Once Us, Now Dust

Chapter 6

It was a video clip from last night's film awards ceremony.

The camera zoomed in on Christopher and Mia, standing side by side. They exchanged shy glances and soft smiles, clearly lost in each other's presence.

Then, with a burst of courage, Mia kissed Christopher in front of everyone, under the watchful eyes of the cameras. Christopher responded by pulling her closer, guiding her lips to his throat.

The loud cheers and screams in the background were abruptly cut off as I turned away from the screen.

I absentmindedly clicked on a high-resolution photo taken by an on-site reporter. The shot was of Christopher's throat, and there, clearly visible, was an imprint of small canine teeth.

It hit me like a punch in the gut.

I remembered our wedding night, when Christopher was still working as a body double in the entertainment industry. He had pinned me to the bed, his hands rough and insistent.

He guided my head to his Adam's apple and whispered, his voice low and urgent:

"Bite me, Sophia."

When my teeth sank into his skin, Christopher let out a satisfied groan and embraced me tightly, kissing the top of my head over and over.

"It hurts. This isn't a dream.

Sophia, I really married you."

Back then, he treated me like some unattainable goddess, his perfect woman.

I shut off my phone and slid it into my bag, closing my eyes for a moment. I turned to the doctor beside me and said, "Let's proceed, doctor."

The surgery went smoothly, and contrary to my expectations, I felt surprisingly light afterward. If anything, the pain was a distant memory.

The next morning, I was discharged and went straight to a café near the hospital to meet Jack, the new assistant I'd chosen. I'd picked him carefully, knowing that I needed someone who could stand up for themselves, someone who wouldn't be easily intimidated.

After confirming everything, I started signing the contract.

"Sophia, Chris is such a great guy. Why are you quitting? You have no idea how many people would kill to be his assistant."

I gave a small, tired smile. "I'm getting old. This job is better suited for energetic, young people like you."

Jack looked at me, a mix of admiration and pity in his gaze.

"But I don't think you're old at all. You've been with Chris since he was nothing, and now look at him, famous, successful. You must have gone through so much. You're an incredible assistant."

I nodded, a faint smile still on my lips, and tucked the signed contract into my bag. "Perhaps. Jack, I wish you the best of luck in your future career."

With that, I handled the assistant transition and headed home.

To my surprise, Christopher, who should have been filming in another city, was sitting on the couch, looking defeated.

His bloodshot eyes locked onto me, his voice hoarse. "Sophia, where were you last night?"

"None of your business," I replied flatly, slipping off my shoes as I walked past him.

In the past, when Christopher didn't come home, I would've asked the same question, frantically calling all his friends, trying to track him down. Sometimes they'd lie for him, but other times, he'd grab the phone and curse at me.

"Sophia, why the hell do you care where I go?! I'm an adult. What I do is my own business. Can you stop meddling?"

I'd take his abuse and rack my brain, trying to find the right words to apologize so he'd listen when I begged him to drink less.

But even then, in the midst of my concern, I'd hear Mia's voice through the phone:

"Chris honey, come dance with me~"

Before I could say a word, Christopher would eagerly hang up.

Now, when I gave him the same cold answer, Christopher froze. His face contorted with rage, and he stormed into the bedroom after me.

He threw two photos in my face, his eyes burning red with fury. "Sophia, what's your relationship with him?"