Chapter 53 Cha
I began to question everything about my life with Jude.
Did he marry me out of obligation? Was I just a task he had to complete, or had I truly invested in this marriage because I felt sorry for him?
I used to be so confident, full of hope and endless expectations for the person I loved.
In the beginning, we were happy, deeply in love.
How did it all fall apart?
It all began when Adele came into our lives.
After her college entrance exam results came out, she called me with the good news.
“Thank you, Sister Corinne,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude. “To repay you, I applied to Montclaire University in Rivermount and even chose the major taught by Mr. Jude Langston! Thank you for your support all these years.“}
She paused before adding, “I want to work in Rivermount this summer to earn tuition fees. Can I stay at your place for a few days?“} At the time, I was confused. I had been the one to sponsor her education, but Jude had never been involved. And how did she know his name?!
When she arrived at our home, she was incredibly thoughtful.
She helped with housework, cooked for us, and even took care of our daughter alongside Jude.}
I watched it all, feeling warmth in my heart.
Over time, Adele became more and more integrated into our family.
One evening, while we were eating, Jude casually said to me,
“Why don’t we let Adele be a nanny? She could cook and look after the children. It’s not safe for a girl to work outside, anyway.”
“With her around, you and I could relax a bit.“}
I nodded at the time, not thinking much of it.
But when did I start to feel that something was off?
It began with little things.
When I was cooking, Jude took a bite and casually remarked that my cooking wasn’t as delicious as Adele’s.
When I was teaching our daughter to read, he said I wasn’t as gentle with her as Adele was.
Even when I began to dress up a little more, he teased me, saying that at my age, I shouldn’t be trying to dress like Adele.§
Soon, her name–Adele–became a constant presence in his speech.
It made me sad, time and time again.
But then, on the night of our wedding anniversary, Jude surprised me by picking me up from work.
Since our daughter had come into our lives, we rarely had time alone together.
He had arranged an incredibly beautiful fireworks show for me, a gesture that reminded me of the love we once shared.
Ten years ago, Jude promised me that one day he would set off a grand fireworks show for me.
And he kept that promise.
That night, as I sat in the passenger seat, overwhelmed by a breeze of happiness, he whispered a few sweet words to me.
When we returned home, he surprised me by pulling out a bouquet of flowers from behind his back.
He was wearing an apron, his strong arms still damp from washing vegetables and preparing dinner.
Under the soft glow of the lights, he smiled, waiting for me to accept the gift–an arrangement of roses, with a small box tucked inside.
In front of Adele, he called me his wife.
Suddenly, a sense of security washed over me, filling the empty space I had been carrying for so long. The weariness of the day seemed to disappear at that moment.”
Our daughter was there too, circling around me, a joyful presence in the room.}
But then, my phone rang.
It was Adele. Her voice trembled as she claimed she was being harassed at a bar.
Without a second thought, Jude grabbed his coat and rushed out the door, not even glancing back at me.
A knot twisted in my stomach.
It was as if he cared for Adele more than he cared for me.
A few days later, Jude brought our daughter and Adele to visit me.
At that moment, they looked more like a family than I did with him.
Both Adele and Cassy, our daughter, wore rabbit ears, laughing and chatting.
As soon as they entered the door, my daughter plopped onto the sofa, her phone in hand.
While playing, she suddenly shouted, “Kill it, kill it.”
Helped Stole Mul
7/2
40.9%
12:16 PM
I noticed, for the first time, that her fingers had been manicured.}
Jude, still in his usual routine, reported to me what he had done that day.
This was a habit he’d developed after a time when I couldn’t reach him, and I had grown so anxious that I almost called the police.
