Chapter 2 He Is Alive
The slap from Jessie caused me to feel sick again. I spent two days in bed before I finally started feeling a little better.
I didn’t blame her, though. After all, I had once been engaged to Thad, so it was understand- able that she might still harbor some resentment.
Besides, even I was against Thad taking on responsibilities for both families.
Having caused Jessie to faint, I felt guilty.
So, once I was able to get out of bed, I went to my in–laws‘ room, hoping to convince them to drop this idea and never bring it up again.
I also planned to apologize personally to Thad and Jessie afterward, hoping to ease their
minds.
But as I was about to reach the door, I overheard Sarah’s confused voice from inside. “Paul, it was clearly your brother who died. Why are you saying it was you?”
I wondered, ‘Paul? That is my husband’s name. He isn’t dead? The person who died in the car accident was actually my husband’s older brother, Thad?‘
I felt like I had been struck by lightning. My eyes went wide, and I froze in place. ‘How… how is this possible?‘
I shook my head hard, thinking I must have misheard. But then, I heard his voice again.
“Mom, please don’t tell Jessie. She’s always been frail and has a weak heart. If she finds out it was my brother who died, her body won’t be able to handle it.”
I thought, ‘Thad… no, I should be calling him Paul. My husband, Paul.‘
He paused for a moment, then sighed and said, “The person I’ve always loved was Jessie. When I married Monica, it was only to help Jessie and my brother. Now, I’ve given Monica a child, and I owe her nothing.”
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Chapter 2 He Is Alive
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He continued, “From now on, I’ll take my brother’s place and care for Jessie for the rest of her life. Please, don’t bring up this idea of taking on both families again. It will only upset her and cause her pain.”
Sarah said, “But Monica has already suffered enough. Back then, you went to great lengths to destroy her engagement with your brother and help him marry Jessie. You had her kid- napped for three days and nights, subjecting her to unspeakable abuse.”
She continued, “Now, after everything she’s been through, she’s finally moving on and carry- ing your child. It’s only right that you take care of her…”
Sarah tried to say more, but Paul cut her off, his voice sharp with impatience. “Enough, Mom! To make up for everything, I ignored the ridicule of being called a cuckold and mar- ried her without hesitation.”
He continued, “Then I spent three years caring for her, helping her heal. Isn’t that enough? Do you expect me to spend my entire life making it up to her? Mom, I’ve been miserable for three years, pretending, holding everything in. I can’t take it anymore!“.
He added, “Living with her has been torture every single day! Now, fate has given me a chance to be with Jessie again, and I’m not going to let it slip away…”
I couldn’t make out what they were saying after that. I was too overwhelmed to hear anything clearly. All I could feel was a chill spreading through me, and my chest felt like it had been pierced with a sharp pain.
When I stumbled back to my room, I realized I was trembling all over, my face streaked with
tears.
It hit me then–the person who had died in the car accident wasn’t Paul at all; it was his older brother, Thad.
And everything Paul had shown me over the past three years–the love, the tenderness–had all been a lie. The person he had always loved, from the start to the end, was none other than Jessie, just like Thad.
It was also Paul who had arranged for me to be kidnapped in the first place, all to ensure that Jessie would marry Thad.
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They never wanted to marry me. Instead of ending the engagement openly, they chose to de- stroy my life.
The worst part? I had thought this monster was my savior, and had been willing to sacrifice everything to give him a
