Happily Ever After… With Another

I caught a trace of pleading in Jonathan's eyes. He was backing down.

I glanced at the brooch. A pigeon-egg–sized ruby was set at its center, glowing with a soft, warm red. One look was enough to tell it was worth a fortune.

"Is this something only I have," I asked, "or did you give it to someone else too?"

Jonathan smiled gently.

"This is my apology gift. Of course you're the only one who has it."

He was lying.

I had seen Jess Macaron wearing one exactly the same.

There was still a dull ache in my chest, but it was no longer the gut-wrenching pain it had been at the beginning.

He tenderly pinned the brooch onto me. His eyes were filled with affection, just as they always had. And yet, all of a sudden, he felt so unfamiliar.

Ten years ago, Jonathan had been a prodigy who rose to fame at a young age—a genius pianist from a scholarly family. His parents had never thought much of me, an orphan with no background. And yet, for the sake of marrying me, he had decisively cut ties with his family.

Now, he was a world-renowned piano master, stern and reserved, someone people held in awe.

But the moment he came home, he would lean close to me, whispering in my ear, as intimate as ever.

Everyone said he loved me to the bone.

He still seemed to love me deeply. Yet no matter how hard I tried, I could no longer touch his heart.

Seeing that I said nothing, Jonathan affectionately pinched my cheek. "Don't want to go to Peach Blossom Park? Then we can go somewhere else."

I gazed into his eyes and caught the faintest ripple.

"Peach Blossom Park is fine."

The day after tomorrow, I would be leaving. That park was where we had fallen in love. I hoped it could also become the place that held our final, beautiful memory.

The next day, the three of us set out together.

I had just recovered from a severe cold and had little strength left, so I leaned back in my seat to rest.

Not long after the car started moving, Sam said excitedly, "Dad, the weather's so nice today. Can we invite Aunt Jess to come with us? She's not boring like Mom—she doesn't stay quiet, she runs around and plays. I get so bored with Mom."

Jonathan's expression darkened. He shot Sam a stern look.

"Sam, don't talk nonsense. Today is your mother's and my wedding anniversary."

After being scolded, Sam realized he had said the wrong thing. He pouted, shrank his neck, and glanced at me cautiously. "Mom, don't be mad."

He must see Jess often.

I didn't smooth things over the way I usually did. I simply stared out the window in silence.

Jonathan wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Sam is still just a kid. He doesn't know any better. Don't take it to heart."

The moment he touched me, a sharp pain shot through my shoulder. My body trembled slightly as I gently moved his hand away and said in a low voice, "I understand."

When we arrived at Peach Blossom Park, we got out of the car.

The park was known for its natural scenery. Peach trees were everywhere, their dense foliage blotting out the sky.

Worried about my condition, Jonathan insisted on walking with an arm around my shoulders.

Suddenly, a few shrill cries of "Help!" rang out ahead of us. I followed the sound and saw, not far away in the lake, a woman struggling desperately in the water.

I recognized the voice at once—it was Jess, the wife of Jonathan's late younger brother.

Jonathan instinctively shoved me aside and rushed toward her in shock.

"Don't be afraid! I'm coming!"

Weak as I was, I had been relying almost entirely on his support. When he pushed me away, I fell hard to the ground.

Branches scraped across my leg, leaving a deep gash as blood poured out. My arms were scraped raw by the stones, blood smearing my skin.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on my forehead. The searing pain was so intense that I couldn't hold back a muffled groan.

I struggled to get up, just in time to see Jonathan pull Jess out of the water.

"Jonathan, I thought I was going to drown here today and never see you again…" Jess's face was deathly pale as she clung tightly to him, crying.