me to believe him? I laughed bitterly. Remembering everything from the past two days, how could I possibly believe him?
Early the next morning, I went to the front desk to complete my discharge paperwork and handed them the letter to pass on. Then I left without looking back.
On the way, I received a message from Noah. "Erin, time to wake up. Don't miss the flight."
I looked up at the plane in front of me and smiled faintly. Then I snapped my SIM card in half.
I'd already boarded my own flight. As for the one with Noah, I'd never be able to get on it again for the rest of my life.
Farewell, Noah.
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