Chapter 1754
Chapter 1754
Skyler said nothing, just picked up her spoon and continued to sip her soup.
Taking in her frail figure, Zavier spoke again. “Your sister hasn’t…”
He could hardly bring himself to say the word “died” when Skyler abruptly looked up at him, “My sister?
I have a sister?”
Zavier was at a loss for words. She didn’t remember having a sister?
The news of her “sister’s death” had overwhelmed her with grief. She had fainted and then slept
soundly for an entire week. Upon waking, she was eerily calm.
He should have known something was wrong. Was she truly unable to remember? Or was she
pretending, putting on a show just for him?
Zavier couldn’t be sure. The only thing he was certain of was the immense hurt his lie had caused her.
Memories of the past flickered through Zavier’s mind like scenes from a movie, relentless -and vivid.
He had known for years the real reason why Skyler had been manipting him.
He knew everything and yet, he hurt her like a madman.
Even after she had fled from him, wounded by his actions, he failed to see his own mistakes until she
faked her own death to escape from his lifepletely.
That was when he truly realized the extent of his folly over the years. That was when he understood the
depth of the pain he had inflicted upon her.
All Skyler ever wanted was simple. It’s to live well, to live with dignity. That was all.
And he had destroyed her most cherished sense of self-worth, keeping her like a pet. She had lived a
life worse than death.
In the two years following her ‘death’, he had been a shell of a man. Holding onto a sliver of hope that
Skyler was still alive, he searched for her across the globe, as hope dwindled, ever so faintly. Just
when he thought he could never find her again, there she was before his very eyes.
Zavier gazed intently at the woman under the distant streemp. Even from afar, even though the view
wasn’t clear, his heart pounded violently in his chest. It was as if he had been brought back to life.
Zavier suddenly began to cough violently. Garrett, who was behind him, quickly stepped forward to
support him, “Zavier.”
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Zavier’s eyes remained fixed on the woman under the streemp, “Is that Skyler? Is Skyler really still
alive?”
He was terrified. Terrified it was just a dream, afraid that upon waking, he would be alone
Garrett assured him, “It’s Skyler! Skyler is truly alive!”
Zavier seemed not to hear what Garrett was saying, repeating, “Is Skyler truly alive?”
Garrett said, “If you don’t believe it, let’s go to her. The moment you touch her, you’ll believe that Skyler
is indeed alive.”
Garrett moved to guide Zavier forward, but after just one step, Zavier froze, “I can’t go over there. I
can’t disturb her life now.”
Garrett looked at Zavier with puzzled eyes, “You’ve searched for her for two whole years. Now that
we’ve finally found her, why…”
Before he could finish, Zavier clutched his chest and began coughing violently again. Amidst the
coughing, a mouthful of fresh blood spilled from his lips.
Garrett was startled, “Zavier, what’s happening to you?”
Even as his body weakened to the point of barely standing, Zavier’s eyes remained fixed on the
woman under the streemp.
After she led her friends inside, leaving the spot empty, he still could not look away. He whispered, “I’m
scared.”
Garrett was even more confused, “We’ve found her, what are you still afraid of?”
Zavier was afraid of so many things.
Fear gnawed at him fear of losing control again and hurting Skyler.
Fear that Skyler would run away from him once more.
Fear that he might never even catch a glimpse of Skyler again.
Just fear…
Sensing his silent turmoil, Garrett grew impatient. “Zavier.”
Zavier waved him off, “Find a hotel and get some rest. I need some solitude.”e2
“How can I leave you alone in this state?” Garrett nced at the small house nearby. “Skyler and the
others have gone inside. You can’t see her from here, what’s the point in staying?”
Zavier replied, “Just knowing she’s there, that she’s alive, that’s enough for me.”
Garrett sighed, “You’re hopelessly romantic, you know that?”
At that, something clicked in Zavier’s mind. “Garrett, you go right now and arrange for men to monitor
the area for miles around. I have to know Skyler’s whereabouts at all times. She can’t vanish from my
life again. But remember, she mustn’t notice. We can’t disturb her life.”
“Alright, I’m on it.” Garrett shook his head as he left.
Back in college, Garrett had thought Zavier was the least likely to be tied down by love. Now, it seemed
Zavier was the only one ensnared by it. Some people might seem crazy and heartless, but they were
the most devoted in love.
After Garrett left, Zavier, with trembling hands, lit a cigarette and took a harsh drag. “Skyler, I know I’m
a bastard. I know everything. I could have exined it all to you, but I chose a path that hurt us both.”
Back then, Zavier knew everything. He knew that Skyler had tricked him under her grandfather’s
coercion. He knew it all.
He could have chosen to talk it out with her, but instead, he hurt her in the most extreme way. Because
he thought, in Skyler’s world, her sister would alwayse first. He would always be second to her
sister.
Until the day Skyler faked her own death and he saw her young sister again, now grown up and the
spitting image of eighteen-year-old Skyler. Not just in looks, but even the timid demeanor was identical
to Skyler’s. That was when he had his epiphany, In Skyler’s heart, her sister was another version of
herself. She didn’t want her sister to live in constant fear as she had.
Despite being barely an adult herself and unable to escape the clutches of her own family, she did
everything she could to protect her sister. She refused to let her sister suffer as she had.
He knew all of this, yet he let jealousy drive him to wound her so grievously. He could still vividly recall
the light dying in Skyler’s eyes when he told her that her sister was dead.
After that, she never mentioned Iris in front of him again, and to this day, he didn’t know if she had truly
forgotten her sister.
He had consulted psychologists who told him that some people choose to forget certain events
because they’re too painful to remember. Maybe Skyler had indeed forgotten Iris. Otherwise, how could
she bear to fake her own death?
It was his selfishness, his jealousy, his madness, and his obsession that made her decade with him
akin to living in hell.
“Skyler, I know I made a mistake. Is there any chance for me?” Hot tears rolled down from Zavier’s
bloodshot eyes.
He knew, all too well, that regret was the one thing you couldn’t buy in this world.