One evening a week later, Quinn returned home with a flushed face. His roommate teasingly asked if he had gone out to have sex. Sean remembered his response.
“Yeah, I did, but it was with my girlfriend, and she’s still a virgin. Damn, I hit the jackpot!”
This was followed by a chorus of envy from everyone, urging Quinn to buy drinks. At the time, Sean felt disgusted by their gossip about female classmates behind their backs, so he turned and went to the library with a book in his arms.
Looking back now, Sean felt only jealousy, nothing else.
“Yeah, I know. But I really don’t mind,” Maria chuckled lightly, staring at him with a look of amusement, as if he were a strange creature. “I don’t care whether you mind or not.”
“I’m telling you, I just want you to know you don’t need to be responsible for me. We’re all adults, let’s forget about last night.”
It couldn’t be considered Sean’s fault. She had been drugged, and if he hadn’t intervened to help her, she might have actually felt nauseous and wanted to vomit right now.
Sean was stunned in place for a moment. He had imagined that Maria might wake up and angrily scold him, hit him, or even resent him. After all, last night… he had taken advantage of her vulnerability.
He never expected her to simply say forget about it. She could forget, but he couldn’t.
“Maria, are you serious?” All he needed was for her to say one sentence holding him responsible, and he would be willing to take care of her for the rest of his life, only being good to her.
Poor Sean didn’t even know if he wanted to be good to Maria because he genuinely wanted to be good to her, or if he felt that as a man, he should take responsibility. He was caught in a dilemma for a moment.
He had never thought about starting a new relationship in these years, simply because his first love, who deceived him, had made him afraid to give his heart again.
In Maria’s eyes, his hesitation was just a manifestation of a man wanting to “take responsibility” for her, and she didn’t need his pity.
“Yes, I’m serious. Let’s forget about last night, as if nothing happened,” Maria said.
“There’s one more thing I want to tell you.”
“What… is it?”
Maria struggled to walk to the end of the bed, picked up her handbag, and took out a letter from the pocket.
“She left it for you before she died. I think you should read it.”
Both of them knew very well who “she” referred to.
Maria’s hand was still hanging in the air, holding the yellowed envelope, indicating that it had been written a long time ago. But Mikaela had never had the courage to deliver this letter to him.
Sean was also stunned. After his ex-girlfriend revealed her identity and purpose to him, the two began a cold war, and then she left Akloit without saying a word.
With his family’s decline and a major illness, although the word “breakup” was never spoken between them, it was an undeniable fact.
For so many years, every time he thought of her, he would miss her at first, even resent her for leaving.
But as time went on, he buried her deep in his memory, not thinking about her or mentioning her anymore.
Gradually, life became calm and comfortable, so much so that mentioning Mikaela now didn’t evoke the youthful feeling of excitement he had back then.
“Thank you.” Sean decided to read the letter, just to… put an end to his past self completely.
At the same time, Maria was also secretly looking forward to it. If he still wanted her after reading this letter, she really wanted to throw away everything and try with him.
If he still loved her sister, she wouldn’t disturb his life anymore.
“Sean,
Hello, please forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye back then, because I really didn’t know how to face you.
From the beginning, I knew your identity, and I knew that my good friend committed suicide because of your family, the Lawrence family.
I can never forget the scene of her standing despairingly on the rooftop, smiling at me. From that moment on, the belief in revenge was firmly rooted in my mind.
So I approached you with a purpose, attracted your attention, and became your girlfriend…
Every step was a trap I set, and you successfully fell into this perfect lie.
Do you remember when you confessed to me for the first time and gave me a game skin? You said you would only be my boyfriend in the future.
The second time, in the restaurant, you reserved the entire hall and covered it with roses… Only then did I realize that my “disgust” towards you was just because I couldn’t face my own heart.
I’m sorry, Sean, I’m not a good person, let alone the kind, innocent girl in your eyes. It wasn’t until the farce of revenge ended that I realized how stupid I was and how deeply I hurt you.
I think you must hate me. Forgive me for not having the courage to see you again, but I’ve always wanted to tell you… my feelings for you are real.
Countless struggles and conflicts in the dark night, it turns out it’s because I like you. Now that I’m leaving, please don’t come looking for me.
If possible… please forget about me. Forget about the me who hurt you and didn’t know what’s good for her.
From now on, never to meet again. Take care of yourself.
Mikaela’s last words!
Sean finally got the answer to the question that had been suppressed in his heart for many years. He looked at the letter, and his eyes involuntarily turned red.
A clear tear fell on the paper.
The next moment, Maria heard him muttering softly, “So I wasn’t just wishful thinking. So… she did love me too.”
Maria bit her lip tightly. She knew she should be happy for her sister, but she couldn’t force a smile.
See, he still loves her sister after all.
To her… he just wants to take responsibility.
“Where is she now?” Sean asked.
Maria took a deep breath, struggling not to cry, but her voice was filled with a heavy sob.
“She’s dead… After going abroad, she had a major illness, and finally, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer.”
Mikaela’s health had never been good, and she ate very little. Sean knew this.
He just didn’t expect her to die of stomach cancer at such a young age.
It was indescribable what it felt like in his heart.
Probably… regret. She shouldn’t have died silently in her prime.
“I see…”
Maria didn’t want to stay here anymore. She shoved the notebook she carried with her into Sean’s arms.
Then she pretended to smile warmly at him as she had never done before.
“This is what she wrote before she died. Take a look, I won’t bother you anymore.”
Sean took the notebook, but saw her picking up her handbag as if she was going to leave, and quickly asked
Mikaela had always had poor health and ate very little, and Sean knew this. He just never expected her to die from stomach cancer at such a young age.
He couldn’t quite put into words how he felt inside; it was a mixture of regret and sorrow that she had died so quietly in her prime.
“Ah, I see,” Sean said.
Maria didn’t want to stay there any longer and handed Sean her notebook, saying, “This is what she wrote before she passed away. Take a look. I won’t disturb you anymore.”
Sean took the notebook, but as he glanced up, he saw that she was grabbing her bag and getting ready to leave. He quickly asked her, “Where are you going?”
Maria turned her back to him and tears silently streamed down her face. She didn’t dare let him see her in such a vulnerable state as she replied softly, “I’m going downstairs to check out. Once you’re done, come find me.”
Sean noticed that she was lightly dressed and handed her his coat, saying, “It’s cold outside. Wear this.”
“Wait for me downstairs. I’ll be quick,” Maria said, feeling a sudden warmth in her heart as she looked at the coffee-colored plaid coat in front of her. Was this considered her first gift from him?
“Okay.”