Chapter 114 A Soft Call in a Daze
She forced a smile, but her eyes were filled with sorrow. "Just tell me when and where tonight, and I'll be there."
He ignored the sadness in her eyes and responded with a single word, "Okay."
Alison pushed open the car door and stepped out of the white Lamborghini. The sun was shining brightly outside, but the warm light felt cold to her.
Her heart was completely frozen.
She didn't look back and had no idea when the car left. Like a zombie, she wandered aimlessly through the city streets.
People bustled around her, but she felt utterly isolated from the world.
She didn't know if it was worth it, but for Jackson, she agreed to Jack's demand.
To become his plaything for three months—how degrading.
She trudged back to YD, and that afternoon, she barely did anything, just stared blankly at her computer screen. Claire secretly recorded her lack of productivity, planning to get Alison fired before the boss returned.
Claire smirked at Alison's back. It wasn't her fault; Alison just wasn't working hard enough. Thinking about the way the boss used to look at Alison made Claire even more annoyed.
It was almost time to leave, but for the first time, Alison wished time would stop. She didn't want to go home.
Her phone buzzed with a text message. She didn't want to look at it, letting time pass as her heart grew heavier.
"Alison, it's time to go. If you don't leave now, I'll lock you in the office," Claire snapped, eager to get rid of her.
"Oh, I'm leaving now." Alison hurriedly grabbed her bag and phone, feeling their weight pressing down on her heart.
She glanced at her phone screen. It was a message from Jack, telling her to come over after work.
The location was the apartment she used to live in.
Alison didn't know how she left the office or how she got to the apartment. She just found herself there, in a daze.
Everything was still so familiar. The flowers and plants in front of the building looked just like they did back then.
Another night, and she was here again.
But with a different name and identity.
Sophia's tired voice came through the phone, "Mommy, it's just overtime, right?"
"Yes, just overtime. Mommy will be home soon to tuck you in." Once she finished her task, he would let her go, so she could still be home with her kids.
This was just a nightly occurrence, but it was a painful one.
She walked down the long hallway, step by step. The cactus by the door was still there, but it hadn't bloomed, only its long spines were visible, adding a touch of green.
Standing at the door, Alison took deep breaths, but her hand kept falling away from the door.
She didn't know how long she stood there until someone from the neighboring apartment gave her a strange look. She finally knocked lightly.
But there was no answer, just the echo of her knocking.
She knocked again, still no response.
Was he not home?
Right, he rarely came back this early.
Alison curled up by the door, quietly staring at the cactus. She could leave, but she knew she couldn't.
Time passed so slowly.
An hour, two hours...
She sat quietly by the door, ignoring the disdainful looks from passersby, her head down, waiting for him to return.
Out of boredom, she plucked the cactus spines, pricking her fingers to stay awake.
She could call him.
But if this was intentional, what good would calling do?
If she used the key, it would only lead to his humiliation.
She instinctively pushed the flowerpot, remembering the apartment key used to be under it. Was it still there?
When the pot tilted, she saw a key lying there. He had put it there.
Alison stared at the key, suddenly understanding its significance.
Even if he hated her, subconsciously, he was still waiting for Emily to come back.
He loved Emily, that was certain.
The deeper the love, the deeper the hate.
She wanted to take the key and enter the apartment, but her hand stopped halfway. She couldn't do it.
Because using the key would mean she knew the secret all along, but she wasn't Emily.
Everything was a mess, and she couldn't make sense of it.
The key kept changing in her eyes, the hallway lights casting a spell on it, tempting her to pick it up and go inside.
Just like that night over three years ago.
Then, she heard footsteps behind her.
The sound made Alison quickly put the flowerpot back and resume her position, hugging her knees by the door.
Jack's tall figure loomed over her. "Why are you here so early?" His voice was mocking, as if she was eager to throw herself at him.
Alison slowly looked up, smelling the alcohol on him. He had been drinking.
Was he thinking about the Emily he hated?
She stood up slowly, her voice low. "Jack, I just got here a few minutes ago." In truth, she had been waiting for over two hours. She lied to keep a shred of dignity.
"Have you eaten?" He fumbled with the key, glancing at her pale face, frowning.
"Yes," she lied. She hadn't eaten anything and was starving, but even if she could eat, she wouldn't be able to.
He tried to unlock the door, but his hands were shaking too much.
"Jack, let me do it." She reached for the key, knowing he wouldn't be able to open the door in his drunken state.
But he pulled her into his arms, his breath brushing her cheek, making her heart race. He whispered in her ear, "The key was right there. How could you not know?"
Alison realized it was another test. Luckily, she hadn't used the key under the flowerpot.
Taking the key from his hand, Alison quickly unlocked the apartment door.
Pushing it open, everything inside was just as it had been the first time she came. Every item, every piece of furniture was in its place, even the slippers she used to wear were by the door.
Her heart tightened, a feeling she couldn't describe, her throat constricting, making it hard to speak.
Jack still had his arm around her waist, smiling. "Does this place feel familiar? Do you like it?"
She knew this place well, so well it hurt. He had given her so much warmth here, warmth that had conquered her heart and made her lose herself.
But it was also here that all her dreams were shattered.
She would never be happy again.
Because he didn't love her.