- 4.
In my haze, memories flooded back.
Ethan and Grace, holding my hand, promising
<
forever.
If not for the nightmare ten years ago, would
our ending be different?
The memories were too beautiful; I didn’t
want to wake up.
But it was all a dream.
When I opened my eyes, I was in Ethan’s
temple.
Seeing me awake, he scoffed, forcing me to
kneel before the Buddha statue.
In the dim candlelight, I couldn’t see his face.
But I sensed something in his eyes.
“Rachel, who’s picking you up?”
“You’re running away so fast; you found
someone else, didn’t you?”
I pressed my lips together, smiling bitterly.
The usually stoic Ethan was enraged, his
voice hoarse.
“Rachel, I won’t let you leave. Even in death,
you die by my side!”
<
“From today, you stay here until you give up
on running off with another man!”
Ethan locked me in the temple.
I knelt, never looking up.
I didn’t even notice Olivia enter.
She threw a bucket of gasoline at my feet,
taunting me.
“Rachel, don’t you want to know who
drugged Grace?”
I froze, looking at her.
She smiled cruelly.
“They have the same name. Why does she
deserve to live more than me?”
“She was born into the family, spoiled, but I
was just the daughter of the housekeeper,
beaten by my father!”
“I wasn’t going to let her have a better life. I had to destroy her!”
Each word was a hammer blow to my heart.
Rage consumed me. I lunged, grabbing her
<
throat.
How could I not hate her?
She killed Grace, and ruined my life.
My eyes were bloodshot; I squeezed tighter.
But then, I was kicked away.
Ethan shielded Olivia, his eyes wary.
My eyes filled with tears.
“Ethan, you’re here. Grace was…”
Before I could finish, Olivia started crying.
“Ethan, Rachel’s gone mad! She says I killed
your sister and wants to burn me!”
Ethan looked at the gasoline. His anger
surged.
“Why? Why do you do this after I decided to
forgive you?!”
“If I was a second late, would you hurt
Olivia?!”
He grabbed the gasoline, drenching me.
“You want to give your life? Then die for
Olivia!”
<
I felt his burning hatred. My eyes fell.
If nothing could be changed, then let it end. After he left, I picked up a lighter, trembling as I lit my clothes.
In the flames, I closed my eyes peacefully.
After comforting Olivia, Ethan remembered
- me.
His anger subsided, he called me.
But there was no answer.
Thinking of my hopeless expression before he
left, he felt a pang of anxiety.
His phone rang. He answered without looking.
His voice was scolding.
“I’m not playing games with you. If you don’t
want to anger me, come here now!”
The butler’s sobbing voice answered:
“Mr. Hayes, it’s Mrs. Hayes… she set herself
on fire in the temple!”
Ethan trembled, rushing to the window.
The flames reflected in his terrified eves.
