Seven-Day Loop

I found a makeup box that had been put away for a long time under the bed, and I cleaned myself up.

However, Brody did not come back even after the sun had set.

Tears flowed down my foundation-covered cheeks, and I stared at my crestfallen reflection before I swept all my makeup products down to the floor. Suddenly, I felt like quite the joke.

What was I doing?

Could I not survive without Brody?

The bottles scattered all over the floor and revealed the words at the bottom of the makeup box.

[Leave him.]

My mind went blank.

It was my second time seeing these words.

I rolled up my sleeves and compared the handwriting. I wrote the words, alright.

What did they mean?

Who was “him”?

I heard noise from the living room and instinctively rushed out of the room. Just as I expected, Brody had returned. But I saw someone else I was not expecting as well—Rose.

She was dressed differently compared to the day. Clad in a fitting gown, she appeared vibrant and full of life.

“Oh? Were you crying?” She cast me a glance and threw her expensive handbag on the couch before she went to the master bedroom. “I’m tired. I’m going to take a shower.”

This was too much to take in, and I did not know how to react. I instinctively looked at Brody for help.

He had not changed much over the past two years, but he had become more mature. But when I saw his indifferent expression, I found him to be a stranger. I could not feel any sort of closeness to him.

He sighed and reached out to me.

Yet, when he touched my arm, I instinctively shook it off for some reason. His hand remained frozen in the air as a result.

“Rose moved in to take care of you. Don’t read too much into it, okay?”

I merely lost my memories; I did not have dementia. Did I really need her to move in to take care of me?

As I lay in bed, I found myself unable to understand it.

Just then, Rose knocked on my door and placed a glass of water beside me. Her attitude was completely different from before.

“It’s time for your medicine, Riley.”

She looked at me eagerly, as though she would not leave if I did not take my medicine.

Brody sat on the couch and looked at her before turning his gaze to me. In the end, he nodded.

“The doctor prescribed it for you. Take it.”

That night, I slept deeply.

When I woke up, the spot beside my bed was cold. Brody had left a long time ago.

Rose was checking her makeup at the door. Her lips were eye-catching, but even more eye-catching were the marks that her low collar could not hide.

If I remembered correctly, her neck was free of marks last night.

It was just one night. How…?

I narrowed my eyes and motioned at the marks with my hand.

“Your neck…”

“Oh, I nearly forgot.” She grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around her neck. “Brody’s telling me to hurry up, so I have to go. Don’t misunderstand. We’re just meeting up with a client.”

Rose flashed a smile at me.

The morning sun shone on her, but I felt chills down my spine.

In the afternoon, Rose sent me a message saying that she and Brody would come back for food. But they only returned as midnight rolled over, and they stank of alcohol.

Brody stared at the food on the table and frowned. “Didn’t you eat?”

“Oh, I’m so forgetful!”

Rose batted her eyelashes and feigned frustration as she looked at Brody. “I forgot to tell Riley that we weren’t coming back to eat.”

“It’s fine. She’s the stupid one here.”

Soon, Rose gave me another glass of water and asked me to take my medicine. Brody continued to allow this to happen.

“Do I have to?” I asked him.

He sat in a dark corner, and I could not read his expression. After a moment, he nodded.

I was indeed stupid, but I was not going to be stupid twice.

I already found it strange that I fell into such a deep slumber last night. So, right before them, I put the medicine in my mouth. Feeling satisfied, Rose left, but I immediately spat out the medicine that I had hidden under my tongue.

This time, I clearly noticed how she brushed the marks on her neck as she gave Brody a flirtatious glance.