As the rain lashed down, a lone figure emerged from the darkness. She was a woman, her long coat clinging to her body, her hair plastered to her face. Her eyes, once bright and full of life, now seemed dull and lifeless, weighed down by the crushing pain of heartbreak.
She walked slowly, her feet heavy with the burden of her shattered dreams. Her husband, once her rock, her confidant, her soulmate, had betrayed her trust. His infidelity had left her reeling, her heart torn into a million pieces.
Anne Forrest didn't know how she managed to put on a tranquil face and turn away. She could only hear the gritting sound as her teeth clenched together. She told herself she couldn't cry. She needed to stand straight, hold her head high, and smile as she walked out of the sight of that adulterous man and woman.
Getting into her car, Anne didn't know where to go. She just knew she had to leave, to escape this nauseating, infuriating, yet soul-crushingly powerless scene. Her head was full of that smug face, of Robert indifference.
The roar of the car's engine sounded like a bomb, exploding all her held-back emotions. Bitterness and hatred in an instant burned away all restraint.
The car careened out of control on Binhe Boulevard, its tires screeching in a desperate bid for traction before plummeting headfirst into the churning river. Water erupted into a frenzied dance, a thousand glassy shards refracting the faint moonlight.
"Why did you do this to me?" The anguished cry echoed through the night, a heart-wrenching plea for answers.
"Why were you so cruel?" The words hung in the air, a haunting accusation that seemed to reverberate across the water.
The river, once a tranquil ribbon of silver, had become a turbulent grave, its waves whispering dark secrets to the deserted boulevard.
"Why has my selfless sacrifice led to this outcome?"
Why... why....
A slap in the face was served to Anne in such a mocking way, taking her by surprise. The straightforward and bloody method was ridiculously cliche. If she could rate her life, she would give it the lowest score possible.
Just moments ago, Robert Hunter - her husband - had his arm wrapped by another woman. A vibrant and beautiful young girl with a face beaming with satisfaction and arrogance.
She wished to hang all over Robert , and that despicable man didn't reject or stop her.
She said, "Sis, look, this is the diamond ring Robert bought for me." She lifted her hand, showing off the large diamond on her ring finger. The shining light from the gem appeared to mock this housewife who knew nothing.
The youthful, red lips said, "We've been together for five years."
The soft hand stroked her still-flat belly and said, "Look, we've got a baby on the way too. He's surely going to be as handsome and cute as Robert."
The mocking look in her eyes seemed to say, “Old lady, you’ve lost. He’s going to divorce you now; he’s mine. Start packing your stuff and make room for me.”
The man beside her showed no concern, his face strained as if constipated. A bitter laugh, this was the man she'd spent over a decade with, this seemingly perfect man in other's eyes, the flawless egg which is unattractive to flies. However, reality always tears off every hypocritical mask, sooner or later.
To Anne , stepping into middle age, was just like thousands of ordinary housewives straining over their husband's and child's three meals a day. After seeing her husband and child off in the morning, she would tidy up the household chores, then chat with her friends, or visit some art exhibition alone. Ever since she got married to Robert , she'd given up her job, concentrating wholeheartedly on managing the household. Her social circle was small and confined to her castle-like home. Many would say these were signs of the beginning of a midlife crisis.
The world is too small. So small, that you meet someone with just a turn around. But also too big, with no way to retreat.
Goodbye. If reincarnation exists, I will not repeat the same mistakes.
"Anne , Anne , wake up..."
Still groggy, Anne heard someone calling her name. The sound was desperate yet familiar. Upon opening her eyes, she was momentarily stunned. She rubbed her eyes and turned her head to look; it was the thatched cottage of her parental home from her memories. Liam, her elder brother who was a year older than her and looking like a teenager, was holding her arm anxiously at this moment.
Could this be a VIP treatment for the newly deceased, meeting family before having MengPo Soup*, sharing a reunion dinner? King Yan** still cared about the people's opinion, it seems.
Notes:
*MengPo Soup is a legendary soup that is supposed to erase one's memories from their past life before reincarnation.
**The Devil is a figure commonly known as the ruler of the underworld.
