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

dad when he was young, with a smile

and content. Having my mom and dad around was better than

fell

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

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

feeling down, I'd hit the bottle. That night, Linda took Richard out and didn't come back until super late. Layce, being the sharp kid she was, probably sensed my bad mood and decided to cook. She was barely taller than the table, standing on a little stool, but she was doing a pretty good job. Seeing my daughter being so thoughtful melted my heart. I took the spatula from her tiny hand and made us some pasta; we each

told Layce to go to bed early and threw on a coat to head out. I knew where she was; I was going to 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

early. Seeing the light coming from the Windsor Family's house, I felt a bit lost. Even if Linda was inside, what could I do? Confront Victor and try to act tough? Or play the betrayed husband and call her out? Or make a scene so no one could

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

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

Linda's domesticity for the first time. She kept the house spotless, cooked delicious meals, bathed the children,

result, I buried all the

because she shouldered burdens

wasn't a bad thing; this way, she wouldn't live in hatred,

I was afraid that my act would be too obvious and arouse suspicion. Adversity made people grow, and I was glad she had always strived to walk out of the shadows, living positively

rarely had sex with Linda. I always felt a knot in my heart, and I felt that enjoying life

behaved for a few years, but I knew she and Victor never really broke up. I didn't care much about it anymore, as long as she came home every day. Everything I did

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, keeping

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

opened the door. Lacey hugged me and said, "Dad, I will stay with you forever!" At that moment, I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. That night, Linda and

Windsor Family was a capable young man who had made a name for himself, mature and steady, and seemed to have good character. I couldn't say Emily wouldn't be happy with him, but I

more could 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 the past remained a secret buried