Stepping Away From Dead Love

I looked up and saw Sienna hurrying away while holding onto Matt.

She did not look back even once.

When I woke up again, it was already afternoon.

I took a cab home.

As I entered the code on the lock, I realized that nothing I tried worked.

However, in the next moment, someone opened the door from the inside.

Matt was wearing my pajamas. When he saw me staring at the lock, he stuck his tongue out at me and gave a bashful smile.

“Mr. Sutton, Ms. Lyon changed the code, and I didn’t get a chance to tell you yet.

“My memory is terrible. I couldn’t remember your wedding anniversary, so Ms. Lyon changed the code to my birthday.”

I looked up at Sienna, but she averted her gaze.

“Matt is an orphan. I’m taking him home to look after him for a while. Don’t read too much into it.”

I nodded calmly. There was nothing to read into.

Matt pulled me along enthusiastically. “Mr. Sutton, this afternoon, Ms. Lyon and I went out together to pick out a bunch of 10th-anniversary gifts for you. Please don’t hold a grudge against Ms. Lyon anymore.”

As he spoke, he took my hand with one hand and Sienna’s with the other.

Together, they walked to the guest bedroom.

The room was already piled high with video game consoles and clothes.

Matt introduced each item to me one by one. Sienna looked at Matt with an affectionate expression and said to me, “We skipped dinner so we could go shopping for you this afternoon.”

I cut her off immediately, saying, “It’s not necessary.”

Matt’s face turned pale in an instant. Tears welled up in his eyes.

“I know you don’t like me, Mr. Sutton, but Ms. Lyon and I picked all of these out together. If not for my sake, then do it for her sake. Please keep them.”

I gave a self-deprecating smile and repeated, “I don’t need them.”

I really did not need them anymore. Our tenth anniversary had already passed.

Sienna looked somewhat displeased. “Callum, how long do you plan to keep acting like this?”

My lips curved into a smile. How ridiculous.

Sienna had abandoned our past and future because of Matt.

Yet she imagined I would stay put and wait for him.

“Callum, think it through carefully. Don’t assume I’ll do whatever you say just because of our past.”

Think? I had already made up my mind long ago.

I had spent countless late nights tossing and turning as tears streamed down my face.

I had already made up my mind. I would end everything with her.

This ordeal left me physically and mentally exhausted. So, I slept exceptionally soundly.

When I regained consciousness, I felt a sharp pain in my face.

I opened my eyes groggily to find Matt standing right in front of me.

He looked at me smugly. “Mr. Sutton, you’re finally awake. You really kept me waiting!”

With that, he pulled out a knife and walked toward me with a savage grin.

“Mr. Sutton, why can’t you be sensible and leave Ms. Lyon sooner?

“She has already slept with me. She belongs to me, body and soul. I’m younger than you and in better shape. How can you possibly compete with me?”

The knife plunged viciously into my abdomen.

Tears streamed down my face from the pain, and I screamed for Sienna.

However, Matt just smiled at me.

Then, he used the knife to cut the ropes binding my limbs and threw them out the window, before turning the blade on himself.

When Sienna burst through the door, she saw Matt lying on the floor, with blood pooling all around him.

I was covered with a blanket. My wounds and blood were hidden beneath it.

She held Matt closely and looked down at me.

“Callum, how could you be so cruel! How did I never notice this before? If anything happens to Matt, I won’t let you off the hook!”

Sienna hurriedly left, still holding Matt.

The memory of that girl from years ago, crying herself hoarse outside my hospital room, slowly faded from my mind as she walked away.

I, too, was finally free from clinging to those hopeless memories. I was done waiting in vain and dwelling on them.

It was just as well that it all ended here.

I hoped we could part ways and move on. Then, we could pursue our own happiness.