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Chapter 17
"Yes, I know it's all my fault," Sonny admitted. He crushed his cigarette with a bitter smile.
"I used to think you were the one who was too hash, couldn't stand Nicole and kept picking at her. I thought your jealousy was frightening."
"Yet, after you left, I realized the truth. Even when I tried to throw myself into work, Nicole wouldn't let me. She demanded I revolve around her constantly. She started self-harming, dressing provocatively and getting involved with random men, all just to keep my attention on her."
He covered his face, his voice breaking with emotion.
"One night, she didn't come home. The next day, I found her in bed with two guys, all of them passed out and barely clothed. I had ruined Nicole by spoiling her."
I watched him collapse, sobbing to the ground in silence. Inside and outside the building, the siblings wept, each in their own pit of despair.
Sonny had refused to understand the situation and did not want to hear Bella's explanation.
He had blamed her blindly and defended Nicole. This caused Nicole who had already been unbalanced to gradually spiraled even more. When he did not give her attention, Nicole grew even more extreme.Men like him, I thought, loved being adored by two women. They believed they had the right to dictate everyone else's fate, to judge who was right and who was wrong.
"Sonny."
I sighed. "You brought this on yourself. Now, it's time for you to pay for your mistakes."Sonny quickly made arrangements to send Nicole back to his family home, the foster home she had lived in before. He claimed the company's bankruptcy meant he needed to find new work and couldn't afford to support both of them anymore.Nicole wailed and protested, unwilling to leave. After living a pampered life for so long, she found the idea of a simple existence unbearable.
However, Sonny had made up his mind and resolutely planned for Nicole's departure within a week.
The company he had poured his heart and soul into had been destroyed, all because of Nicole.
I watched coldly as the sibling finally reaped the consequences of their choices.However, despite everything, I couldn't help but think about Mark. It had been nearly two weeks since I had last seen him and he hadn't called me in all that time.
I did not want to admit it but I missed him.I would often open our WhatsApp dialog. Sometimes, I caught myself daydreaming with her phone in hand, hoping for him to call.
When I saw him again, it was at a hotel entrance.I was accompanying her boss for a meeting with a new partner when I spotted Mark standing there, talking to a girl.
My first instinct was to go over and say hello, but I stood frozen to the ground when the girl wrapped her arm around Mark's arm. The two of them walked inside together, side by side.
Immediately, I stopped. My heart caught in my throat. My face burned with embarrassment.
I was ashamed of the silly hopes I had attached to his words.I had believed everything Mark had said. Yet, it was obvious his relationship with that girl was not that simple.
I was a bit angry and frustrated so I was a bit distracted during the meal. Luckily, my boss did not realize it. When he and the other colleagues were laughing over some joke, I forced myself to fake a smile to please them.
No wonder Mark had not been looking for me recently, so he had a girlfriend.I did not want to dwell on it and immediately labeled the girl as his girlfriend.Her heart did not heart, but it suddenly felt empty.Pushing away my scattered thoughts, I stood up and smiled as I raised my glass to join in a toast.