Chapter 308
The wait was long. After about half an hour, Katniss still hadn't replied to my message. Did she not notice the message? Or was she still struggling with how to respond to me?
I was restless, considering calling Katniss, but it was not an easy conversation to have. I thought about checking the home surveillance video, but as I was about to do so, my phone finally rang with the email notification I had been waiting for.
"Listen to your husband."
Katniss replied with a short message.
Even though Katniss's words were few, I could still sense a lot from her message.
Katniss was giving me the freedom to make a decision, assuring me that she would accept whatever decision I made. However, I could also sense her reluctance to sever ties with Nathan. If she truly wanted to end things with Nathan, she could have simply replied with a "yes," but instead, she hesitated and left the decision to me. This was not the response I had hoped for. I could sense Katniss's emotional turmoil and her anticipation of my reply.
"End it. Actually, I haven't told you, but your medication is finished, and recent tests show that you have fully recovered."
After much thought, considering my recent feelings and future life, I decided to stick to my initial thoughts and sent this message to Katniss. I continued to wait, expecting a long wait, but surprisingly, Katniss's reply came in less than two minutes. Even though I could guess what it might say, I couldn't resist quickly opening the message.
"Listen to your husband."
Katniss's reply was brief.
Upon seeing Katniss's message, I suddenly felt a sense of relief. I put down my phone, leaned back in my chair, took a deep breath, and exhaled. Despite only exchanging two emails with Katniss, it felt like we had been through a storm.
After a day of work, it was finally time to go home. When I arrived and stood at the door, I hesitated to speak. I wasn't sure why – perhaps I felt guilty? But upon reflection, my request for Katniss to end her sexual relationship with Nathan didn't seem unreasonable. Katniss was unaware of my inner turmoil, so why shouldn't I be straightforward? I rubbed my face, trying to regain composure. After years of concealing my true self in the workplace, wearing a mask of deceit was second nature. But this time, facing my family, I had hidden for too long.
Unlocking the door, I saw Katniss sitting at the dining table as usual, waiting for me to have dinner.
Upon seeing me return, Katniss's gaze met mine, but she quickly looked away. Still, she got up to greet me at the door, taking my shoes off as she always did. However, it was evident that Katniss was uneasy, showing a hint of nervousness.
At the dinner table, we ate in silence, both of us looking awkward. For the first time, we didn't exchange a single word during dinner. Every time our eyes met, we instinctively looked away.
After a heavy meal, consumed in a heavy atmosphere, we retired to the bedroom.
As I lay in bed playing with my phone, I realized I needed to stand by my decisions.
After Katniss finished tidying up, she joined me in bed. She hugged my arm and gently shook it. Reluctantly, I put away my phone and turned to face Katniss.
"Honey, why didn't you tell me when the hospital tests showed I was fine?"
Katniss looked at me with a complex expression, a mix of nervousness and confusion in her eyes.
I was at a loss for words because I had concealed the truth from Katniss. How could I explain this lie now? Her question held another layer of meaning – if she was already mostly recovered at that time, why did she agree to be intimate with Nathan?
"Because I didn't know how to bring it up. I was afraid you would overthink it."
After some thought, I could only use this half-truth to appease Katniss. Part of it was true – I truly didn't know how to broach the subject with her.
"Then why did you agree afterwards?"
Feeling my answer was evasive, Katniss pressed on.
"I don't want to answer that question."
I couldn't find a suitable reason, caught off guard by Katniss's unexpected inquiries that night.
"Thank you, honey."
At that moment, Katniss unexpectedly uttered words that left me puzzled. I couldn't understand why she was thanking me.
"Throughout, you endured things that no other man could endure for my illness. I have always felt deeply guilty about it. Now that everything is finally over, I feel much lighter. As for the earlier question, I know you arranged it as a final farewell between me and Nathan, right, honey?"
As Katniss spoke, her sincerity touched me. She had found a suitable reason and excuse for me, which moved her. In her eyes, it was my orchestrated final act of intimacy, though it wasn't the reality. Katniss's gratitude only deepened my sense of guilt.
"Let's not talk about it anymore. It's all in the past. Let's sleep."
After saying this, I closed my eyes, fearing that keeping them open would reveal my inner turmoil.
As I closed my eyes, the room fell silent. Despite speaking my mind and Katniss agreeing, I inexplicably felt a faint sense of loss. I had orchestrated and arranged for Katniss to break off her relationship with Nathan, but now that it was done, was everything truly over?
Now that it had happened, further concealment seemed pointless.
On the other hand, Katniss seemed unsettled, her breathing uneven, despite her efforts to conceal her emotions.
Unknowingly, I drifted off to sleep, unaware of when Katniss did the same.
The next morning, I wasn't awakened by Katniss's alarm. Had she turned it off after waking me up yesterday? When I woke up, Katniss wasn't by my side. Stepping out of the room, I found Katniss preparing breakfast. Despite her makeup, I could see a hint of weariness in her expression, indicating she hadn't slept well the night before.
As Katniss spoke to me, she tried to put on a smile, but no matter how hard she tried to disguise it, I felt she was just going through the motions. It seemed that abruptly ending her relationship with Nathan had left her feeling uneasy. She had been with Nathan for so long, there were bound to be some lingering emotions. I decided to give her some time to adjust.
In the following days, life seemed to return to normal. Nathan remained on the island without returning. Perhaps he was eagerly awaiting Katniss's call to come home, hoping to resume their intimate relationship. Little did he know that, as per my request, Katniss had ended things with him. I thought about calling Nathan to inform him of my decision, but I couldn't find the words. I hoped that with time, Nathan would come to understand.
A few days later, Katniss began to act strangely again, often blushing. It seemed like she was developing feelings once more. After days of passionate intimacy, suddenly being without it must have been uncomfortable for her. It was like quitting an addiction – she needed time to adjust. I hoped that with time, Katniss could overcome this need.
Every day at work, I checked the home surveillance video. Everything at home was normal, with Katniss staying indoors. Nathan had not returned, and it felt like we had returned to the way things were before.
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