Chapter 11
Gerrald knew that no matter what he did, he could never repay what he owed Jenny.
“I’m going to find Jenny. Whether she’s dead or alive, I have to find her.”
Luck, it seemed, was on my side. Before boarding the plane, a foreign girl standing ahead of me suddenly collapsed from acute appendicitis, gasping words in a language only I could understand. It was a matter of life and death- I couldn’t ignore it. I rushed her to the hospital, staying until the surgery was complete. It wasn’t until later that I saw the news: the flight I was supposed to be on had crashed.
Her name was Julie–a bold, confident woman with a sharp wit. She had been traveling alone, only to stumble into this unexpected twist of fate. Ironically, the very incident that nearly took her life ended up saving mine.
Out of a sense of responsibility, I stayed to help her recover and in time, we became friends. She was observant, noticing things I had long stopped thinking about. One day, her eyes fell on my missing pinky.
“What happened?” she asked.
Perhaps I had kept it bottled up for too long, because, for the first time, I told the truth.
When I finished, she leaned back, crossed her arms and said, “Want me to take care of those two bastards for you? Trust me, sis is good at this.”
I thought she was joking, but still, her words carried a warmth I hadn’t felt in years. I chuckled, shaking my head. “I wouldn’t want to trouble an innocent person.”
After Julie was discharged, she invited me to stay at her place for a while. I didn’t refuse. She also arranged for someone to help me get a new identity, making it impossible for Gerrald to track me down. When I arrived at her home, I realized just how powerful she truly was–wealthy, well–connected and utterly fearless.
It wasn’t long before Julie delivered unexpected news: Lydia was dead.
Her body was found in an alley, brutalized beyond recognition. She had suffered. Especially in a certain part.
Meanwhile, Gerrald had publicly canceled their wedding, announcing that he already had a wife–me–and was desperately searching for my
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whereabouts. I couldn’t understand him. Hadn’t he been willing to throw everything away for Lydia? And now, suddenly, he was chasing after me? It no longer mattered.
What I didn’t expect was to run into him so soon. Julle and I were out shopping when she excused herself to the restroom. As I waited, I turned–and there he was. Gerrald. He looked like a man who had been hollowed out. His beard was unkempt, dark circles marred his green–tinted eyes and he had lost so much weight that his once–commanding presence seemed… diminished.
Step by step, he walked toward me. I turned to leave, but his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist.
“Jenny… please, let me look at you.”
His voice was hoarse, desperate.
“Let go. Don’t touch me.” My voice was cold, devoid of emotion.
He released me immediately, as if afraid I would disappear into thin air.
“Jenny, I know I made a terrible mistake. I didn’t realize what was in my heart. I hurt you. I killed our child.”
His voice trembled. “I don’t expect your forgiveness. I just wanted to see you, to tell you in person how sorry I am.”
I stared at him, my expression unreadable. “Gerrald, what you need to do now is not to stand in front of me, spewing apologies. If you truly regret everything, then atone for your sins.”
He nodded quickly, looking so painfully humble that, once, I might have pitied him.
“I will.”
Then, hesitantly, with a fragile hope in his eyes, he asked, “Jenny, if there’s a next life… could you let me make it up to you?”
I raised my left hand–the one missing a finger–and let him see what he had done to me.
“That day, the doctor told me that if I had brought my severed finger in time, it could have been reattached. But I refused. Do you know why?”
His eyes filled with pain as he shook his head.
“Because I knew that it wasn’t just a finger I was cutting off–it was my feelings for you.”
I inhaled sharply. “From the moment I learned the truth, I decided that in
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this life, in the next, for all eternity, I would leave you behind and never look back.”
The blood drained from his face. His body swayed slightly as if he might collapse right there. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, with a broken smile that was more painful than tears, he whispered, “I understand. Don’t worry–I won’t bother you again.”
His lips trembled. “Jenny… I wish you happiness.”
And then he walked away. Five minutes later, a deafening explosion echoed through the streets.
“Oh my god! Someone jumped from the building!”
“Call an ambulance!”
“It’s no use. His head’s… he’s gone. He must’ve met Hades already.”
Julie returned from the restroom, looking at the crowd in confusion. “What’s going on? Why is everyone so loud?”
I glanced over at the commotion, then back at her, my expression indifferent.
“Nothing. Just someone finally atoning for their sins.”
(The End)
