Chapter 3
1053 Words
That morning, Larisa was already busy preparing clothes for her husband. She placed his dress shoes beside the sofa, then laid out his suit on the dressing room table. Once everything looked neat, she turned and walked toward the bathroom.
Inside, Larisa didn’t immediately undress. She stood there, gripping the edge of the sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
"I'm twenty now. Am I going to live like this forever?" she murmured. "I've been with them for ten years, and Revan still hates me. What did I ever do wrong?"
Without realizing it, tears streamed down her cheeks again. The argument from last night replayed in her mind, making her sobs even more painful.
"What should I do?" Larisa wept harder. "I want to open my heart, but he doesn’t care at all."
She bowed her head, gripping the sink even tighter to suppress the sobs that echoed in the bathroom. Her small jaw clenched as her teeth pressed together, the pain and suffocation weighing down on her.
"Is she crying?" Revan muttered from outside the door.
He pressed his ear against the wooden surface, leaning slightly to listen. Revan had always been indifferent, but truthfully, he had rarely seen Larisa cry. She used to be an energetic and spoiled girl, constantly trying to get his attention, even though he always ignored or snapped at her.
Back then, despite his harsh words, Larisa remained cheerful. But one day, she became quieter—and had stayed that way ever since.
A part of him missed her playful antics, but his hatred for her always won out.
"Why is she crying?" Revan straightened up and stepped away from the bathroom door. He walked back to the bed and sat down.
Moments later, Larisa emerged. She stepped out of the bathroom, fresh, clean, and smelling of roses. She was wearing a fitted dress with a ribbon tied around her waist. The lingering scent of her soap even reached Revan.
"I can’t deny it—she has grown into a stunning woman," he admitted to himself, stealing a glance at her.
Larisa walked toward the vanity, aware that Revan was awake but choosing to ignore him. There was no point in acknowledging him when he clearly didn’t care. And as usual, Revan remained indifferent. He stood up and headed into the bathroom.
Once she heard the door shut behind him, Larisa lowered her hairbrush and turned slightly. She let out a soft sigh, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"What should I do?" she whispered. "I want to keep holding on, to try and win your heart, but... why do you feel even more out of reach?"
She sat there staring at the bathroom door for a long time. When it finally opened, she blinked rapidly, startled. She quickly looked back at the mirror.
"Pack your things," Revan said abruptly.
Larisa turned to face him, watching as he rubbed his damp hair with a towel. Her gaze lingered for only a second before she quickly looked away, realizing that he was still shirtless.
"What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly.
Revan walked toward the dressing room. "Just pack everything and put it in a suitcase."
"W-what?" Larisa froze, her mouth slightly open.
She felt like a mannequin, unable to move. Her eyes twitched, and an aching sensation spread through her chest. Dark thoughts swirled in her mind.
"Don’t overthink it." Revan emerged from the dressing room, now fully dressed. "Just pack. We’re moving into the apartment this evening."
"Oh." Larisa’s lips parted slightly, but that was all she could say.
She watched as Revan left for work, not uttering another word, as usual. Once he was gone, Larisa slowly stepped backward before sinking onto the sofa. She clasped her hands together tightly, resting them in her lap. Her face remained blank, lost in thought.
"I thought… he was kicking me out," she whispered. "But… why is he taking me with him?"
Knock, knock, knock.
Startled, Larisa turned toward the door. "Yes? Who is it?"
She stood up and walked toward the door, waiting for a response.
"It’s Mom, sweetheart. May I come in?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Larisa was already at the door and immediately opened it.
"May I come in?" Tamara asked again before Larisa could speak.
Larisa nodded and stepped aside, allowing her mother-in-law to enter. Once Tamara was inside, Larisa closed the door.
"What’s wrong, Mom?" Larisa asked.
Tamara turned to her. "Did Revan ask you to move out?"
"Yes, Mom." Larisa lowered her gaze, her body trembling slightly.
Tamara likely understood how Larisa felt at that moment. It was no surprise that she was afraid—Revan had treated her coldly for so long.
"Sweetheart…." Tamara stood in front of Larisa, gently taking both of her hands. "Don’t worry. Revan will treat you well."
Larisa didn’t respond immediately. She stared off to the side for a few seconds before finally gathering the courage to look at her mother-in-law. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself, determined not to cry.
"Mom, what’s really going on? Why does Revan hate me so much? Is it because of our age gap?"
Her questions came all at once, making Tamara sigh before offering a faint smile. She lifted a hand to cup Larisa’s cheek, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I’m sorry I never told you this," Tamara said, her expression softening. "I just thought it would pass on its own."
Confusion flickered across Larisa’s face, and her curiosity grew stronger. "What do you mean, Mom?"
Tamara took a deep breath before gripping Larisa’s shoulders. She smiled again, perhaps to reassure her before revealing the truth.
"It happened a long time ago. A very long time ago," Tamara began. "You know Revan had a younger sibling, right?"
Larisa nodded.
Tamara walked toward the bed and motioned for Larisa to sit beside her. "He was devastated when he lost his sibling. Revan, who was once so cheerful, became withdrawn, keeping everything bottled up inside."
Larisa listened intently, though she desperately wanted to ask how this related to Revan’s hatred toward her.
Tamara lifted her gaze, looking straight at Larisa. "Do you want to know why Revan hates you?"
Larisa nodded again.
"Because he believes that you are responsible for his sibling’s death."
- Writer
