Chapter 6
Richard stared in disbelief. “What? How is that possible?”
The village chief hurriedly crouched down beside his granddaughter. “Child, tell me what you saw a couple of days ago at the barracks.“&
The little girl spoke with the innocence of youth, “Grandpa told me to play outside. I saw you close the door and not long after, a lady came with a lunchbox and stood at the door for a while.”
“And then what happened?” Richard pressed.§
The girl thought for a moment, “Then… the lady started crying while standing on the stairs and after that, an uncle and grandpa came out and I went home…”
In that instant, Richard felt a wave of disbelief wash over him. If Evelyn had truly heard everything, there was no way she would remain so composed.
As Richard reflected on those past events, a twinge of guilt washed over him. Yet, as he thought about my recent strange behavior, a gnawing unease began to creep in.§
The village chief noticed his distracted expression and pressed on, “Rick, if what you’re thinking is true, when you get home, you really ought to have a heart–to–heart with Evelyn. After all…“}
But before he could finish his thought, Richard was off and running. He believed that even if I had overheard everything, he would find a way to explain himself and ask for my forgiveness.
However, upon arriving home and instinctively calling out my name, he was met only with silence.
The house felt achingly empty.
His heart raced as a wave of anxiety washed over him. That’s when he noticed a document lying on the coffee table. He picked it up and his breath caught in his throat- it was a divorce agreement. The stark words hit him like a punch to the gut.
At the bottom of the page, our names were signed in neat, unmistakable script. He couldn’t doubt the agreement’s originality.
In that moment, Richard recalled the other day at house when he was busy comforting Margaret. I had handed him a document to sign, telling him it was just a formality.
It turned out it was never a proof of pregnancy; it was a divorce agreement.§
As Richard’s eyes fell on a blank piece of paper beside it, he trembled as he unfolded it.”
The letter read:
[Richard, I’m leaving. Please don’t come looking for me.”
I heard everything you said to the village chief that day. And I know you’ve always loved Margaret.}
I’m done with this sham of a marriage. You two can be together openly now.]>
In that moment, Richard’s heart plummeted. The cruel reality hit him hard, leaving him shaking uncontrollably.
He finally knew that I had known everything all along. I simply kept quiet, waiting for my time to leave and give him this shocking revelation.
“No… it’s not what you think, Eve! You’ve got it all wrong; please let me explain. I know I messed up in the past, but I really want to make this work with you now.“!
Richard murmured to himself, trying desperately to find the right words, but all that greeted him was the heavy silence of an empty.
house.
