To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 25

"That child isn't mine."

Elara froze for a heartbeat, but quickly regained her composure.

"Then swear it. Swear that the baby Lina lost had nothing to do with you. If you're lying, may your whole family be struck by lightning."

"Elara!"

Brian's patience snapped this time. His voice was tight with anger.

"I'll say it one last time—I have never betrayed our marriage."

A bitter smile curled at the corner of Elara's mouth.

"So I'm supposed to believe that from now on, you'll keep spoiling her and protecting her, all under the name of ‘responsibility.' And if she needs the comfort of a husband, you'll give it to her, no questions asked. But all of this, you claim, is perfectly innocent?"

She scoffed. "Brian, do you really take me for a fool?"

Brian's fingers felt suddenly cold. "How did we get to a place where there isn't a shred of trust left between us?"

Elara tilted her head, as if genuinely pondering the question.

When did she stop trusting him?

"The bakery explosion. Did you really believe what the police said?" she asked quietly.

"If you have doubts, we can request a review of the investigation."

His tone didn't waver; not even his breathing changed.

Brian was too good at hiding things. Elara realized it was probably from that moment onward that her faith in him began to unravel.

She lowered her voice. "I can't be the wife you want. We're not right for each other."

Brian just gave a short, humorless laugh. He caught her left hand, pinching her ring finger between his own.

"Divorce isn't your decision to make. Elara, the day you married me, we became bound together. It's been four years—I thought you'd understand by now what it means to be ‘Mrs. Vincent.'"

She felt a chill on her finger and looked down—her lost wedding ring was back.

No, that couldn't be. The original had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Even if he'd found the wreck, there was no guarantee he could recover it.

Brian stormed off to his study.

Elara's heart was in turmoil.

Mrs. Archer brought her a plate of warm dinner, urging her to eat, but Elara just sat at the table, appetite gone.

"Mrs. Archer, what's a normal marriage supposed to look like?" she asked quietly, her voice tinged with loneliness.

Mrs. Archer hesitated, her mouth opening and closing before she finally replied, "I wouldn't really know, dear. My husband passed away the day after our wedding."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up," Elara apologized quickly.

Mrs. Archer managed a small, gentle smile.

"It's all right, ma'am. I still miss him, but I've moved on. I never got to have a normal married life, but we grew up together. We were childhood sweethearts. So I do know what it's like when two people truly love each other."

Elara's curiosity got the better of her. "And what's that like?"

Mrs. Archer smiled wistfully. "Well, it's a bit like you and Mr. Vincent, always bickering—but in the end, he'd always let me have my way, and I'd give him a way to save face."