Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 216 Secrets Buried by Time

Richard was bawling his eyes out while packing up all of Benjamin's stuff.

I slipped the diary into my own bag, trying to be discreet.

Once the rescue mission wrapped up and we sorted through Benjamin's belongings, we took his body back to Starlight City and kept it at the funeral home for now.

Lacey was rushing back, hoping to see Benjamin one last time.

The past few days had everyone on edge because of the earthquake, and the whole city was drenched in sadness.

The next day, I skipped work.

After breakfast, Ethan headed to his job, and I went upstairs, pulled the diary out of my bag, and settled into a chair on the balcony to read it.

I hadn't opened it right away after getting back because Benjamin's last words left me feeling uneasy. It seemed like he knew something but couldn't say it out loud. Whatever he couldn't say, he probably wrote in the diary. After reading Benjamin's diary, I stayed on the balcony all morning.

The summer sun was blazing, but I was shivering like my blood had turned to ice.

Hope called me for lunch, but I didn't budge.

"You guys go ahead, I'm not hungry," I mumbled, barely able to get the words out.

After sitting there a bit longer, I grabbed the diary and headed out.

to my

showed my dad when he was young, with a smile I hadn't seen outside of dreams for

rich, but little me felt so happy and content. Having my mom and dad around was better than

everything fell apart

cursed God countless times for being unfair. But after reading Benjamin's diary, I realized it wasn't just

I married Linda, the rumors about her never stopped. Actually, in the short time after our wedding, I already knew it might've been a mistake. There were a lot of things I wasn't clueless about; I just pretended not to know. Having kids didn't make our marriage any

than the table, standing

find her. Victor from the quarry had built a house nearby and mostly lived there. The quarry was a rough place, and every worker there would be covered in dust after a day's work. Linda was such a clean freak, yet she went to the quarry every few days. Deep down, I knew what was going on. I just pretended not to

a bit lost. Even if Linda was inside, what could

to the window and stopped. That night, I heard a lot of terrible truths outside that window, about the Russell Family's tragic car accident, about Richard's true identity. I never knew she had hidden so much from me, that my wife was so cruel. They had orchestrated

the door and saw me, she was terrified. But she was smart and reacted quickly, immediately crying and begging me not to say anything. I was so stunned and shocked that I lost control, and I don't even know how I got her back home that night. After we got back, she pulled me into the room, kissing me and begging me, saying she had her reasons, and promising never to see Victor again, to live a good life with me. It was the first time she was so proactive and passionate in bed, but I didn't feel any arousal at all and eventually pushed her away. Seeing her pitiful expression, I felt a bit of compassion. Even though she had always been restless, she was still my lover, the biological mother of our children. Even if Richard wasn't my biological child, the kids were innocent. How

days of calm, I ultimately chose to remain silent. During those days, I experienced Linda's domesticity for the first time. She kept the house spotless, cooked delicious meals, bathed

result, I buried all the secrets with a bit of

Her sensibility was heartbreaking because she shouldered burdens too

from her wasn't a bad thing; this way, she wouldn't live in hatred, her world remained pure and held love. Moreover,

I could. I even wanted to adopt her, but I was afraid that my act would be too obvious

a knot in my heart, and I felt that enjoying life was a

and Victor never really broke up. I didn't care much about it anymore, as long as she came home every day.

probably thinking I wouldn't reveal the truth for the sake of the children. Such a marriage was absurd, and I didn't want to live in absurdity for a lifetime. The children had grown up and become rational. So, I took the initiative to propose a divorce, intending to set her free. After all,

room crying, feeling utterly useless. I didn't even know why I was crying. Clearly, we couldn't go on, and I

the door. Lacey hugged me and said, "Dad, I will stay with you forever!" At that moment, I couldn't hold back

was a capable young man who had made a name for

I say? I could only hold on to beautiful wishes, hoping Windsor Family would treat her well and repay all the debts to her with love. I also hoped the truth of