ManyWriters

During the fifth year of my union with Silas, information surfaced about a young woman he had been secretly meeting at a hotel. This revelation became widely known. To shield her from being branded as a mistress, Silas approached me with divorce documents, explaining, "Professor Simon assisted me in the past. On his deathbed, he requested that I look after Jane. Given recent events, I can't disregard this responsibility." Throughout the years, Jane had consistently been Silas's primary concern. In my former existence, upon hearing these words, I collapsed emotionally and threw an enormous tantrum, refusing to end our marriage.

Roses, Lies, and a Debt of Gratitude

After Thea vanished into the crowd with a smile and those parting words, Silas stood frozen, unable to move for what seemed like ages.


Suddenly, he felt an unexplainable dread wash over him, as if he was on the verge of losing the most crucial part of his existence.


It reminded him of the day Thea had calmly signed the divorce papers, leaving him with an unsettling feeling in his chest.


She hadn't fought or caused a scene, almost as if she had foreseen this outcome long before it happened.


Yet not long ago, Thea had thrown a tantrum because he'd forgotten her birthday, even going so far as to slap him.


He had anticipated that when he suggested a fake divorce, Thea would become hysterical and create a commotion. He had even prepared for such a reaction.


But she didn't. Instead, she picked up the pen and signed with an expression as serene as a placid lake.


In that instant, he felt compelled to stop Thea, but ultimately, he remained motionless.


He convinced himself it was fine, that Thea loved him deeply, that this was just a pretend divorce, and he'd make amends later.


She couldn't be hurt because of him. If it weren't for Jane's father recognizing his potential back then, risking his position on the board to fund his project, mentoring him to success and joining the wealthy elite, he wouldn't be where he is today.


Before Jane's father passed, he had asked Silas to look after Jane and ensure her happiness. Silas didn't want to be seen as ungrateful.


Jack had once posed a question to him: "If Jane and Thea were both falling off a cliff, who would you save?"


At the time, he had laughed, thinking the question was too simplistic.


He would save Jane, but he would die alongside Thea.


Jack had laughed with him, but then asked: "What if Thea doesn't want to die?"


"Silas, you can't keep exploiting Thea's love for you and hurting her. If she can't feel your love in return, she'll eventually lose hope too."


That day, he had dismissed those words.


Surprisingly, everything had come to pass just as Jack had warned.


Chapter 5