CWMBR 35

Chapter 35

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*Ain is remembering the past meeting with Donna

Ain pressed his lips tightly together. The image of a woman with heavy makeup naturally came to mind.

As soon as he stepped off the train in Bradford, a woman approached him as if she had been waiting for him.

"It's been a long time, Patrick."

It was the first time he had seen Donna since his wedding.

“No, should I call you Ain? Isn’t it okay to call you that now?”

However, she closed the distance between them as if they had been in constant contact until yesterday.

“You haven’t forgotten me in just a few months, have you?”

As she approached him without hesitation, a strong scent of perfume wafted from her. Already exhausted from the long journey, the overpowering, artificial scent made him feel queasy.

“Why…..”

Seeing Ain’s face, which didn’t hide his disgust, Donna slowly withdrew the bright smile she had been wearing.

"You know how busy I am, don't you? I came all the way here for you, sacrificing my own interests, yet you treat me like a bug."

She laughed dismissively, but her heavy makeup couldn’t hide the redness on her neck. It seemed she was still living as she pleased in Glynford, unaccustomed to such treatment. Ain quietly suppressed the contempt that had risen in his heart and replied softly.

"If you want my time, make an appointment and wait your turn."

“Ah, are you referring to that famous waiting list that requires at least three months of waiting? Even though I sent several letters, there was no response, so would you have met me if I had drawn a waiting ticket?”

Ain didn't even know she had sent "several" letters. Perhaps he hadn't even opened the first letter and had classified it as trash. If he classified the first letter as trash, the clerks wouldn't ask any questions and would just dispose of it all. In any case, Ain and Donna had nothing to talk about. Not wanting to waste any more time, Ain didn't respond and and walked past her. However, as if she had expected it, Donna said without surprise,

“I came because I was worried about you. It’s about time Bridget’s lies are exposed.”

Ain’s footsteps faltered. Donna didn’t miss the opportunity and quickly continued.

"I just couldn't stay silent. Thinking about our connection that started in Elber..."

Her soft, melodious voice clung to his ears. Donna pursed her bright red lips and fluttered her thick eyelashes. Sadness and longing instantly blossomed on her face. Her green eyes, staring intently without blinking, were filled with sorrow. Anyone who met her gaze would be overwhelmed with tenderness.

But she was an actress. Such emotional expressions were no challenge for her.

Ain realized anew that Donna's acting skills were not bad. Even when he first saw her, he had thought so, but it was clear that her talent was too good to be confined to a small theater. If she had debuted on a big stage in a major city, she could have quickly attracted sponsors.

However, how much of a waste Donna's talent was wasn't Ain’s concern.

“Seeing you like this right after arriving, I guess we’re meant to be. I wish I had realized it sooner.”

Ain resumed his brisk pace after pausing briefly. Donna stiffened her expression at his indifferent, almost heartless disregard for her.

“Wait!"

Dona hurriedly blocked Ain’s path and quickly pulled something out of her pocket.

"Look, this photo."

His cobalt-blue eyes glanced at what she had held out. It was a photo taken hurriedly, blurred and out of focus.

“Look closely.”

"It's pitch black."

His sharp voice rang out, tinged with a faint sneer. However, Donna remained completely unperturbed, instead speaking with added emphasis.

"But even so, you can recognize the face, right? You couldn't possibly not recognize your wife's face."

In the blurry photo, there were two people. A woman whose profile was slightly visible and the man she was hugging. The two looked very intimate, with the woman’s profile, her shoulders and back exposed as she smiled, and the man’s expression as he wrapped his arm around her waist being clear evidence of that. Ain recognized the man at a glance.

Finn Emerson.

They had met through business, but the relationship had ended badly. There were many bad relationships, but the reason Finn Emerson was particularly annoying was because he had been quite close to Bridget. Finn was a famous artist and popular figure in the capital, and he had shown considerable interest in Bridget. Bridget had pushed him away resolutely, but at the time, she was like that with everyone. How could anyone know what she was truly thinking inside?

"You know they had a pretty good relationship, right? People were talking about it."

Donna sighed as if to make sure he heard it.

“Now that I know this photo exists, I can’t just sit idly by. If this photo is made public, your reputation as Bridget’s husband will be ruined.”

“Just because of this one photo?”

It was undeniable that the side profile looked like Bridget, but it was a dark room, and if he insisted it wasn't her, it could be dismissed. There was no room for doubt.

Of course, the story would change depending on the testimony of the man in the photo.

“I wanted to wish the lady happiness, but you are also precious to me.”

“Hmph.”

Ain couldn't help but laugh. Hearing Ain’s hollow laughter, Donna clenched her lips tightly, as if suppressing her sadness.

“Actually, Miss Bridget didn’t enter your room that day.”

This was too absurd to laugh off. Ain frowned.

"I didn't admit it because of my pride, but the truth is, I was the one who slept with you."

“Nonsense…”

“How else would I know about the scar on the inside of your thigh?”

Ain’s expression changed. The scar on the inside of his thigh was from an injury he had sustained when he was kidnapped as a child. It was a scar in a private place, so naturally, almost no one knew about it.

“The lady was blackmailing me. As a mere actor affiliated with the theater, I had no choice but to comply.”

“You said Bridget was trying to take my money by drugging me, but now you’re saying that’s not true?”

“Giving someone drugs and dealing with you are different matters. What woman enjoys being with a man she dislikes?”

No one enjoys being with someone they dislike. Ain was no exception.

He tried to recall that day he couldn’t remember. But as always, his memory was as unclear as a hazy fog.

According to the doctor's diagnosis, there was no possibility of recovering those memories. It was a side effect of the drug he had taken. It was a type of stimulant known for its strong effects, secretly distributed by some unscrupulous individuals for recreational use. 

Unfortunately, Ain had no immunity to the drug and couldn't withstand the excessive dosage, suffering the side effects helplessly.

All that remained of that night for him were a few fragmented sensations.

The faint afterimage of someone’s white, soft body, the faint warmth that lingered, the hair that scattered across his vision.

What color were those strands of hair? Light brown? Dark blonde?

………………Was it Donna Green, not Bridget Pennington, who spent that night with him?

“You don’t think Miss Bridget likes you, do you? She likes sensitive, kind men. Men like Finn Emerson.”

From the moment they first met, Ain and Bridget had constantly clashed. In his vivid memory, Bridget disliked his arrogant attitude and stood up to his rude manner of speaking.

Compared to him, how was Finn? At least Finn Emerson was a man who knew how to be gentle and kind to women. He was incomparable to Ain. Moreover, he openly followed Bridget around to win her favor.

“The young lady made her decision solely for the sake of the Glynford Grand Theater. She was someone who would do anything for it.”

At least that part was true. Bridget seemed ready to sacrifice her life for the theater. 

“The one who got the pregnancy test was Doctor Magnus, right? He was someone who owed a great debt to the late Pennington couple. He's like a right-hand man to the lady."

"Your words are mere speculation. Not worth considering."

“If you’re suspicious, take the photo and have Finn Emerson verify it.”

Ain clamped his mouth shut at Donna's immediate rebuttal. There were two people in the photo. All he had to do was confirm the truth with one of them. As Donna said, if he asked Finn Emerson right away... What if he admitted that the woman in the photo was Bridget?

The mere thought of it made his blood boil so much that his scalp tingled.

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