Unfinished Lifelong Love Words

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Visiting a home to buy back pre-owned designer bags, I unexpectedly ran into my ex-husbands current wife.

Who was also my older sister, Sienna Hayes.

Calmly, I put on my gloves, inspected the bags for wear and tear, then looked up and politely asked her,

Are all these bags for sale?

Seeing me, she froze.

Tears immediately welled in her eyes. Eliza, are you doing so badly? Why are you doing this?

Are you still mad at me?

When she started to cry,

I knew, without a doubt, that Adam Breaux was already standing behind me.

It had always been this way.

Wherever Adam Breaux was, she would innocently shed tears.

Then, with a few well-placed words, she would twist the situation, making me the aggressor.

Her methods were as clumsy as ever.

Yet, they consistently managed to blind Adam Breaux.

Now, I turned back with an indifferent expression.

My eyes met Adam Breauxs.

I was the first to nod. Hello, Adam.

Once, he was the man who governed my every breath, who caused me unbearable pain.

Now, meeting again, I felt no ripples.

A look of intense astonishment flashed in Adam Breauxs eyes.

Eliza

Where have you been all these years?

Do you know how long Ive been looking for you?

I offered a dismissive half-smile. What right do you have to look for me?

His gaze darkened. Eliza Bennett, what do you mean I have no right? Our sixteen years of shared history

I found it amusing. What history?

As your ex-wife? Or your sister-in-law?

His body stiffened.

I had no desire to reminisce with him.

I turned back.

The high-quality bags felt warm in my hands.

Many of these bags, during my marriage to Adam Breaux, he had secretly bought for Sienna Hayes behind my back.

I still vividly remembered the first time I stumbled upon her and Adam Breauxs apartment.

In the apartments living room, an exquisite display cabinet showcased designer bags.

It perfectly recreated the dream she often spoke of in her youth: My future husband will definitely be rich. Hell make me an entire wall just for my bags!

That time, my catching them in the act didnt faze Sienna Hayes at all.

Instead, she gave me a provocative smile.

Pretty, arent they?

Adam bought every single one of these bags for me himself, from abroad.

Poor Eliza. The moment I bat my eyelashes and shed a tear, your husband cant help but feel sorry for me.

Do you really think theres still a place for you in his heart?

Five years passed.

Sienna Hayes had become Adam Breauxs legitimate wife.

That wall of bags had moved from the clandestine mistresss apartment to their openly shared home.

I quietly looked at these bags that had once driven me to madness.

No emotion stirred within me.

I calmly pulled out my phone to calculate the price.

For these bags, the second-hand resale price is a total of ten thousand three hundred dollars.

If youre planning to sell, my prices here are very competitive.

Adam Breaux looked at my tools, his shock even greater.

Eliza, you dont play the piano anymore?

I sighed.

My time was valuable.

If youre not selling, Ill be leaving now.

I wanted to leave their house as quickly as possible, but suddenly, he grabbed my hand.

Dont be like that, Im just worried about you

When he touched my two deformed fingers, Adam Breauxs pupils constricted. Your hand, how could it be

This pair of piano hands, which had once won countless trophies, was long ruined.

It happened during the 36 hours when he locked me in the villa to be with Sienna Hayes, who was awaiting childbirth.

I missed the optimal window for treatment.

Indeed.

I havent played the piano in a long time.

After all, I had three bone-setting surgeries and two years of physical therapy.

Being able to grasp and lift objects normally was a blessing. I said goodbye, distantly yet politely.

As I stepped outside the apartment,

those two people came chasing after me again.

Adam Breaux anxiously blocked my path.

Where are you going? Ill drive you.

Sienna Hayess face had already turned ashen.

Yet, she still managed a strained, pitying smile. Let Adam drive you.

Eliza, I was going to donate these bags to charity but I cant bear to see you struggling so much, so Ill give them to you. Consider it a boost for your business.

I smiled. You dont need to give me bags. Adam doesnt need to drive me either.

After all, were not that close.

And I certainly dont want to be involved with a married woman in any way.

Back at the shop,

the two young female assistants were scrolling through social media.

Mr. Breaux and Miss Hayes are trending again, theyre such an attractive couple.

Mr. Breaux is a model husband. I heard that because his wife was once bullied by her own sister, he specifically established a foundation to protect against domestic bullying!

This time, Mr. Breauxs beloved is even planning to donate half of her designer bags, calling for more attention to domestic violence incidents.

Theyre such a perfect match, a beautiful and kind-hearted couple!

I chuckled.

So, they were now seen as a philanthropic couple, actively involved in domestic violence cases.

All these years later.

He still believed Sienna Hayes was the one being bullied.

Adam Breaux was the man I chose for myself.

I was once utterly convinced we would spend our lives together.

But in the year I loved him most,

he ended up in the same bed as the person I hated most in this life.

When I arrived at the scene,

the messy, intimate room, and two naked, entangled bodies made my stomach churn.

When I clearly saw the womans face, which bore an eight-point resemblance to my own,

my world went silent.

It was my older sister.

Sienna Hayes.

Adam Breaux was my neighbor.

He witnessed my long childhood, marked by abuse from Sienna and my stepmother.

On many nights, I was driven out of the house because of Sienna Hayess false accusations.

It was Adam Breaux who wrapped a thick coat around me.

The time Sienna Hayess pen pierced my eardrum,

it was Adam Breaux who kicked open my door first, scooped me up, and rushed me to the hospital.

Eliza, hold on!!

Eliza, dont be afraid. Im here. Sienna Hayes cant hurt you.

He knew perfectly well how much I hated Sienna Hayes, and now

I lost control, rushing forward and slapping Sienna Hayes twice.

Sienna Hayes!!

Youve never wished me well, since we were children. Now youve even climbed into my husbands bed! Why are you always haunting me??

The third slap didnt land. My hand was seized by a crimson-eyed Adam Breaux.

He urgently embraced me, his voice trembling.

Eliza, Im so sorry, I was drugged I mistook her for you.

Its all my fault, all my fault

Sienna Hayes shivered, wrapping herself up, her eyes misty with tears. Eliza, youve misunderstood me again How could I do anything to betray you

Looking at her habitual expression of feigned helplessness,

my vision swam.

Before I could react to the absurdity of it all, I fainted.

For a long time after I woke up, Adam Breaux begged for my forgiveness every day.

He repeatedly presented me with evidence that he had been set up.

Eliza, no matter how much of a scoundrel I am, I would never be with Sienna Hayes. Please believe me, okay?

I tried to convince myself it was an accident.

To let it go.

But just as our rift was beginning to heal with time,

Sienna Hayes updated her social media.

It was a blurry photo, her nestled in a mans arms at dusk.

Caption: Thank you for spending New Years Eve with me.

The mans cufflink gleamed under the light.

It was the ten-year anniversary gift I had given Adam Breaux.

My blood rushed to my head in an instant.

This was the fifth day of Adam Breauxs supposed business trip. He had only left me a hasty message:

Eliza, decided last minute to stay an extra day. Dont wait for me for dinner.

He went to be with Sienna Hayes.

They had never broken contact.

This fact hit me like a sledgehammer, knocking me senseless. By the time I arrived in the city, it was almost midnight.

I staggered towards the Great Harbor Bridge.

Fireworks instantly burst into the sky.

The next second, in the flickering light, the scene of the two of them watching fireworks together, nestled close, unexpectedly crashed into my vision

Do you think itll be a boy or a girl?

Sienna Hayes looked at Adam Breaux, her eyes crinkling in a smile.

Will this be its first New Years Eve?

I felt a momentary ringing in my ears.

What boy or girl?

Who was it?

My body reacted faster than my brain. I rushed forward and slapped Adam Breaux hard, then grabbed Sienna Hayess hair.

You bitch! You still claim to be innocent?!

In that chaotic moment, Adam Breaux quickly shielded Sienna Hayes in his arms.

He gripped my wrist, his brow furrowed, his eyes dark and heavy.

His grip was so strong it felt like my bones would shatter.

What are you doing!? Sienna is pregnant!! Whats wrong with you?

I looked at him in disbelief, tears streaming down my face.

Her pregnancy, what does it have to do with you?

Adam Breaux, who is your wife?!

Only then did he release me, as if waking from a dream.

But from beginning to end,

he held Sienna Hayes tightly in his arms.

Eliza, dont be impulsive! Listen to me.

Sienna is pregnant because of that accident shes carrying my child.

The doctor said her constitution is special, if she doesnt carry this child to term, she might never be able to get pregnant again! She was frantic, didnt know what to do, thats why she came to me.

I didnt tell you because I was afraid youd overthink it

Sienna Hayess face was streaked with two lines of tears, all too familiar to me.

Eliza, Mom and Dad want me to get rid of my baby.

Please, please let me stay, let me have my baby, okay?

I wont disturb you two, I just want my own child

My head buzzed.

All my sharp edges were roused in that instant.

Sienna Hayes, youre lying again!! What do you mean you wont be able to get pregnant if you abort the baby? Do you think anyone believes you? Do you dare to go to the hospital with me for an examination?

Her eyes were misty with tears.

Eliza, why do you always have to be so extreme? Sister doesnt want to ruin your happiness! Sister just wants to have her own child.

Adam Breauxs face, meanwhile, hardened inch by inch.

Eliza, do you really have to speak of your own sister like that?

Your sister is also a victim. Im the one who wronged her. Do you have to be so aggressive?

How can you be so cold-blooded?

The Adam Breaux of ten years ago and the man before me now, split and overlapped in my vision.

The boy who would share his earphones with me on winter nights.

Now looked at me with an indifference I had never seen before.

I remembered that New Year, when I was seventeen.

My piano teacher, who was in charge of my intensive training, gave me a day off.

I took a four-hour bus ride, holding a cake box I had ordered with three months of pocket money, and stood at my front door.

The fingerprint lock beeped an error.

Once, twice, thrice.

I called my father.

In the background, the cold female voice of an airport announcement mixed with Sienna Hayess clear laughter.

Dad! Look! Snow-capped mountains!

My fathers voice was distant and impatient. Why arent you practicing piano at school? What are you doing home? Were with Sienna, skiing in Switzerland. You should go back.

The busy signal as he hung up pierced my eardrum like a needle.

I didnt know when the sky had completely darkened.

I only remembered my fingers freezing numb, and the ribbon on the cake box flapping loudly in the wind.

Then, a beam of headlights cut through the darkness.

Adam Breaux jumped out of the car, his breath condensing into white mist in the cold air.

He saw the melted cake at my feet, and his movements paused.

Then he grabbed my frozen hands, and without a word, tucked them inside his sweater, pressing them against his warm chest.

Are you foolish?

Couldnt you call me?

My lips trembled, unable to make a sound.

He took off his left earbud and gently placed it in my ear.

Eliza Bennett, look up.

I raised my tear-filled eyes.

Firelight danced in his pupils, his face impossibly handsome in the interplay of light and shadow.

Dont cry.

Happy New Year.

Trust me.

Ill definitely get you out of here. To a place without biased parents, without Sienna Hayes, without nightmares.

Every year, Ill be the first to wish you a Happy New Year.

At that moment, for the first time in my seventeen years of bleak existence, I saw light.

The earphone hummed with a faint current, the song flowing like warm water into my frozen veins.

If the whole world speaks ill of you, I will whisper words of love for an eternity.

The moment the lyrics played, my tears fell onto his hand.

The flutter in my heart then was beyond words.

But ten years later,

at the very first moment of the New Year, he held Sienna Hayes close.

And called me a cold-blooded animal. After that day,

I accepted an invitation for a concert tour abroad.

I packed my bags overnight and left the country.

For three months, I didnt answer any of his calls.

I didnt know how to face his change.

Eliza, where are you? Dont scare me.

I was wrong. I shouldnt have left you without a word.

Eliza Bennett, I was ready to love you for a lifetime when I was sixteen. But Im not a saint. Im bound to make mistakes.

Are you really going to completely shut down our future?

And his friends pleas also urged me:

Adam did make a mistake, but in his situation, let alone mistaking someone for you, even if he had genuinely slept with a stranger, wouldnt it be understandable?

Eliza, dont be so stubborn. Adam protected you for so many years, with all his heart. Are you going to condemn him to death for one mistake?

Isnt Adams kindness also for your sake?

If your sister really cant get pregnant later, and you make her abort this child, what if she holds a grudge against you?

Gradually, I began to wonder if I was the one who was wrong.

Perhaps I truly was too extreme.

And I had to admit, I was too accustomed to Adam Breauxs presence. I missed our old conversations, and even more, I missed him.

I composed myself and flew back home.

During the seventeen-hour flight, I practiced smiling into the cabin window.

Hoping to reconcile as soon as I saw Adam Breaux.

But when I returned home, unexpectedly, no one was there.

I turned to get the spare key from my car, and pulled open the door.

The sweet scent of camellias, Sienna Hayess usual perfume, wafted out.

On the passenger seat, my gray wool seat cover was gone.

In its place was a thick, antique red lumbar support cushion, its edges embroidered with delicate patterns.

The side storage pocket was filled with pregnant-woman-specific snacks: Japanese dried plums, organic nuts, sugar-free yogurt sticks

What did this mean?

They were living together?

Anger once again consumed me.

I sought them everywhere, finally finding the two of them in the hospital.

But I saw Adam Breaux, with one leg injured, pale and leaning against the headboard.

And Sienna Hayes, showing early signs of pregnancy, busily wiping his sweat.

My heart suddenly leaped into my throat.

Adam, what happened to you?

Sienna Hayes, after a momentary stiffness, quickly adopted her most practiced pitiful expression.

Eliza she stood up, instinctively shielding her stomach. Youre finally back

After you ran away, Adam was distracted every day. Last month, he was hit by a car.

Eliza, Adams eyes and heart are full of you. All the mistakes are my fault, please dont blame him anymore.

Adam Breaux looked at me, his eyes red-rimmed, saying nothing.

Seeing his disappointed gaze and his high-slung leg,

I compromised.

Paying the price for my reckless departure.

I accepted his cold shoulder without protest.

I even agreed to Sienna Hayess request to live in our home.

I didnt know what had happened during the three months I was away.

But amidst the absurd cohabitation of three people, I clearly sensed that

Adam Breaux no longer loved me.

Love, or the lack thereof, cannot be hidden.

Those tiny changes were like shards of glass, scattered throughout every corner of my life.

Sienna Hayes would caress her slightly bulging belly, her voice soft. The gray tones in the house make me so depressed, my appetite isnt good Can we change it to a warm brown?

Elizas piano is so beautiful, can I touch it? Just for a second.

She would frown, her gaze drifting to my favorite photo on the mantelpiece, Strange, this wedding photo makes me dizzy

I was almost driven to a breaking point by her.

I didnt like warm colors.

And I wouldnt allow anyone to touch my piano.

And that wedding photo of Adam Breaux embracing me from behind on the black sand beach in Iceland was my most cherished picture.

Yet, every time I tried to refuse, Adam Breaux would speak first.

No problem.

Eliza, shes pregnant, give her some leeway.

Its just changing some soft furnishings, dont be so petty.

Lets put the photo away for now, a pregnant womans emotions are important.

So, the gray walls were covered with dark red wallpaper.

My piano was moved to a corner, its lid piled high with her pregnancy magazines.

The day my wedding photo disappeared, I found it in a cardboard box in the storage room, the glass cracked with a fine line.

My home became Sienna Hayess showroom.

Anxiety and resentment coiled around my heart like vines.

I became someone even I disliked, paranoid and jumpy.

And each time, Sienna Hayes perfectly stirred the waters.

Eliza, dont misunderstand, Adam just wants to listen to the babys heartbeat

Alright, I wont discuss baby names with him anymore, so you dont overthink it.

Adam Breaux would then turn to look at me, his brow furrowed in an arc of weariness.

Shes your sister, and shes carrying my child. Cant you be more generous?

Our sixteen years of affection, cant that outweigh your suspicions?

He sighed, his gaze drifting past me to the window.

Im very tired. Why cant you be as understanding as Sienna?

I became withdrawn and silent.

Allowing their laughter and joy to fill my home.

I thought that if I just endured this period, everything would end once Sienna Hayes had her baby.

But I never expected her tricks, usually reserved for our parents, to be used on Adam Breaux.

At six months, Sienna Hayes secretly ate the medium-rare steak I had cooked for myself.

That night, the wail of an ambulance siren tore through the quiet of the neighborhood.

Acute gastroenteritis, threatened premature labor. In the stark hospital corridor, Adam Breaux roared at me, his finger almost poking my nose:

Eliza Bennett! You know pregnant women cant eat raw meat!

Shes your sister! Are you trying to kill her and the baby?!

I stood frozen, chilled to the bone.

I never intended to cook it for her. That was for me to take to the office.

Shes framing me again!!

Adam Breaux scoffed. Always claiming to be framed! Shes six months pregnant!! What could she gain by framing you? Do you have a persecution complex?!

Not far away, Sienna Hayes winked provocatively at me.

As if pressing her advantage,

she became emotionally distraught, tears streaming down her face.

Eliza! When you were little, you hurt your eardrum playing around, and you blamed me!

When you ran off with your boyfriend and missed an exam, you falsely accused me of locking you in!

Even now! You deliberately fed me raw meat, even though Adam was home watching, and you still try to argue it!?

Sienna Hayess chest heaved with indignation.

She was very convincing.

Adam Breaux rushed back to her bedside, soothing Sienna Hayes as she gasped for breath. Alright, dont get upset.

Be careful not to disturb the baby again.

When he looked up at me, his gaze had completely chilled, filled with intense disgust.

Leave. Dont provoke your sister here any further.

A hysterical argument erupted once more.

Do you honestly believe Im the one bullying her?!

Adam Breaux, have you checked the security footage? Have you investigated? How can you be so certain

My words were cut off by his impatient interruption.

Certain of what? For the few months Siennas been pregnant, youve been suspicious, wanting to watch her and me 24/7! Whats wrong with her just wanting her own child? Whats wrong with me providing some emotional support to a pregnant woman??

I couldnt hold back anymore. Providing emotional support to a pregnant woman requires soaking her feet? Peeling shrimp for her? Attending every prenatal appointment with her?

His face went completely dark. Eliza Bennett, you always see problems with other people. Have you ever considered that for Sienna Hayes, thats also a stepmother! Why do people only target you? Why do they pamper Sienna?

Why do you never look for reasons within yourself?

Ive never seen Sienna Hayes bully you! Its all something you fabricated!

I stared at him in disbelief.

I almost couldnt stand.

Adam Breaux!! You dont love me anymore, youve changed your mind, just say it! Why twist the facts and slander me?!

His expression shifted.

Just as a look of guilt crossed his face, Sienna Hayess suppressed sobbing came from behind: Dont argue, both of you its all my fault

He rushed back to her bedside.

The only thing left for me was his back.

Eliza, just go home for now. Dont act crazy in front of a patient.

In that instant,

my decade-long affection for Adam Breaux,

in his indifferent gaze, faded away with the wind.

Later, the two of them acted as if they held an unbreakable shield for those last few months.

They completely dropped any pretense.

Adam Breaux didnt even bother to explain anything to me.

The prized tickets to the Vienna Philharmonic New Years Concert, which I had cherished, were again used by him to take Sienna Hayes for prenatal music education.

Sienna says the baby has been moving a lot lately, and the doctor suggested listening to calming classical music.

Im taking her to listen. Shes having a tough pregnancy, she deserves to relax.

Sienna Hayes leaned against him, her fingers caressing her swollen abdomen, giving me a smile mixed with apology and superiority.

Eliza, you dont mind, do you? Adam is just doing whats best for the baby.

I opened my mouth, but found my throat clogged with something, unable to make any sound.

That Berlin concert was playing my favorite, Brahmss Fourth Symphony.

Countless times in the dead of night, Adam Breaux and I would lean our heads together, sharing a single earphone to listen to this piece.

When the second movement began, he would kiss my earlobe, We must go hear it live someday, just the two of us.

Later, he did go to hear it live.

Only it wasnt with me, but with my sister. After that long half-month,

they returned, the living room piled with shopping bags.

Sienna Hayes looked remarkably well.

Her skin had a honeyed glow from the European sun, and a delicate diamond pinky ring adorned her ring finger.

Adam Breaux pulled out a shoddily packaged box of Mozart chocolate balls from the bottom of his luggage.

Eliza, I brought these for you.

He didnt even look at me, instead bending down to massage Sienna Hayess slightly swollen calves.

Try them, theyre a specialty of Salzburg.

I stared at that box of chocolate balls, available at any airport.

I remembered many years ago, when we were poor students and went to Shanghai for a concert for the first time.

He clutched two student tickets, but after the show, he pulled out a small, ridiculously expensive box of Godiva, his eyes shining brightly.

Eliza, from now on, every time we go to a concert, Ill buy you better chocolate.

My thoughts drifted back.

Recalling that frantic, desperate past.

Now, only a desolate calm remained in my heart.

Eliza, do you know Mr. Breaux?

He said he wanted to see you.

My thoughts returned to the present.