Wrong Marriage and Sweet Love

Several days later, Christian returned Athena’s ashes to the Tanaka family and the Yoshikawa family in Rohomes.

It was a rainy day, with misty morning weather and low visibility. Looking around, the lush greenery was shrouded in white mist.

A private plane was parked on the empty runway. Vicki and Joyce were both there. Vicki held a large black umbrella, big enough to shelter both of them. The wild winds blew, and it took all of Vicki’s strength to keep the umbrella from being blown away.

Joyce held onto Vicki’s arm, silently gazing ahead. Christian boarded the plane and handed over a black-cloth-wrapped box to the personnel on the private plane.

Vicki glanced at Joyce. “Why did you come out in this weather? I said I could handle it alone. Are you worried? Do you want to see Athena’s ashes with your own eyes?”

“A little,” Joyce admitted. “She was so malicious, I’m afraid she might come back.”

“Don’t worry, that’s impossible,” Vicki scoffed. “She knew it herself, she didn’t have long. That’s why she wanted to take us down with her, even in her final moments, her intentions were so cruel.”

“Yeah, she was addicted to drugs and wouldn’t have lived much longer. In a way, I think her whole life was a tragedy. Born into the Yoshikawa family, she saw the darkness of human nature from a young age. She gradually disguised herself, living in deceit, and in the end, I’m afraid she even believed it herself,” Joyce shrugged. “I can imagine, she had deluded herself a long time ago.”

“I agree. At first, she might have genuinely felt something for Mr. Warner. But her possessiveness was too strong; she didn’t understand what love truly meant. In her eyes, it was all about possession. I think the years of repressed life led to a severe mental illness. But neither the Yoshikawa family nor the Ballard family were willing to face this fact. Without proper treatment, she’d only become more extreme,” Vicki sighed. “Sometimes, it’s really better to be born into an ordinary family. Maybe it would have been a different life.”

“Yeah,” Joyce agreed. “To whom much is given, much is expected. You and I are destined to lead extraordinary lives.”

“Let it go, I’ve gotten used to it,” Vicki patted Joyce’s shoulder.

At that moment, after handing over the urn, Christian came down from the plane and walked over to Joyce.

His hand held a similarly black umbrella, and the fine rain fell on his shoulders, covering his black suit with a layer of mist.

“It’s all over. You can leave now,” Christian’s voice was calm, devoid of any emotion. Whether it was the truth of the past or Athena’s death, these facts had all been fully accepted, and no ripples stirred in his heart.

Joyce glanced at Christian’s hand holding the umbrella, wrapped in thick gauze that was faintly seeping, and asked with concern, “Your hand, it looks severely burned. Is it serious?”

This was when Christian prevented Athena from throwing sulfuric acid, which ended up splashing on his own hand.

“It’s okay,” Christian dismissed. In reality, the burn was severe, even down to the bone, but it no longer mattered. With this scar, he would always remember his past mistake and the profound lesson.

Suddenly the air fell quiet.

Joyce didn’t know what else to say.

The once close distance seemed to make them more distant due to this incident. Joyce was mainly concerned that Christian had internal struggles.

Vicki, known for her straightforward nature, couldn’t stand such an awkward situation. “What are you two doing? If you have something to say, just say it. We’ve known each other for a long time, there’s no need for this.”

Christian’s face turned serious. “Joyce, I’ve heard about the poisoning incident with Luther, and it still hasn’t been resolved, has it? Athena is not absolved from this. I’ve heard reports that Athena once used money to threaten you. Later, the antidote was destroyed. All of this is my doing. If I hadn’t believed in Athena, how could you have fallen to this point today?”

Vicki was stunned and was about to ask Joyce.

Joyce quickly responded, “It’s not related to you, the one who poisoned was Otis. And you don’t have to worry, the antidote is about to be developed.” She said this to avoid causing further worry to others.

Vicki breathed a sigh of relief.

Christian said, “Nevertheless, I can’t escape blame.”

Joyce raised her eyes, filled with emotion. “Without you, my children and I would have been long gone. Christian, do you really have to keep your distance from me like this? You know how grateful I am to you. You’ve helped me so much, and I’ve done nothing in return.”

Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Are you really leaving? Can’t you stay? Justin left, and now you’re leaving too. I…”

Vicki interrupted from the side, “It’s just going to Mufron, not Mars. Do you two have to make such a melodrama out of saying goodbye?”

Joyce remained silent.

Christian also fell into silence.

Even in such a melancholic atmosphere, with Vicki around, the mood immediately lightened.

“I’m telling you, just say whatever you want. Christian going to Mufron for development is great, there’s no space for him here anymore. OGW is gone, and he doesn’t have much to do here. I think it’s great. Why do you have to make it so dramatic?” Vicki shrugged. “Please, hurry up, I have things to do.”

Joyce was speechless.

She said seriously, “If you need anything after going to Mufron, you can tell me. Even though I know you’re not likely to need my help.”

Christian smiled, “Alright.”

“Can I give you a hug?” Christian suddenly asked, looking at Joyce with an extremely serious gaze, without any of his previous mischief or disrespect.

Joyce was taken aback and didn’t know how to respond for a moment.

Vicki pushed Joyce forward, urging her to go all the way to where Christian was standing.

“It’s the 21st century, just let him hug you. Besides, your jealous husband isn’t here, so he won’t see it. Don’t worry, I won’t see it either,” Vicki, known for her straightforward nature, said.

Joyce hesitated before Christian, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay to not apologize,” Christian’s voice drifted in the wind and rain. “I’m willing.”

After a while, he finally let her go.

“Goodbye, Joyce.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Turning away as if afraid to linger, Christian’s solitary figure disappeared into the wind and rain.

Vicki continued to hold the umbrella for Joyce and pulled her towards the car. “Let’s go, stop looking. If you keep looking, your jealous husband will blow up. You should go back.”

“Okay,” Joyce sighed, feeling a sense of melancholy in her heart.