No More Tears No More Calls Chapter 07
When I opened my eyes, I was back in the hospital room.
Lawrence was there again, sitting by the bed. He looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, Mary. I promised Candi a long time ago I’d win that necklace for her. I didn’t mean to hurt you. As for the necklace—I can get you a similar one. Just promise me you won’t give Candi any trouble…”
He looked at me, like he was expecting me to be furious.
But I just lowered my head.
“You won,” I said slowly. “You can give it to whoever you want. It’s not my place to decide.”
Lawrence’s shook, like it had been struck hard.
“You really wanted that necklace, didn’t you?” He frowned deeply, not understanding. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have rushed to race…”
“And yet you didn’t hesitate to give it to her.” I looked right at him. “Right?”
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Something complicated, mixed with guilt, flickered in his eyes.
Just then, his phone rang. He answered it and hurried out.
Not long after, Candice walked in holding the necklace, her face triumphant. “Maryann, you’ve never beaten me, not since we were kids. Now you finally see it, don’t you?”
“Are you done?” My expression didn’t change. “Then get out.”
“Why should I?” Now that Javier, Claire, and Lawrence weren’t around, Candice didn’t bother pretending.
“I don’t get it. Everyone loves me. But Grandma still left such an expensive necklace for you. That senile old fool!”
She threw the necklace onto the floor.
It shattered instantly, the sound sharp in the quiet room.
My pupils contracted sharply.
I raised my hand and slapped Candice hard across the face.
“Maryann!” A furious voice rang out.
The door opened. Lawrence stood in the doorway.
Candice burst into tears immediately, throwing herself into his arms. “Larry, don’t blame Mary… I upset her…”
But his gaze on me was razor-sharp. “Maryann, no matter how good you are at pretending, your overbearing, willful nature never changes.”
“I warned you before. If you hurt Candi again, you’ll pay for it. Someone! Take her back and lock her up for a week.”
The following week was worse than the month before.
Once again, I was swallowed by fear.
The quiet felt like dead silence, the air pressing in from all sides.
The darkness seemed to bare its teeth, tearing me apart.
I trembled all over, curled up in the corner against the cold wall, biting my lip hard, trying to use the pain to keep myself from breaking down completely.
In the pitch-black confinement room, utmost terror and shadows pushed me to scratch at my arms over and over, leaving deep, bloody marks. It was as if only physical pain could soothe the deeper torment within me.
On the seventh day, the door to the room finally opened.
Backlit by the light, Lawrence stood in the doorway, looking at me, covered in blood. A flicker of pain flashed in his dark eyes, but it was quickly replaced by something more complicated.
“Don’t bother putting on an act again, Maryann. It’s pointless.”
“Today is our wedding anniversary. I’ve arranged a celebration, just for the two of us.”
But shortly after, he got another call from Candice and hurried away.
My pale lips curved slightly as I picked up my phone.
It chimed with a new message.
I had just received 800 million dollars.
Then Javier called. “The divorce is final. You’d better keep your word and disappear from all our lives.”
“Rest assured. I’m never coming back.”
I let out a cold laugh, quickly packed my things, and headed for the airport.
Two years of marriage—a mistake—were finally over.
From now on, I was no one’s daughter and no one’s wife. I was just myself.
