Chapter 15
Only then did Balfour remember: before the accident, Lynne had mailed him a package.
Clinging to that sliver of hope, he gathered all the unopened parcels in front of him. His phone had long since died, so he scrambled to find a charger and plugged it in with shaking hands.\
He could hardly wait to unlock Lynne’s phone, desperate to find some trace of the happiness they’d once shared.>>
But when the phone finally came to life, the hopeful smile froze on his face.
His fingers flew across the screen, scrolling through thousands of photos. Yet not a single picture captured the two of them together. Instead, every photo was a damning image of him entangled with Cynthia in bed.
Cynthia’s taunting text messages kept popping up, one after another, each one more brazen than the last.
So Lynne had known everything.”
Balfour’s eyes widened in horror. His trembling finger accidentally tapped on an audio file.
A voice rang out in the silent room.”
*Balfour, are you sure about this? Wasn’t it just supposed to be a fling? Now you’re actually falling for Cynthia? Remember last time–because of her, you left your wife alone at her own birthday party. You didn’t see the look on her face. We’ve all watched you two from the beginning. Do you really want to end things like this?“>
“And faking your own death? Isn’t that a little unfair to your wife?“}
*I’ll leave her the company, the house, the cars–she’ll be set for life. Isn’t that enough?“}
“She’s never wanted for money.“}
“That’s exactly it. Cynthia needs me more.“”
The phone slipped out of Balfour’s hand and crashed hard onto the floor.
Shock and anguish twisted his features. He broke down, sobbing with a raw, hoarse voice–like a child caught in the act.}
So this was it. Lynne wanted to leave him because of his affair.
All this time, he’d thought she was angry over his treatment of Cynthia, refusing to admit her own fault, and that’s why she’d left. He’d been so sure.
Had Lynne really been behind Cynthia’s Uncle Brown’s scheme? The answer now seemed painfully obvious, but Balfour couldn’t bring himself to think any further.”
He was terrified-
Terrified that he’d wronged Lynne all along.”
Ø འརྨ ཆཇ ཟ ཥཾ ༤ ན ཆ | ཤ ་
Tears fell, one after another, darkening the crisp fabric of his shirt.
At the sudden sound of the front door, he instinctively looked up, and for a split second, he imagined he saw Lynne standing there.
He scrambled to his feet and rushed forward, flinging his arms around the figure in the doorway.”
“Lynne, is that you?“%
“Lynne, I’m sorry! It’s all my fault. I was wrong about you–please, forgive me! I knew you weren’t gone. I love you, darling, I love you!“$
But the person he clung to stiffened in his embrace. Tearfully, she looked up at him, her voice trembling with hurt.
Balfour, it’s me. Cynthia.“%
His head thudded as if someone had struck him. He stared down at the woman in his arms, realizing it wasn’t Lynne at all, and instantly let go.
Staggering back, he watched as Cynthia fell apart, sobbing uncontrollably.
“You’re still thinking about her, aren’t you? She’s dead, Balfour! She’s gone–there’s nothing left of her! And you still can’t forget her?”
“Was she really that perfect? Have you forgotten how she never understood you, how she conspired with the Tobin family to hurt you? I’m the only one who’s been by your side! Me!*%
Balfour didn’t answer. He just stared, his eyes dark and unreadable.
“You told me before–it was Lynne who bribed your Uncle Brown. That she gave him five million dollars. Was that true?“%
Cynthia flinched under his gaze, but her defiance didn’t falter.
She bit her lower lip hard and spat out, “Yes!“”
“Lynne was a manipulative woman, Balfour. Stop fooling yourself.”
