After five years, the vortex of love and hatred

"We have understood the situation. You were missing for five years, but your husband applied for a death certificate and had you deregistered two years ago. We've contacted him for you, but...you need to be mentally prepared—he has remarried." At the police station in City A, Violet Black sat stiffly on the chair, feeling unusually detached as she listened to the officer's words. Five years ago, she had followed a medical team to support the Middle East, only to be kidn*pped by terrorists in an unexpected incident. Recently, she and her team were rescued by peacekeeping police, allowing her to return home. These five years, she survived by clinging onto thoughts of her husband, Oliver Moore, and their love. They had been together for five years, from their freshman year of college through graduation and marriage; they had once been each other’s entire youth. Violet had imagined various scenarios of seeing Oliver again—tears of joy, reunions after loss—but never did she imagine...hearing news of his remarriage. Spring was in full swing in City A, with leaves rustling and sunlight being gentle and beautiful. Violet numbly sat by the window, reaching out to touch that bit of warmth. Five years of desert life had almost isolated her from the world, and the trauma of stress and war scenes led her to develop aphasia. On the day she was rescued, she cried—the most heartily she had in five years. She thought that upon seeing Oliver, her shattered soul would find solace and comfort. But reality slapped her hard. In the third year of her disappearance, Oliver had applied for her deregistration and soon after, remarried. The door to the police station opened with a "click," and a figure rushed in anxiously. He looked much the same as he did five years ago, though more mature and steady. Dressed in a well-fitted suit, clearly expensive, especially the watch on his wrist worth millions. It seemed that during her absence, Oliver had lived quite comfortably. "Violet..." he looked around anxiously, his eyes reddening instantly when he saw Violet in the corner. Violet tried to speak but couldn’t utter a word. If it hadn't been for the officer telling her that Oliver had remarried and even had a child, Violet would have truly believed that Oliver still had feelings for her. "These past years...you've suffered," Oliver said, approaching Violet, trying hard to restrain himself from hugging her. "Let's go home first." Violet froze, sitting motionless. Home? Was there still a home? "Violet, don’t be scared, it's all over now, you're back," Oliver squatted before Violet, softly consoling her. Violet’s eyes welled up with tears. She wondered...had the police made a mistake? How could Oliver, who had loved her so deeply, possibly remarry? He was Oliver, the one who started climbing a mountain at dawn just to hang a love lock at the summit to marry her. Were those deep emotions all fake? "I’ve basically informed you about her condition, Mr. Moore. She developed aphasia due to post-traumatic stress..." The officer handling Violet’s case approached and whispered. Pain flashed in Oliver’s eyes as he took Violet’s hand. Violet followed him obediently, step by step out of the police station. She thought leaving hell would lead her to heaven...but reality made her tremble uncontrollably. "Violet...I'll take you to a hotel first. Over these years...there have been some changes, our current home..." Oliver didn’t intend to take Violet home, fearing it might upset her. Violet quickly wrote on paper, "Home!" That was her home, the marital house she shared with Oliver, the witness to their five-year love affair, the place where all her good memories began. Oliver paused, silent for a long time before finally speaking. "Violet, I'm sorry..." Violet started shaking, gripping her hands tightly. Even amidst bullets whizzing past her ears on the battlefield, she had never felt this terrified...But he still said it. "Violet, you were missing for five years, everyone thought you were dead...So, I remarried. My wife and daughter live there...I’m very sorry, I can't let them be hurt." "Thud, thud..." At that moment, her wildly beating heart finally died.