<b>Chapter </b>188


    32%


    The words slipped out before I could stop them. I thought, ‘What on earth did I just say?‘


    As soon as the words were out, I realized how inappropriate they were. I was scrambling to think of a way to


    recover, but before I could, Josh surprised me by responding, “Okay.”


    I thought, ‘He actually agreed? Isn’t he going to put up some kind of resistance, even just to save face? But then


    again, he must be desperate for the money and determined to save Molly.‘


    The thought tugged at my heart, and I felt sympathy for him. But just as quickly, I realized something didn’t feel


    right. I cleared my throat, trying to brush off the awkwardness. “Has Molly seen a <i>doctor</i>? If you have her medical


    records, I can help you get a second opinion.”


    “Alright,” he agreed without hesitation.


    With that, I had no more words to offer. I stood up and said, “Thanks for everything today. I should head home


    now.”


    He gazed at me and said, “If you’re still feeling unwell, give me a call.”


    “Alright,” I replied with a smile, but as I turned to walk away, a sigh escaped me.


    I thought, ‘This feeling of being cared for… it’s strangely overwhelming.‘


    When I got home, I leaned against the door, taking a moment to steady my breath and collect my thoughts. Just as I was starting to calm down, my phone rang. I walked to my bedroom, grabbed it, and saw that Alvin was calling.


    I had no idea what he wanted, but I didn’t want to talk to him then. I thought, ‘I’m done with this.‘


    I let the call go to voicemail, but then I noticed I had missed over twenty calls, most from Alvin, except Davy.


    I thought, ‘Of course, Davy’s call was probably at Alvin’s request.‘


    Alvin had been calling nonstop. He must have had something urgent on his mind. So when his call came through again, I finally answered, “Hello?”


    “Zoe, where are you? I need to see you,” Alvin’s voice was heavy with pain, and it was clear he had been drinking.


    I stayed silent, and he scoffed bitterly. “Right… you don’t want me anymore.”


    I didn’t respond. Alvin’s voice softened, almost pleading. “Zoe, are you done with me? Ten years together… you’ve always liked me…”


    I thought, ‘So he knows… He’s always known. But did he ever care? Or was he taking advantage of my feelings for


    him all this time?‘


    “Zoe, say something. Tell me we really can’t be together anymore?” Alvin’s voice was thick with pain, and I could


    13:03 Thu, 21 Aug O


    hear things being mmed around in the background.


    32%


    It was clear he’d been drinking heavily. I had no interest in listening to his rambling anymore. “Alvin, I’m hanging


    up.”


    “Don’t hang up,” he urged, his voice raw with emotion. “Zoe, if I end up with Thea, will it break your heart?”


    I thought, ‘That’s a cruel question. It felt like he was twisting the knife deeper into my heart.’


    “Alvin,” I said his name firmly, my voice heavy, “Is it only when I’m dead, like Benjamin, that you’ll feel heartache?”


    I thought, ‘I knew he was still there, trapped in the silence on the other end of the line. This was the barrier he


    couldn’t face, the weight on his heart he had been avoiding, and now I had torn it open, raw and exposed. He had


    to be in agony. I could almost picture him, writhing in pain. But no matter <i>how </i>much it hurt him, it couldn’tpare to the pain of losing a life.‘


    “So, you knew…”


    After a long pause, Alvin’s voice broke, filled with suffering. Then, the call ended.


    I held the phone in my hand, listening to the dial tone for an eternity, my heart sinking as if it had lost all its weight and was plummeting.


    That night, sleep barely came to me. Over and over, Alvin filled my dreams–our past, from the first time we met to the ten years we spent together.


    It was like a movie reying in my mind, a painful shback of everything we’d been through.