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Several policemen exchanged glances before shaking their heads at Elias. One of them spoke dismissively, “Oh, so now you regret the divorce? You want us to help you find your ex–wife? This is someone else’s privacy. Since you’re no longer married, we can’t tell you anything…”
“We didn’t divorce!” Elias snapped, his voice sharp with frustration.
But no one believed him.
He could hardly remember how he left the police station. His mind was a jumble of confusion, the weight of disbelief pressing down on him with every step.
How could this be happening? He and Mira were legally married–how could they have divorced without him knowing?
Even if she wanted a divorce, she would never have gone through the entire process alone. It didn’t make sense.
But no matter how much he argued, the database clearly stated they were no longer husband and wife
The realization shattered him. It was the last straw, and all the tension he’d been holding inside exploded. He punched the ground with his fist, feeling the sting of blood welling up on the back of his hand.
“Mira… Mira,
Mira, where are you?” His voice cracked in desperation, but the silence around him offered no ansy When Elias returned home, the elevator doors slowly creaked open. He looked up, hoping–praying–to see mira. Instead, a slender figure stood with their back to him.
“Mira! You’re back!” he exclaimed, his heart swelling with relief.
He rushed toward her, but when the figure turned, it wasn’t Mira.
It was Vera.
The light in his eyes instantly dimmed.
“Elias, I have good news!” Vera said, her voice bright with excitement as she held several hospital reports in her
hand.
Elias‘ expression remained distant, his heart too heavy to feel any joy He couldn’t bring himself to be happy for
her, not now
Vera eagerly handed him the papers, her face beaming “My previous diagnosis was a misdiagnosis! I don’t have ALS The doctor said myasthenia and ALS have similar symptoms, and the private hospital made a mistake ”
“Great” she continued, her smile widening, “I won’t die I can still live a full life
But Elias didn’t respond. His gaze was cold, distant, and the joy she expected from him never came
Her smile faltered, and she hesitated, her voice tinged with disappointment Elias, aren’t you happy for me?
Elias looked at her, his gaze calculating, almost as if seeing her for the first time Finally, he spoke, has words blunt and indifferent “Congratulations
Without another word, he opened the door and stepped inside
Vera stood there, stunned, before following him inside the weight of the moment settling between them
Elias felt an inexplicable surge of imitation when he saw Vera entering the room. Her timid and reserved demeanor only served to heighten his frustration. He couldn’t help but wonder if Vera hadn’t once been on the
brink of suicide because of her ALS diagnosis, would they have ever crossed paths?
If she hadn’t become a part of his life, would be have been so consumed by his feelings for Mira, leading to the mess they were in now?
“Elias, are you in a bad mood?? Vera asked softly, her voice tinged with concern:
“No,” Elias replied curtly, opening the refrigerator and grabbing a can of beer. He tried to focus on the cold drink,
anything to distract from the storm inside him
But before he could take a sip, he felt arms wrap around his waist, gentle but insistent.
“Can I do something to make you happy?” Vera’s voice was soothing, almost as if trying to lull him into
calmness
Elias turned, eyes narrowing in frustration. Vera had removed all her clothes, standing there naked before him with a playful smile on her lips.
“I’m going to take a shower,” she said with a coy grin before walking toward the bathroom.
As she disappeared, Elas gaze drifted to her phone, which was vibrating on the coffee table. He picked it up out of habit, pressing the answer button. It was a call from a courier.
He hung up quickly, but as his fingers grazed the screen, they accidentally tapped into Facebook. A familiar avatar caught his eye–Mira’s
His heart skipped a beat. Had Vera been in contact with Mira? He clicked into their conversation, only to be met. with a series of red exclamation marks. Vera had repeatedly messaged Mira, but all her attempts had been rejected. Yet, she hadn’t stopped–harassing Mira relentlessly over the past few days,
The sight of it made Blas‘ chest tighten. His thoughts raced, each one darker than the last.
