Chapter 4

Sophia went to the company.

I quickly found a phone and called my parents.

But all that awaited me was the message that no one was answering.

What had happened to my parents?

Why did Mrs. Lin, the neighbor, cry? And why did Sophia seem hesitant to speak?

I called my best friend next.

"Hello, who is this?"

Hearing his voice, I felt so moved I wanted to cry.

When Sophia forcibly sent me to the psychiatric hospital, my phone was taken away.

I tried to escape from that place countless times, but each time I was caught and brought back.

Then they would give me stronger doses of medication.

I would be in a daze for a long time before gradually regaining consciousness.

I used to fantasize that Sophia would come to see me and take me out.

As long as she could take me out, I would do anything she wanted, be her dog, or completely disappear from her sight.

I had been tortured to the point of completely losing my sense of self.

But I waited and waited, until I couldn't wait anymore.

My nose stung, and tears suddenly welled up in my eyes.

My best friend Ryan was the person I missed most after my parents.

"It's me, Ryan. It's me, Liam."

"Oh my God, Liam, you've finally shown up. Where have you been these three years? You don't know how crazy your parents went looking for you."

"Later, they went to find Sophia, I don't know what happened. When they came back, they were in a daze. Not long after, there was an accident... your whole family, your parents and your brother, they all died in that car crash."

"What?!"

By the end, Ryan was choking up and could barely speak.

It was like a bolt from the blue.

Although I had a premonition, when the real news came, I still couldn't accept it.

Seeing that I remained silent for a long time, Ryan anxiously called my name.

"Liam, don't scare me. Where are you? What exactly happened to you?"

The pain in my heart made it difficult to breathe, but at this moment, I couldn't shed a single tear.

I raised my hand and mechanically slapped my own face.

Again and again.

Until it was swollen and numb.

"It's all my fault. I killed my parents and brother."

I said mechanically.

Endless regret overwhelmed me like a tide.

But I could never bring my parents back.

The one who should have died was me, so why did the retribution fall on my loved ones?

Ryan said he was on a business trip out of town and told me to stay at Sophia's house for one night.

He would come to pick me up tomorrow.

I agreed.

I sat with my arms wrapped around myself from day to night.

Not eating or drinking anything, feeling nothing.

When Sophia came back, the sudden light hurt my eyes.

"Why aren't you resting? Were you waiting for me?" she asked.

Her expression was unusually gentle.

Sophia's attitude towards me had never been good after that incident, and it only got worse. Only occasionally, when she was in the mood, would she show me a bit of kindness.

I always gave her whatever she wanted, and even when she was in a bad mood and took it out on me, I didn't mind.

And the few times we shared a bed, she never faced me.

I thought she was tired.

Later, I found out that she simply didn't want to look at my face.

She would get up in the middle of the night to call Garrett.

Comforting him when he was jealous.

"You know I treat him as if he were you. When I'm with him, I never look at him directly."

At that moment, my heart felt like it had fallen into an ice pit.

But I still believed that people's hearts were made of flesh, and that over time, she would remember my kindness and fall in love with me again.

But it was all just my wishful thinking.

Sophia came closer, her breath on my face.

Her voice was low in my ear, making my whole body tingle.

"I've had a bit to drink."

She lowered her head, about to kiss me.

But I quickly dodged.

A flash of displeasure crossed her face.

Her slender fingers gripped my chin.

Forcing me to face her.

"Playing hard to get, huh? Didn't you used to beg me to kiss you?"

I couldn't bear to listen anymore.

My stomach churned.

I pushed her away and started dry heaving.

She walked away, disappointed.

"What are you pretending for? You used to do everything you could to seduce me into your bed, and now you're rejecting me."

I smiled.

"That's right."

"But when you were with me, weren't you always thinking of Garrett's face?"

Hearing this, her expression changed.

First, she hurriedly explained, "That's not what I meant, Liam."

Then, realizing she had misspoken, she coldened her face, "You eavesdropped on my phone call?"

I patted my chest.

Changing the subject.

"What did you tell my parents when they came to find you back then? It led to them being in a daze and getting into a car accident."

I stared at her intently.

She turned her head away.

Speaking unnaturally, "I just told them you were sick and went to the hospital for treatment."

"Is that so? If that's all, then why didn't you let them visit me? Moreover, you knew very well that I wasn't sick! Sophia, I loved you for ten years, starting from your freshman speech in high school. You know very well how I treated you during these ten years. If you were tired of me, I could have stopped pursuing you, but why did you have to kill my parents and my brother? He was still so young."

"If you hated me, you could have taken revenge on me. Why did you have to hurt them!"

I cried out these words to her.

My mind was on the verge of collapse.

"I didn't kill them! It was an accident! I know you're heartbroken, but that's no reason for you to go crazy at me."

"Just stay here and calm down."

"I'll sleep in the guest room tonight."

Sophia threw out these cold words and left.

What did she mean? Was she planning to sleep with me tomorrow?

I let out a cold laugh.

"Sophia, it's been three years. You love Garrett so much, why haven't you married him?"

"Don't tell me you're still waiting for me."

"Or could it be that you actually have some feelings for me?"

Sophia was stunned for a moment.

She quickly denied it with a cold laugh.

"Like you? How is that possible? Don't dream on."

"It's just that you're not as clingy anymore, so I'm a bit less disgusted with you."

"As for you, having loved me for so long, I'm afraid getting over me won't be so easy, will it?"

I nodded, not answering.

Indeed, it wasn't easy.

It was like being skinned alive.

Seeing this, her expression showed a hint of satisfaction.

Convinced that I still loved her.

Pleased with my obedience and understanding, she nodded.

She reached out her hand, patting my head as if rewarding a dog that comes when called.

"If you had been this sensible earlier, I wouldn't have sent you to the psychiatric hospital."

"If you can know your place and stop causing trouble for Garrett, I might consider keeping you by my side."

As if bestowing a favor.

For the past me, staying by her side was my greatest dream.

But now, it was the most terrifying curse.