Cersei stood frozen, watching them kiss. Words caught in her throat.
Rachel’s face drained of color as she frantically pushed Louis away and hurried toward Cersei.
“Oh shit–Cersei! You’re up!” she stammered.
“You should’ve called me. Louis and I were just talking about what gift to get you after your awful injury. Then this bug got in my hair and he was helping me get it out…”
She rambled nervously, frantically signaling Louis with her eyes, trying to get him to back up her
story.
His face turned cold. And he said nothing.
Seeing Rachel about to burst into tears, he finally gave a curt nod.
“Yes. That’s what happened.”
Cersei knew Rachel was trying to save their seven–year friendship. After discovering the betrayal, Cersei had hated her for a while.
But now that she’d decided to leave, both love and hate had faded into nothing. She simply didn’t
care anymore.
So even knowing they were putting on an act, she didn’t call them out
She pushed down the emotions churning inside her and forced a smile.
“I see. That explains it.”
Rachel was clueless about Cersei’s thoughts and assumed she hadn’t seen everything. She grabbed her arm with fake sweetness.
“What were you doing up anyway, Cersei? Let me come with you!”
Cersei pulled out her medical form. “The doctor wants me to get some tests done.”
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Chapter 5
Rachel immediately insisted on tagging along, pulling her away.
The results came back fast–doctor recommended a few more days on IV. Cersei had no choice but to
stay.
Rachel visited often, and Louis always showed up with her.
They always claimed these were coincidental visits, but Cersei knew better. Louis wasn’t there to see
her.
After all, when he cut fruit, he always gave the sweetest pieces to Rachel.
The patient meals he brought were all Rachel’s favorites.
When the girls talked, he’d stare out the window, watching Rachel in the reflection…
Cersei noticed everything he did.
Sometimes it stung, but she never showed it.
Because she knew she was gradually moving past this relationship, her wounded heart was healing.
Someday, she’d be completely over it.
On discharge day, Louis picked her up personally and suggested a date.
His first time initiating, she hesitated and wondered what game he was playing.
He took her to a movie, then shopping.
Louis brought her to buy jewelry, handbags, and clothes. He’d also select dozens of styles he thought looked nice.
“This outfit’s color is too bright–it doesn’t suit you.”
“These bracelets are perfect with your skin tone.”
Throughout their marriage, they occasionally went out. But always at Cersei’s suggestion, Louis just followed along.
He never commented on what she liked, just silently paid.
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Seeing him so attentively selecting styles and offering opinions felt bizarre.
The sales associate rarely saw such a handsome and patient customer and looked at Cersei with
undisguised envy.
“Mrs. Moore, your husband shop with you and so attentive to your feelings! You’re so blessed with
such a devoted husband!”
Watching him smoothly pay with his card, Cersei remained silent and her mind racing.
Blessed?
If she didn’t know about Rachel, maybe she would be.
But now, these expensive gifts meant nothing.
She understood perfectly–Louis was trying to compensate with money what he couldn’t give her in
love.
What he could offer, she didn’t need.
What she wanted, he couldn’t give.
Maybe this marriage had been a mistake from the very beginning.
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Chapter 6
