Chapter 4

'Sherry is probably dying. She wants to see you one last time." 'No way." Jayden refused without even thinking. 'Jayden, didn't you approach Gabriella because she looked like Sherry?" 'I only thought of Sherry as my sister." 'At first, I did approach Gabriella because of her appearance, but as we got to know each other, I gradually became attracted to her." 'She was so strong and so good. I fell in love with her a long time ago." 'I love her." This was the first time Jayden had cried since Gabriella's death. In the silent hospital room, his heart-wrenching sobs could be heard. Anyone who didn't know him would have considered him deeply affectionate. Jayden didn't stay in the hospital for long. He wanted to go home, to the home where Gabriella was. He stood outside the door for a while, looking a little nervous. With trembling hands, he gently pushed open the door. 'Gabriella, I'm home." A gust of wind blew in, causing the curtains to rustle. No one answered him. He rummaged through his cigarette case, struck a light, and lit a cigarette. The smoke surrounded him, and the cigarette burned shorter and shorter. It wasn't until the tip burned red and scarlet and burned his fingers that Jayden came back to his senses. He extinguished the cigarette butt in the ashtray. He lit another one. He once quit smoking because of Sherry. Now, because of Gabriella, he lit up again. He just sat on the sofa, watching the sky darken and brighten outside. He took out his phone and opened Gabriella's chat box. He opened each voice message Gabriella had sent one by one. 'Jayden, Happy New Year." This was the first New Year they had spent together. 'Jayden, I like you, I like you." Jayden had deliberately teased her to make her say it. 'Jayden, Jayden, Jayden." Until the last two. 'Jayden, what time will you be back tonight?" 'I made your favorite poached shrimp." Jayden felt as if someone was tightening his heart, tightening it, and it was about to explode. He could hardly hold on any longer. Jayden buried his head among Gabriella's clothes. He fell asleep, smelling the familiar scent. Half asleep, he was awakened by the sound of rain outside. 'Gabriella, is that you?' The clock on the wall ticked. Other than that, there was no other sound. The phone rang at that moment. 'Gabriella," Jayden blurted out. 'It's me, Chris." 'What's up?" Jayden asked coldly. 'Sherry is dead." 'Okay." As if that was an insignificant person. 'Jayden, how dare you." Yes, he felt like an object, too. He threw the phone aside and ignored it. The days passed in peace. But the room was getting emptier and emptier of Gabriella's presence. In the morning, he followed Gabriella's example and made himself an omelet. He frowned when he tasted the eggshell. The egg was so bad that he wondered how she could have eaten it with such pleasure. After staying at home for so long, his body stank. He freshened up and went to work. He left the company to his relatives. Then, he bought a bouquet and went to the cemetery. 'Gabriella, let me keep you company, okay?" He took out a dagger and prepared to slit his wrists. A little girl appeared behind him. She tugged at the corner of his shirt and said softly, 'Uncle, your aunt in the photo is so pretty." Jayden put away the dagger. 'Did your aunt go to a faraway place like Mom?" Jayden nodded silently. 'Uncle, do you miss your aunt? I miss Mom so much," Jayden could no longer hold back, and his whole body trembled slightly. 'Uncle misses her very much. But your aunt doesn't want you anymore," The little girl comfortingly patted Jayden on the ground. 'Don't be sad, Uncle. Mom said they'll be watching over us from heaven, and she told me to live a good life and grow up healthy." 'Live a good life? Will Gabriella also be watching over me?" After failing in his suicide attempt, Jayden stayed at the cemetery for a long, long time. Later, he started to hallucinate. He often talked in an empty room. Sometimes, he laughed happily; sometimes, he cried sadly. His family took him to see a psychiatrist. However, no matter how the doctor tried to coax him, he wouldn't say a word. He just kept repeating one sentence: 'I want to go home. Gabriella is still waiting for me." The doctor was helpless and suggested sending him to a psychiatric hospital. But Jayden would go nowhere else and stay in the house where he and Gabriella had once lived. Everything in the house was for two people. It was as if there were only two people there. But in the empty room, all one could hear was Jayden's voice. For the rest of his life, he would live in this fantasy. Until he died.