Armand Bernie took his hand back and said without any emotion, “We know each other.”
Phoebe Lewis grabbed his hand tightly, “No, you do care about me, and you used to love me a lot.”
“As you said, I used to.” Armand emphasized.
Phoebe released his hand and said, “If you don’t love me anymore, why are you still here?”
“You were injured.”
“It’s not an excuse!” Phoebe stared at him deeply, “Armand, do you remember the first time you kissed
me?” She didn’t care about whether Armand wanted to listen to her or not, but she kept saying, “It was
a sunny day, right before our graduation. You came to me and you bought the ticket for the movie
called ‘My Ex’. The movie was about a couple, they broke up because of something bad happened.
And you told me right in the cinema that you would never leave me alone.”
Armand didn’t answer her.
He remembered he said that.
Phoebe looked outside the window and kept saying, “It was dark in the cinema and we sat in the back
seats. You kissed me. It was our first kiss.” She turned her head and asked Armand, “Do you
remember that?”
Armand’s throat moved a bit, “Tell me, why you left me?”
Phoebe showed a relieved yet bitter smile, “You are married. It is meaningless to say that.”
She closed her eyes showing she was tired and hopeless, “You are free to go.”
Armand’s hands made fists, “I will send you back.”
“No need, I will go back by myself.”
“Phoebe…”
“Don’t call me like that, it makes me think you still love me.” She opened her eyes and stared at him.
Her tears were streaming down from her cheek. “I thought you would wait for me to come back… It was
my fault, I shouldn’t have believed in our relationship could be that firm and it actually turned out that I
have overthought too much.”
“You should have given me a reason, I could have waited for you.” Armand looked at her.
Phoebe laughed and didn’t explain the reason why she left and then came back. She removed the
blanket and put on her coat, pointing at the medicine on the table, “Is this mine?”
Armand nodded.
Phoebe took the medicine and walked to the door. After opening the door, she suddenly held her
forehead and staggered a few steps.
Armand rushed over and held her, “What’s wrong?”
Phoebe shook her hand and said, “It’s not your business.”
“If you don’t want me to ask that, why you show up in front of me?” Armand felt he had done enough of
this. She was the one who decided to leave and then come back, and she even blamed him for not
waiting for her.
“It was my fault, and I shouldn’t have come up to you. I will never show up in front of you.” After saying
that, she walked out.
But she looked too weak and just walked slowly.
Armand stood on the spot for a while and chased out. He grabbed her waist and said, “Do you think
you can do whatever you want? It’s not up to you now.”
“Hiss!”
Phoebe felt hurt so much and she took a deep breath.
Armand let go her waist, and asked carefully, “I’m sorry, I didn’t pay attention.”
Phoebe shook her head.
“I will send you home, where are you living?” Armand said.
He didn’t know why he said that. He only knew that it was not safe for her to go back alone.
“No.118, DT road.” Phoebe answered.
Armand took aback and recalled the place that he almost forgot.
“Why… why that place?”
“Because it has my memory, which is nice but I’m afraid to recall it.” Phoebe looked at him, “You must
have forgotten about it.”
Armand got back to his sense and avoided looking at her. He tried to say it calmly, “I will send you
back.”
He took over the medicine and held her arm.
Phoebe didn’t refuse him since she knew she had done enough to change his mind.
When they got to the gate of the hospital, Armand called a taxi and helped Phoebe get into the car,
then he sat on the front seat.
They didn’t talk on the way back.
Armand was in a deep thinking, he even forgot to get off the car only after a reminding from the driver.
He paid the bill and helped Phoebe get off the car.
When they were walking in the familiar hallway, Armand felt his muscles were tensed.
This was an old community, so there was no elevator. The good point was the real estate center was
good so the whole community was clean and the walls were newly painted.
Phoebe opened the door when they arrived her apartment. This was a one-bedroom apartment. The
rent was pretty low as the community was old. So Phoebe could rent it only by her part-time wages
when she was in college.
At that time, Armand was poor as well. He had been depressed for quite a long time after Phoebe left
him. Then he did his best to man up quickly and his business was getting better and better. He
accepted countless lawsuit, he would take every kind of case. Then he slowly became famous and
owned his law office. Many customers came to him because of his reputation.
After years’ development, it was the top law firm in the industry with great reputation.
The room decoration was still the same as before. Armand came by here very often when he was with
Phoebe. There was a two-person couch by the window, beige flannel, which was not very expensive
material, but it was very comfortable. The white curtains and wooden bookshelves against the wall,
which were still the same as before. She loved to read books as she used to.
"Sorry, it’s quite messy here. I went to the furniture store today and wanted to buy some furniture and
replace them." Phoebe gave him a glass of water.
Armand’s voice turned hoarse and asked, "Why do you want to replace it?"
Phoebe held the cup and looked at the couch, "I would recall some memories that I wasn’t supposed to
think by looking at them."
Armand’s hand clenched tightly.
Phoebe handed him the water and said, "Drink the water and you should go back, I'm at home."
Armand didn’t take the water over from her, but looked at her and asked word by word, "Tell me, why
you come back?"
Phoebe stared at his gaze and said clearly, "Would you believe that I’m here for you?"
Armand said in a deep voice, "No."
If she really loved him and cared about him, she wouldn't leave him ruthlessly without any reason.
Phoebe put the tea cup on the table, with her back against Armand, "It’s ok if you don’t believe it. I am
impulsive to make the decision. If I were you, I wouldn’t believe it either. It's late, you should go back."
Armand didn’t move.
Phoebe looked at Armand in the mirror, she pursed her lips, "Your wife is still waiting for you to go
home?"
Armand’s mind became clear when he thought about Theresa, he said, "Take care of yourself."
After speaking, he turned and walked towards the door. When he was about to reach the door.
Bang!
Armand turned and saw Phoebe fall down and the tea cup was the ground. He came back and went to
help her, "Are you ok?"
Phoebe shook her head saying it was okay, "It was just everything went dark in front of me, so I fell
down."
"The doctor said you had a mild concussion." Armand helped her sit on the couch.
"I'm a little hungry." Phoebe looked at Armand, "Can you cook some noodles before leaving?"
Armand hesitated.
"Sorry, I know I asked too much. I'll do it by myself, you can leave first." Then she pretended to stand
up.
Armand forced her to sit down, "I'll cook for you."
He took off his jacket and walked into the kitchen. It was an open kitchen, pretty small, but equipped
with everything.
Buzzing--
Phoebe noticed the phone in the Armand’s pocket was vibrating.
She glanced at Armand and he was busy in the kitchen and did not hear the vibration of the phone. So,
she picked it up and put it in her pocket, "I go to the bathroom."
Armand didn't look back, but he hummed to her.
Phoebe went to the bathroom, closed the door, and took out the phone. It showed the call was from
Theresa.
Her eyes squinted, and soon figured out that his wife was called Theresa.
She put through the call.
Theresa stood at the gate of the store, she held the coat tight with one hand and the other had was
holding the phone. As soon as the call was connected she said, "Armand, where are you? I’m in front
of the store, can you come to pick me up?"
"Hello, you must be Armand's wife. He is cooking noodles for me."
Phoebe went to the bathroom, closed the door, and took out the phone. It showed the call was from
Theresa.
Her eyes squinted, and soon figured out that his wife was called Theresa.
She put through the call.
Theresa stood at the gate of the store, she held the coat tight with one hand and the other had was
holding the phone. As soon as the call was connected she said, "Armand, where are you? I’m in front
of the store, can you come to pick me up?"
"Hello, you must be Armand's wife. He is cooking noodles for me."
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