Chapter 2

2.

When I pushed the front door open, I saw Veronica teaching Bryce how to play pool.

Their bodies were pressed tightly against each other, and the way they gazed into each other's eyes was dripping with flirtation.

Looking at their intimate posture, I remembered when I was the one teaching Veronica how to play pool years ago.

She had specifically bought that custom table for our home.

We used to spend hours playing together, but ever since Bryce moved in, the table belonged to the two of them.

Hearing the sound of my footsteps, both of them looked up at me.

Bryce pushed Veronica away with a shy flush on his cheeks and looked at me nervously.

"Landon, please don't misunderstand. Veronica was just kindly teaching me how to play. We..."

I had no patience to listen to his act and cut him off.

"You don't need to explain anything to me. I'm going to rest."

Both of them froze at my reaction.

Veronica recovered quickly and let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"If I had known that locking you in the basement would make you this sensible, I would have done it much sooner."

"I've been so sick of your endless whining."

Swallowing the lingering bitterness in my chest, I forced a faint smile.

"Yeah. Everyone is tired."

Without waiting for her reply, I walked straight into the guest bedroom and shut the door.

Ever since Bryce moved into the Mercer estate, I had been relegated to the guest room.

Veronica claimed Bryce was afraid of being alone and needed someone to keep him company.

Yet she conveniently forgot that ever since I was kidnapped six years ago while saving her life, I developed severe claustrophobia and could not stand being alone in enclosed spaces.

Only after countless rounds of desensitization therapy could I finally manage to stay alone in a brightly lit room.

I suppose that counted as progress.

In the middle of the night, I woke up parched and went downstairs for a glass of water.

The moment I opened the door, the sound of a woman's breathless moaning drifted from the living room couch.

Hearing that familiar voice, a wave of nausea washed over me.

"Veronica, won't Landon be upset if he catches us like this?"

Veronica replied in a sultry tone, "Why are you worrying about him at a time like this?"

"Landon is covered in ugly scars and has mental issues. Just lying next to him makes my skin crawl."

"I know, right? His scars are truly terrifying."

As Bryce said this, his eyes locked straight onto mine in the hallway.

His gaze was overflowing with triumph and mockery.

That was when I realized he had seen me the very second I cracked the door open.

All desire to drink water vanished instantly. I rushed into the bathroom and threw up until my stomach was empty.

The muffled noises downstairs didn't stop until dawn.

I sat on the cold floor behind my door all night.

The next morning, when the maid knocked to call me for breakfast, I finally dragged myself up from the floor.

Before washing my face, I sent a text to a trusted lawyer, asking him to draft a divorce agreement.

I didn't want to stay in this house for another second.

At the dining table, Veronica acted as if nothing had happened, casually asking how I felt and whether I had taken my medication.

I kept my head down and ate my toast without saying a word.

Veronica seemed to be in high spirits. She didn't get angry when I ignored her, merely reminding me to take my pills on time.

Then, she turned to Bryce and softly asked if the pancakes suited his taste and what he wanted for lunch.

Listening to their conversation, I felt like a complete stranger in my own home.

After eating two bites, I set down my fork and prepared to leave the table.

Veronica suddenly spoke up in a sharp tone.

"You're only eating that much? Are you trying to make yourself sick again just to get my attention?"

"Landon, can you grow up for once?"

Her words made me pause, but I replied in a flat voice.

"I'm full. Enjoy your meal."

In the past, I had even resorted to hurting myself just to get a sliver of her attention.

Looking back now, I was truly pathetic.

Before leaving the dining room, I turned to Veronica and said calmly.

"Veronica, please book an appointment with a psychiatrist for me."

She froze for a moment, then gave me a searching look.

"Why do you suddenly want to see a therapist?"

"Because I want to change."

With that, I closed the door behind me, not caring what kind of expression she made.

Before, I was terrified of changing because I feared change would make me lose her.

I had forgotten that a person cannot stay stuck in place forever. Only by moving forward can one deserve a better future.