Chapter 9%
Chester once had a crush on me. He had planned to confess, but fate played a cruel joke. By the time he worked up the courage, I was already dating Franco. And so, he let the chance slip by.
When he saw I was happy, he buried his youthful affection deep inside. He eventually went on blind dates, got married, and had a lovely sơn, Gian.8
But fate hadn’t been kind to him either. His wife passed away from a terminal illness, and before she died, she made him promise to find a good mother for their child.
“Mara, would you let me take care of you?“&
His words hit me like thunder. I couldn’t give him an answer–not yet.
The next morning, I ran into sweet little Gian again. He was squatting in the courtyard, quietly drawing pictures.
Mrs. Walter told me Chester had already left for work. Gian was well–behaved, staying home all by himself.
Linvited him over for lunch, and later in the afternoon, I helped him with his drawing. He was surprisingly talented for someone his age.
As I walked Gian home from the market, his tiny hand held in mine, I saw someone I never wanted to see again–Leanna, sitting right on the doorstep.
“This is all your fault! That’s why Franco left me!”
She stormed toward me, voice sharp and shrill.
Instinctively, I pulled Gian behind me, shielding him from her unstable presence.
To me, Leanna was a textbook case of emotional manipulation–a woman clinging obsessively to a man who had long since moved on, refusing to let go, disguising control as love.
“I’m divorced from Franco. You should be thrilled. So why are you coming after me now?“>
Her eyes lit up. “Divorced? Then why… why doesn’t he want me?”
I didn’t bother replying. I scooped up Gian and turned to enter the house.
But she yanked my arm violently.
“No! It’s you! You must’ve said something to him! Why else would he suddenly start treating me like garbage?“>
She spiraled into hysteria, grabbing at me. I had no choice–I called the number I hated most.
Franco arrived shortly after. Leanna’s eyes lit up the moment she saw him and rushed over.
“Franco, was it because of me that you divorced her? Are you finally going to marry me? I’m willing, really! I’ve waited so long for this!“}
Franco’s gaze turned icy.
“Leanna, listen carefully–this will be the last time I say this. Even if I’m divorced from Mara, I will never marry you. You’ve been playing the ‘depression‘ card for ten years. You’re not young anymore. Go find someone who truly wants you. Stop wasting your life on me.“>
A cold laugh escaped my lips.
So he had always known. He just didn’t want to expose her before.
Leanna’s face was drained of color. Her eyes reddened as she stumbled backward.
“You’ve been deliberately posting things on social media to provoke Mara. Every time my relationship with her improved, you’d find some excuse to sabotage it. I saw through it all, Leanna. Let it go.”}
Suddenly, she grabbed her head and began screaming. Out of nowhere, she pulled out a knife and pressed it to her neck.
“Fine! Then I’ll die! You’ll be happy if I’m gone, won’t you?!“}
Franco and I froze.
“If you’re going to die, do it somewhere else. Don’t stain this place with your madness,” I snapped coldly.
He added grimly, “Now I finally understand–my real mistake wasn’t just rejecting you back then. It was not being cruel enough. I should’ve left no hope, no room for fantasy.“>
I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. See? When a man turns heartless, it doesn’t matter how much he once loved you–he’ll crucify you without a second thought.
A flash of silver–Leanna, wild–eyed, rushed toward me with the knife.}
“This is all your fault, Mara! You need to die!“}
The blade glinted in the sunlight, reflecting her distorted face. I instinctively stepped back to shield Gian but stumbled and fell.
Just as the knife was about to pierce my heart, Franco threw himself in front of me–taking the blow.
Blood soaked his white shirt instantly. Leanna froze, her hand trembling, unable to believe what she had done.”
The shrill wail of sirens echoed through the village. As the police led her away, she was still sobbing.
“Please… let me see him–just once more…”
She was begging for a glimpse of Franco, lying in the back of the ambulance, bloodied and unconscious.
handoned Me to Save His Childhood Friends Do.
