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Benedict flung the scalding fish fillet onto the floor, his silence echoing through the room.
“Tell Dad to come find me. I‘ ll finish handing over my work in a week, and then I’m leaving,” he muttered, his voice low.
“You‘ re leaving? Where do you think you‘ re going? Do you still think you‘ re a child?” Benedict’s mother shot back, her fury palpable.
She had always known Odette was no
pushover, but it had been Odette’s departure that had shattered her son.
From the very start, she had opposed their
1/8
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relationship–and their marriage.
“If you had treated Odette better, she wouldn’t have walked away the moment she lost faith in you…” Benedict‘ s words
faltered, his voice breaking under the weight of regret.
His mother stared at him, speechless for the first time.
After a long pause, Benedict repeated, “Tell Dad to come.”
“Your father will never agree to you leaving the company,” she snapped, her face hardening. “Besides, where do you think she’s gone? The world‘ s a vast place, and if she doesn’t want you to find her, how could you?”
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Benedict completely broke down, his voice raw with emotion. “I don’t need his
approval! If he doesn’t come for me, I’ll leave tomorrow! I don‘ t care what happens to the company!”
“If I’m not found in a day, I’ll wait a week! If I’m not found in a week, I’ll wait a month! If I’m not found in a month, I‘ 11 wait a year! I’ll be found, or I’ll die trying!” Each word came from a place of fierce
determination.
His mother froze in terror. She had no words,
no answers.
Benedict lay in the sterile hospital bed, staring at the moon through the window, unable to close his eyes.
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What kept replaying in his mind was the night Odette had undergone surgery to remove her uterus, all because of the injuries she had sustained for him.
He had been frantic, panicked beyond reason.
But in the end, he had made the wrong choice.
He had lied to her, claiming he was going to the mountains to pray for her safety. Still, instead, he had bought a safety charm at a
convenience store and braved the storm to be
with Millicent.
That was the first time he had been with
Millicent.
After that, everything spiraled out of control.
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Benedict closed his eyes, overwhelmed with regret. It wasn’t until Odette walked away without a second glance that he understood just how wrong he had been.
He had assumed that because Odette had no family or close friends, she would always remain by his side.
But Odette had never been the type to be tethered to one place.
She had stayed only because she loved him.
And once that love was gone, leaving was as easy as taking a single step.
The next day, Benedict finally saw his father. “You‘ re here, just in time. I’m planning to discharge and go to the company with you…”
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Benedict stood from the hospital bed, but
before he could even straighten up, his father slapped him across the face.
The slap mark from the drunken outburst still lingered, and now a fresh wound had been
carved into it.
“Scumbag! Look at what you‘ ve turned into for a woman!”
“Why didn’t you do something when you couldn’t handle losing Odette? Who forced you to betray her?!”
Benedict fell to his knees, gripping his
father’s pant leg tightly. “Dad, just kill me.”
“Kill me… and I won’t feel this torment
anymore.”
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His father’s gaze remained as cold as ice. “Divorce Odette, return to the company, and stop making a fool of yourself. The shareholders are watching your ridiculous performance.”
“I will never divorce her!” Benedict’s voice
was a low growl, his teeth gritted with determination.
“I asked the director. Odette’s gone to South Africa. Do you understand how dangerous that is? If she’s going, she doesn’t plan on coming back alive. She doesn’t want you anymore, so why risk your life for her?” His father’s words were sharp, unfeeling.
Benedict remained silent, his resolve only growing stronger. He didn’t look at his
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father, didn’t respond. He simply turned
and walked away, each step heavy with the weight of his choices.
