Chapter 17
Zoe turned away. “Hurting yourself won’t erase the pain you caused me,” she calmly said.
Blood had soaked Elijah thoroughly, staining the floor crimson, but he seemed oblivious as he whispered, “What will it take for you to forgive me?”
She quietly answered, “Elijah, let’s part ways peacefully.”
From that day on, he carried on as if nothing were amiss. But he doubled down with even more extravagant gestures of devotion.
In the past, Zoe had bent herself to fit his world. She pushed herself to learn things she disliked for his sake, but now, the tables had turned.
She loved quietness, so Elijah abandoned billion–dollar projects and spent his days sitting by her side, watching the sea silently.
She loved tea, so he went into the mountains every morning. He picked the freshest tea leaves and brewed them for her.
She loved fish, so he stood under the burning sun for hours, casting his line until he caught
one.
Watching Elijah now, Zoe felt a bittersweet ache for the person she had been. It was a painful revelation as this was how potable she must have seemed to others.
She now saw their dynamic for what it was, flawed at its core. A love that lasts demands mutuality.
It required a balance of giving and receiving, not a one–sided arrangement where one gives endlessly and the other only takes.
When Elijah’s injuries healed, he brought Zoe to the beach and handed her a rope. Looking at her deeply and tenderly, he said, “In the past, I knew you were terrified of heights, yet I still tied you up on the rooftop and tortured you for a day. Now I’m putting my life in yout hands, because it was yours to begin with.”
Before she could react, he tied a boulder to himself and jumped into the sea. The weight dragged him down into the dark depths.
Over a decade ago, she had once saved him from drowning. Once bitten, twice shy, so she knew how deep his fear of water ran.
Throughout their three years of marriage, Zoe had never seen him go near the water’s edge. Yet now, Elijah had willingly jumped into the sea.
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The water rippled violently as he struggled beneath the surface. Cold water flooded his lungs and ears, dragging him into childhood nightmares of nearly drowning.
He felt a heavy weight on his chest, but all he thought about was that if this could earn her forgiveness, then it was worth it.
Expressionless, Zoe yanked on the rope and pulled him up.
Elijah burst out of the water, disheveled and coughing violently. After catching his breath for just a moment, he dove back under.
When he resurfaced a second time, his vision was beginning to blacken at the edges. Still, he forced himself under once more without a second thought.
On the third dive, he tasted blood. A coppery tang of blood from his lungs rose into his throat.
Elijah repeated this over and over until sunset. 99 dives later, his face was ghostly pale, while his chest burned as if it would burst at any second.
Blood dripped from his lips and stained his white shirt in vivid blossoms of red. It was just like roses blooming against the fabric.
Shaking and staggering, he forced himself toward her and said, “You must be tired. Let’s go home. I’ll cook you some sea bass.”
Hearing that, Zoe’s hardened smile vanished. The last thing she expected Elijah to ask after nearly drowning was if she was tired.
Unable to bear the sight any longer, she let out a bitter laugh and dropped the rope. Then, she turned around and walked away.
Behind her, Elijah’s hoarse voice rang out. “Ave, did you know? I secretly hoped, time and again, that you were my savior. But when that hope became a reality, I couldn’t bear it. The pain was so excruciating that I felt like carving my heart out.
“Tomorrow, I’m going live to set the record straight. I’ll put an end to the slander you’ve faced and tell the truth about the deepfakes. I will restore your reputation.”
Zoe’s step faltered for a moment, but she kept walking. She knew that no livestream could undo the fact that her nude photos had been downloaded and saved on many a stranger’s phone.
Just like his abuse, some wounds would never heal.
The next day, Elijah’s livestream shook the world. Sitting before the camera, he admitted to everything.
He confessed to domestic violence, to hurting Zoe, and to listening to his mistress‘ lies.
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Then, he made a public apology to Zoe and begged for her forgiveness. He also vowed to love
her and her only.
Elijah’s reputation collapsed overnight. Former admirers in the business world cut all
connections with Tarver Group, and its stock price crashed.
He had become the number one public enemy.
After the livestream ended, he ignored the torrent of insults flooding the internet. Instead, he
tied on an apron and carried a tray of freshly cooked dishes to Zoe.
“The whole world hates me now,” Elijah softly said. “You’re the only one I have left.”
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Chapter 18
