Clara steadied herself, the brief flicker of surprise in her eyes cooling into composure.”
“Adrian,” her voice was quiet yet edged with steel, “you’re not welcome here. Please leave.“\
༠༤
“Leave?” Adrian’s bloodshot gaze darted between her and Jonathan, feral and wounded. “Why should I leave?“”
He glared at Jonathan as though he wanted to tear him apart. “You two–do you think I’m so easy to cast aside? Clara, have you forgotten everything? The nights in that rented flat, when we split one bowl of instant noodles and I gave you the sausage? When the company was collapsing, and I drank myself half to death trying to save money for you? Have you forgotten that?”
His voice cracked, a choked sob beneath the rage. It was a plea, a knife prying at the locked box of her memory.”
And for an instant, it worked.
Images she thought long buried rose unbidden: the cramped, steamy room filled with the smell of noodles, Adrian sliding his only poached egg into her bowl with a smile.
Clara, eat more. I can handle the hunger.
The pale man in the hospital bed forcing a grin.”
Don’t be afraid. For you, I’d even give my life.
Those years of hardship once felt sacred. Remembering them now was l
Clara steadied herself, the brief flicker of surprise in her eyes cooling into composure.”
“Adrian,” her voice was quiet yet edged with steel, “you’re not welcome here. Please leave.“\
༠༤
“Leave?” Adrian’s bloodshot gaze darted between her and Jonathan, feral and wounded. “Why should I leave?“”
He glared at Jonathan as though he wanted to tear him apart. “You two–do you think I’m so easy to cast aside? Clara, have you forgotten everything? The nights in that rented flat, when we split one bowl of instant noodles and I gave you the sausage? When the company was collapsing, and I drank myself half to death trying to save money for you? Have you forgotten that?”
His voice cracked, a choked sob beneath the rage. It was a plea, a knife prying at the locked box of her memory.”
And for an instant, it worked.
Images she thought long buried rose unbidden: the cramped, steamy room filled with the smell of noodles, Adrian sliding his only poached egg into her bowl with a smile.
Clara, eat more. I can handle the hunger.
The pale man in the hospital bed forcing a grin.”
Don’t be afraid. For you, I’d even give my life.
Those years of hardship once felt sacred. Remembering them now was like pressing on a bruise. Her fingers went cold. Beside her, Jonathan saw the flicker in her expression and tensed. He almost reached for her hand, then stopped, holding himself back, though his eyes on Adrian turned glacial.
Seeing her silence, Adrian mistook it for softening. His tone became pleading, feverish.
“Yes, I made mistakes later. I was… bewitched by Vanessa. But it was all because of you, Clara!”
Her head jerked up. “Because of me?“”
“Yes! Because being with you is exhausting!” he roared, voice cracking. “You’re always so calm, so perfect, always controlling everything. You suffocated me! I needed passion, freedom! Vanessa gave me what you never did–freshness, excitement. But I was just playing. In my heart, you’re the one I love. Why can’t you be generous? Why so petty?”
He stepped closer, desperation rising. “Couldn’t you just pretend you didn’t know? We could’ve stayed the same! You still love me, ! know you do. Isn’t this exhibition, isn’t Jonathan, all just to punish me? Well, fine–I regret it! I know I was wrong. Clara, come back. We’ll remarry. I’ll forgive you this time. We can be like before.“}
He said remarry like tossing a coin to a beggar, then–afraid of sounding too humble–twisted his words again, threatening: “If you keep clinging to Jonathan and won’t give me a way out… then I’ll go back to Vanessa. She’s not you, but she’s devoted to me. I can’t just throw her away.“”
That grotesque blend of self–pity and arrogance hit Clara like cold water, dousing the last tremor of nostalgia.\
She looked at the man before her–wild–eyed, unraveling–and felt only pity and revulsion. A slow, bitter smile curved her lips. “Adrian,” she said, voice like glass breaking, “you’re truly hopeless.”
Her sneer cut him off mid–word. “You cheated on me–body and soul–and now you blame me? You call me petty? You parade Vanessa in front of me, yet you want me to pretend nothing happened. This-” she gestured at him, at everything “-is your idea of love? It’s disgusting.”
Adrian opened his mouth, but the words faltered, dying in his throat.”
8:36 AM P P
011:0
He almost reached for her hand, then stopped, holding himself back, though his eyes on Adrian turned glacial.
Seeing her silence, Adrian mistook it for softening. His tone became pleading, feverish.
“Yes, I made mistakes later. I was… bewitched by Vanessa. But it was all because of you, Clara!”
Her head jerked up. “Because of me?“”
“Yes! Because being with you is exhausting!” he roared, voice cracking. “You’re always so calm, so perfect, always controlling everything. You suffocated me! I needed passion, freedom! Vanessa gave me what you never did–freshness, excitement. But I was just playing. In my heart, you’re the one I love. Why can’t you be generous? Why so petty?”
He stepped closer, desperation rising. “Couldn’t you just pretend you didn’t know? We could’ve stayed the same! You still love me, ! know you do. Isn’t this exhibition, isn’t Jonathan, all just to punish me? Well, fine–I regret it! I know I was wrong. Clara, come back. We’ll remarry. I’ll forgive you this time. We can be like before.“}
He said remarry like tossing a coin to a beggar, then–afraid of sounding too humble–twisted his words again, threatening: “If you keep clinging to Jonathan and won’t give me a way out… then I’ll go back to Vanessa. She’s not you, but she’s devoted to me. I can’t just throw her away.“”
That grotesque blend of self–pity and arrogance hit Clara like cold water, dousing the last tremor of nostalgia.\
She looked at the man before her–wild–eyed, unraveling–and felt only pity and revulsion. A slow, bitter smile curved her lips. “Adrian,” she said, voice like glass breaking, “you’re truly hopeless.”
Her sneer cut him off mid–word. “You cheated on me–body and soul–and now you blame me? You call me petty? You parade Vanessa in front of me, yet you want me to pretend nothing happened. This-” she gestured at him, at everything “-is your idea of love? It’s disgusting.”
Adrian opened his mouth, but the words faltered, dying in his throat.”
8:36 AM P P
