Chapter 16 He Is Here
Alison stood in the kitchen, a place she had entered and exited countless times.
She loved the feeling of cooking; it made her feel like a homemaker, and it brought her joy.
Maybe she would cook one last meal, for herself, and in a way, for him too.
Even though he might never eat her food again.
She still cooked enough for two, and after eating, she felt surprisingly calm.
Really, she had no reason to be angry, right?
After all, when he was mad, he was yelling at Emily, not her. Maybe she was just overthinking it.
She washed her dishes and set his place at the table.
Checking the time, she saw he would be home from work soon.
Alison stopped dwelling on it, grabbed her suitcase, and opened the apartment door, finally deciding to leave.
But she hadn't gone far when she heard Jack's laughter with another woman by the elevator. They sounded so happy.
Probably because the woman with him wasn't someone he found annoying, like her.
She quickly ducked into the stairwell, pressing her back against the cold wall, her heart pounding. Peeking out, she saw him walking arm in arm with a slender woman.
That scene was so clear it hurt, making her world blur...
She stared blankly as Jack and the woman disappeared from view.
Even after a while, her gaze was still fixed on the empty hallway.
Jack had already taken the woman into his apartment.
What would he think when he saw the food on the table?
Would he throw it all in the trash?
He never understood the joy and warmth she felt cooking for him every day.
There was no warmth there, nothing at all.
Only his charming, deceptive smile, like a poppy flower, had drawn her in, making her fall for him without realizing it.
She should leave, but her legs felt like they were filled with lead.
Step by step, she descended the stairs, wondering if anyone would laugh at her for walking alone in the empty stairwell.
But she just wanted to walk quietly, undisturbed.
No one yelling "Get out" at her.
That word still echoed in her ears—"Get out."
He was so heartless...
By the time she finally exited the apartment building, it was pitch dark outside.
The cool night breeze brushed her face, and she greedily breathed in the fresh air.
She was free, and it felt so good.
But when she looked back at the faintly lit apartment, she wondered what he was doing with that other woman.
Biting her lip, she tried to stop thinking about it. Hadn't she forgotten how he insulted her that morning?
Jack, she would never forgive him.
Never, for the rest of her life.
The night in the city was just beginning, neon lights flickering as she wandered aimlessly.
Hearing the soft "tap tap" of her footsteps, she realized that without Jack, she had nowhere to go.
In this big city, she couldn't find a place to stay.
She couldn't keep wandering aimlessly; she needed to find a place to settle down.
Walking slowly along the sidewalk, she scanned the ads on the utility poles, hoping to find a job or a room for rent.
But the rooms were either too expensive or too big for her to afford.
The money she had was what she had saved before moving into Jack's apartment.
After nearly three months in the apartment, all she got from Jack was hurt.
As Alison walked dazedly around a corner, a shady-looking guy suddenly appeared beside her.
Her heart tightened, and she tried to avoid him. Her instincts told her he was trouble; she could see it in his eyes.
"Hey, beautiful, don't ignore me. I can keep you company, come with me," the thug said, grabbing her with his dirty hand.
"No!" she shouted, finding strength from somewhere to struggle against his grip.
"No? Haha, when women say no, they really mean yes," the thug sneered.
He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up. Under the streetlight, he ogled her. "Wow, you're gorgeous. I hit the jackpot tonight."
"Ah!" Alison couldn't take it anymore and bit down hard on his arm. As he yelped in pain and let go, she grabbed her suitcase and ran, desperate to escape.
But she hadn't gone far when the man caught up to her.
Sweat poured down her face.
The footsteps behind her grew closer.
Eventually, he caught her again, and on the quiet street, a knife glinted at her chest. "Run again, and I'll make you bleed!"
Alison looked at the sharp knife, a strange smile crossing her face, making the man's hand tremble. "Don't try anything, I'm not afraid!"
Would he let her go if the knife pierced her chest?
She loathed his touch; his sleazy demeanor made her sick.
Biting her lip, Alison closed her eyes and thrust herself forward onto the knife.
"Ugh..." It hurt so much.
"You... you..." The thug was stunned, not expecting her to do that. He had only meant to scare her, but now it seemed he had caused real harm. His hand shook, and he forgot to run.
Alison smiled through the pain, finding it oddly satisfying.
Taking advantage of his shock, she pulled out the knife, blood spraying like a ribbon, splattering the thug.
Without hesitation, she swung the knife at him.
She heard his scream and couldn't help but laugh.
She hated evil and would never let those who hurt her get away with it.
If she ever found the person who took those photos of her, she would exact the same revenge.
Dropping the bloodied knife, Alison collapsed onto the sidewalk like a rag doll.
Voices buzzed around her, making her head throb, her whole body aching.
"Idiot," she vaguely heard a man curse, followed by the sound of a phone call.
Soon, the sound of an ambulance approached, and someone carefully lifted her onto a stretcher.