After I Left They All Said They Loved Me Chapter 04
Caleb drove the whole way.
He remained quiet, ultimately just wanting an answer.
“What was I to you? Just something to play with?”
I shook my head: “No.”
The cold, flat tone of my voice sounded entirely unconvincing.
Caleb fell silent again and parked the car at the very spot where he had first confessed his love to me.
He softened his tone.
“As long as you say you love me right now, I won’t hold anything against you, okay?”
“I won’t marry Viv, either.”
My face stayed blank as I told him the truest thing I had.
“I love you.”
Caleb didn’t react.
He closed his eyes, bending over as he let out an agonizing laugh.
Even though Silver Lake Ridge was incredibly beautiful, it was incredibly remote. Without GPS, I probably wouldn’t be able to find my way out.
Caleb walked with me, stopping now and then.
Every time I thought he was about to abandon me, he still remained by my side.
Until his phone rang for the third time.
Caleb picked it up in silence.
His expression instantly froze.
Mom’s voice was frantic on the other end: “Caleb, come back quickly! Viv saw that neither of you was home.”
“She was triggered, and she’s in a really bad state right now, sobbing until she’s convulsing.”
Caleb looked at me.
Finally hardening his heart, he pointed at a thin camping tent.
“Wait for me over there. Once I handle this, I’ll come back for you.”
The car drove quite a distance before slamming on the brakes.
He ran back once more, straightened my clothes, and fetched a blanket from the trunk.
With Caleb’s delay.
The phone rang again.
Dad’s tone was even more impatient:
“Ask Evie what exactly she wrote. Why did Viv lose control of her emotions so terribly?”
“Did she intentionally let Viv see what was in that diary?”
“Viv is soft-hearted. She threw the thing out, and now none of us can see it.”
[Host, two days remaining on the countdown.]
The rambling on the other end didn’t stop for a second.
Caleb stood frozen in place.
His heart had already been swayed long ago; while spacing out, his hands reached out toward me.
Caleb gave a forceful shove.
I tumbled down into the woods.
“Caleb—stop! Don’t—”
But his expression had turned completely apathetic: “So you can feel fear too, Evie? Why stop pretending now?”
I took a deep breath.
I just had an emotional block, but I wasn’t stupid.
“My diary has a brass padlock on it.”
“The key is in my hand. How did my sister even manage to see inside?” A silver-white key lay flat in my palm.
A slimy sensation slithered over my ankle.
A snake was crawling up my leg.
“Who knows if you intentionally left it unlocked.”
Caleb turned around to leave.
I closed my eyes and blurted out the reality I least wanted to face:
“If I were only leaving temporarily, maybe I wouldn’t have locked it.”
“But since you were going to throw me away, how could I possibly not lock it?”
His expression finally changed.
Caleb hurriedly unspooled a rope down to me.
Caleb tied the rope tightly around a tree, pulling it hard to ensure it wouldn’t snap.
But I had no strength left. He didn’t realize the venomous snake had already bitten my ankle.
“Climb up yourself. I’m taking Viv to the hospital first.”
“I’ll send my secretary to pick you up.”
Listening to Caleb’s retreating footsteps, my hands completely gave out.
The countdown on the system was still ticking.
But I didn’t want to wait anymore.
[Host, are you sure you want to disconnect from this world immediately?]
Choosing to confirm was far easier than I had imagined.
Caleb was busy until midnight, but he never received any updates.
He paced back and forth, but my phone remained completely unanswered.
His secretary’s call came in the very next moment.
“Mr. Brooks, Ms. Miller… the venom was too severe. She didn’t make it.”
