<
In the past, I only drank coffee because it was
his favorite.
I’d thought that even the bitterness was enjoyable because it was his favorite.
But someone who’d known hardship since
childhood wouldn’t like bitter things.
I didn’t explain, replying simply,
“I don’t anymore.”
Evan changed his order to water.
“Sarah, I’m sorry about faking the disability. Can you forgive me?”
I sipped my water.
“Oh, I forgive you. Now you can go back to
China.”
“Evan, go home.”
My first sentence filled him with joy; the
second plunged him into despair.
“You’re not coming with me? I don’t want to
go alone. Every day after you fell, I was
miserable.”
P
く
sister, but as a lover. I love you!”
The “I love you” I’d waited ten years to hear
finally came.
I’d imagined how happy I’d be, but I felt only
surprise.
“Evan, I followed you for ten years. You knew I didn’t want to be just your sister.”
“You treated my feelings as a bargaining
chip, and now you tell me you love me.”‘
“”
“But I don’t love you anymore. You’re just a
familiar stranger.
وو
Evan tried to stand up.
“No, I don’t want to be a stranger.
25
دو
“I don’t know. I thought I loved Lily.”
Evan, could a “I don’t know” erase everything
you did? Was I so worthless that you could
use me whenever?
You ended my love for you.
I continued, “So you gave me ninety–nine
punishments? I completed them didn’t 12”
<
“Do you know how I finished the ninety-
ninth?”
“You’re not willing to forgive me because I
made you carry me a few extra times. It was just a minor inconvenience! Was it really that
necessary?”
“Weren’t you the one who got rid of me so
Lily could lose and go overseas?”
My near–death experience was a mere trifle
in his eyes.
I couldn’t contain myself, tearing open my
shirt. The scars I’d hidden were finally
revealed.
“What are those scars? You-”
“You’re still pretending. You think the faulty
brakes were just a small thing? Do you know
what it took for me to survive that fall?”
“Evan Chen, next time, give me a heads–up.
I’ll just die for you.
“”
Evan’s mouth opened, then his eyes went
wild.
“It was Alex! Alex deceived me! He only gave
me two sandbags. I’ll kill him.”
“Sarah, he tricked me. He’ll apologize to you
personally.”
He blamed Alex.
I wouldn’t let him off.
“Without your permission, Alex couldn’t
tamper with the Chen family car.”
“Without your permission, that fake Shawn
couldn’t just appear in the Chen family.”
“Evan Chen, you’re a coward! You’re
disgusting!”
Evan frantically tried to reach me in his
wheelchair, but fell.
“Sarah, how can I make it up to you? I’ll do
anything.”
He crawled towards me, but I dodged him.
Seeing his struggle, I believed his legs were
truly crippled.
20
く
Otherwise, someone as proud as him wouldn’t
have gone this far.
But I felt neither sadness nor satisfaction.
Only boredom.
“I want nothing. Only one thing.”
“Leave. Disappear from my life forever!”
Ignoring his struggles, I left.
Outside, I saw Alex waiting.
Sunlight warmed him, giving him a radiant
glow.
Seeing me alone, his expression was calm,
but his eyes showed joy.
“You finished?”
“Yes.”
“Alex, shall we try?”
He looked up, surprised.
“You like me?”
I said it again.
His face turned red.
“Who likes you?”
<
“Oh, I must be mistaken. Maybe I’ll follow
Evan Ch-”
Alex covered my mouth.
“Let’s try. If I’m not satisfied, I’ll return you.
99
I smiled. Evan, look, I have someone I want to
be with.
I never saw Evan Chen again.
On my honeymoon with Alex, I ran into Lily.
She invited me for a drink.
“I thought you’d marry Evan.”
I was surprised, full of questions.
Lily said Evan constantly talked about me.
She realized he didn’t love her, but me.
So she gave up the project and went abroad.
She thought that would make him realize his
feelings, but it didn’t work out that way.
I silently poured myself a drink.
We were in love then, but it meant nothing
now.
Looking at my phone, at the man who would
く
warm my life, I moved on.
Later, at my daughter’s full moon ceremony, I
heard about Evan.
After returning to China, Evan spent a year
setting a trap for Alex. Alex, confident,
jumped in, only to find all of the Xu family’s
funds frozen by Evan.
Shawn tried to steal Chen family secrets to
help him, but was hit by a drunk driver and
killed.
Like Lily, Alex had sensed Evan’s hidden love
for me, and instigated the ninety–nine
punishments. He even made his girlfriend look
like Lily to get close to Evan, eliminating me
and stealing the Chen family’s core data.
Incidentally, the nerve–blocking drug Evan
took was provided by Alex. The antidote was
fake. He never intended for Evan to walk
again.
I received a package with no return address. I
tossed it into the storeroom.
