Who's Crying Now, Ex-Husband?

Chapter 341

"Don't be afraid."

His lips pressed against hers, swallowing her trembling sobs with undeniable force.

In the empty music room, the broken, discordant notes of the piano echoed for what felt like forever. If you listened closely, you could still hear the girl's shattered cries woven through the chaos.

Her pale, delicate skin was pressed against the black and white keys, the music dissolving into a wild tangle of sound. She was gasping, eyes glazed, as if something vital had been torn from her chest and cast into darkness, leaving her nothing but a blurry shadow of herself. She didn't love the piano anymore.

After that day,

For a long time, Mila was afraid whenever she saw a piano. Even when the fear faded, she never touched the keys again. Her aversion was etched into her very bones.

...

And after that,

She stopped going to that dark room as often.

But in its place came something stranger-Lysander's obsession. He'd press her up against familiar and unfamiliar places alike, chasing fleeting moments of pleasure.

On the balcony, in the kitchen... sometimes even in a private theater or an empty amusement park-places she and Forrest had once visited together.

Those pure, happy memories were overwritten, replaced by desire, until even recalling them left her feeling unspeakably ashamed.

She found herself recoiling from the memories they'd shared.

How humiliating.

Gradually, those days faded into the past.

Time slipped by in a blur of chaos, until New Year's Eve arrived. Mila sat curled up

the window seat, staring blankly at the world

gathered together, the world welcoming a new

A new beginning.

A new life.

yet she had no

dress, and without thinking pressed her hand to the cold glass, her breath fogging up a circle. She traced a smiley face in the haze,

suddenly on her shoulders. Short, dark hair brushed her

She froze.

for the holidays? Why was Lysander here,

voice was low, almost pleading. "Don't move. Just... let me

So she didn't move.

passed. Then, all at once, Mila stiffened. She felt something hot and wet on her neck-tears. Was he

Lysander was crying?

in control, unshakable, relentless-was he

She didn't dare move.

sick again. Why does she treat me like this whenever she gets ill?

answer, but her eyes were blank with

Lysander talk about his family, as strange

even he wasn't

staring out at the never-ending fireworks. Even the brightest burst only

his voice, sharp and raw, exploding

me, Mila. Please just hold

"I'm so tired."

was feeling-fear? Habit? Loneliness on New

was

She didn't know.

Slowly, Mila turned,

cupped his face in her hands. The kaleidoscope