Frowning, I whispered something to my mother and slipped into the woodshed to hide.
Not long after, Nathaniel’s voice thundered across the courtyard, wild and furious. “Bella, get out here. I know you’re back!”
Then came Catherine’s bitter, angry voice. “Nathaniel, I told yo
But he immediately cut her off seriously. “No way!
Bella’s not here. Those gifts are from me!”
“Those gifts are only sold in the city. You haven’t been to the city alone. How would you have bought them?
me!”
“And there are three sets of cutleries on the table, but only two of you live here. Bella is definitely back. She’s just hiding from
His reasoning left Catherine completely speechless.
I hadn’t expected him to be so observant.
“Bella, stop thinking you can hide from me! I’ll stay right here until you come out. I want to see how long you’ll keep this up!” Through the crack in the woodshed door, I saw him standing guard right there in the courtyard.
Catherine clutched at his sleeve, her face streaked with tears. “Nathaniel, what’s that supposed bringing me home for the New Year, and now you’re just going to stand here waiting for Bella!
to
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–
Instead of answering, he fell into a rare, stony silence.
I knew then he wasn’t leaving anytime soon, so I slipped out the side door instead. I had barely reached the end of the alley when I heard hurried footsteps behind me. I ducked down by the wall of a nearby yard.
His hoarse, desperate voice rang out. “Bella, if you’ve got guts, come out and face me! What’s the point of hiding like this?
“Whatever’s between us, we can talk it out!”
But no matter how loud he shouted or how raw his voice grew, I never showed myself.
Catherine’s crazed laughter split the night. “You can’t find her, can you? Let me be frank. She did come back. But so what?
“You still can’t find her. Nathaniel, I’ll make sure you never find Bella as long as you live!”
The sound of a slap echoed.
Her laughter faltered for a moment. Then, before long, she laughed again, more deranged than before.
It was like the last illusion in his eyes finally shattered. Nathaniel’s voice was thick with regret as he said, “I can’t believe I didn’t see you for who you really are. I can’t believe I was blind enough to marry you!.
“You don’t even measure up to a fraction of Bella!”
But she just shrugged it off, laughing in his face. “So what? I’m your wife, and she’s not.
“You married me in this life, and there’s no getting rid of me!”
