After that, I hung up. I didn’t care what else he had to say.
I only learned about Shawn’s return to Summeria the following day–the police had brought him to Mom and Dad’s home. I stared at him as he sat in the living room, unable to understand what he wanted.
Mom and Dad used a walk as an excuse to leave the house so Shawn and I could talk privately. I looked at him. “Did you return to deal with something?”
His eyes reddened at my question: “You’re cruel, Jolene. How could you have sold the apartment and left without a word?”
I couldn’t help laughing. “Hasn’t the divorce always been your idea? I was just satisfying y
Shawn blurted, “I never wanted to actually divorce you! You’re the one I’ve always loved!”
1/2
I sneered. “Is that so? Do you show me how much you love me by hurting me? I don’t think I’m worthy of it, then.”
He parted his lips to speak but found that he couldn’t refute me. Only then did he realize how much pain and suffering he’d put me through. After a while, he said, “I’ve only ever wanted to help Jill. I didn’t mean to hurt you.
“My feelings for her aren’t that of love. I don’t even have feelings for her! It’s just an unwillingness to accept rejection that’s stemmed from my younger days.”
This was his first time explaining how he felt about Jill since she had entered our lives. It was too bad I no longer cared. I looked at him and made a noncommittal sound of
acknowledgment.
He fell silent, at a loss for words. I sighed and said calmly, “You should leave if you don’t have anything else to say. It’s scorching outside, and I don’t want my parents to get heatstroke after being out there for so long.”
Shawn didn’t seem to expect me to chase him out so harshly. He stared dazedly at me.
Meanwhile, I opened the door and looked at him. He ultimately admitted defeat and left with his head drooping.
