But Jocelyn just murmured, “Maximilian, it hurts.”

Maximilian then left without looking back at me. My tears finally rolled down on my face. I just looked at the back figure getting farther away.

The festive living room was laced with Rosie's mottled blood. I thought of when I first met Rosie, she was also lying on the ground like this.

When I first started graduate studies, I was under a lot of pressure. I couldn't sleep all night. My hair also fell out by the handful.

Maximilian was worried about me. It made him often take me out for a walk. 

During a heavy rainstorm, I found a dying blue cat lying in the middle of the road. I couldn't bear to see it and rescue it. Because my favourite flower was Rose, I named it Rosie.

Maximilian also loved Rosie very much. He liked to buy a lot of snacks and toys. Because he had the cleanliness fetish, he also shovelled the poop of Rosie.

Every time I stayed at home alone and felt anxious, Rosie would always be quiet. She then stayed by my side. She then rubbed my hand with her head. But now everything is ruined. I was admitted to graduate school but Rosie is gone.

Rosie’s body temperature slowly disappeared. I held on to my last ounce of strength. I then called 911 for myself.

***

When I got to the operating room, they actually sent me to the hospital where Maximilian worked. The one who operated on me was Dr. Benjamin Siegfried, whom I knew.

“Does Dr. Maximilian know about my condition? Do you want to ask Dr. Maximilian to come and do your cleansing surgery?”

I pursed my lips and answered, “No need. He doesn't know.”

The nurse next to me timidly spoke, “Dr. Maximilian is accompanying Nurse Edvina Vesper for her face-to-face consultation.”

The scene was awkward for a moment. I just tried to still calm down.

Dr. Benjamin said, “It's better to inform Dr. Maximilian. After all, he also has the right to know.”

I finally agreed. Then I took a breath for a while.

“Dr. Maximilian, Mrs. Pauline had a miscarriage, you have to…”

But just as Dr. Benjamin opened his mouth, he sneered, “Can a miscarriage occur just by a gentle push? How much did Pauline Moonstone pay you to put on an act? I said I don't know her well, So, please leave me alone!”

The echo of beeping and his relentless taunts echoed through the operating room. I signed myself out and closed my eyes.

***

I opened my eyes. There were several messages on my cell phone.

Maximilian: [Pauline Moonstone, if you have time to find someone to act out why don't you come apologize to Jocelyn right now? If you don't apologize, I won't marry you.]

I forced myself to endure the pain in my lower abdomen. Then I walked outside the hospital by myself.

But at the entrance, I met Maximilian's mother. She was carrying a food box in her hand as well as fruits and flowers.

I thought she was visiting me. So, I subconsciously ducked. But she walked around in front of me.

“Are you here to pester my son again, Pauline? Let me tell you, my son doesn't even remember you at all now. The only person I have in my heart as my daughter-in-law is Jocelyn Reverie. If you know what’s good for you, get out of here and disappear.”

Maximilian's mother, Milena Larkspur, has never really looked up to me. She always thought that I relied on her son to support me after I graduated without a job. I realized that I wasn't as good as Maximilian Reitman's childhood friend, Jocelyn Reverie, who knew each other well and was a good match for Maximilian.

If Maximilian hadn’t almost threatened to die, the two elders would have agreed to our marriage. Now, though he had lost his memory, it was possible for me to tell the truth. 

Just in time, Maximilian Reitman came out. He was stunned when he saw me first. Meanwhile, I then looked at the wrinkles on his eyebrows.

“Pauline Moonstone, shouldn't you apologize for pushing someone?”

I answered, “I didn't push her, Maximilian. Why should I apologize? You two killed my cat and caused me to have a miscarriage. Shouldn't you be the one to apologize to me?”

Maximilian shouted to me, “Why are you so vicious, Pauline?  How can an animal be compared to a human? You even lied about your miscarriage. Come on, you're still a graduate student of the University of Glasgow, now you dare not admit that you pushed someone? I really don't know how I fell in love with you before, Pauline.”

Maximilian’s words were right. But if he really loved me, he wouldn't have pretended to have amnesia and lied to me. He also wouldn't have kicked Rosie to death.

I felt that he would not have ignored my pale face at this moment. But he just forced me to apologize to his sweetheart, Jocelyn.

I said, “I'm not going to apologize, Maximilian. Never do that!”

Maximilian replied to me with threats, “I won't marry you if you don't apologize, Pauline.”

Milena also agreed and said, “That's right, my son is so outstanding. Why should a woman like you who lives on my son marry you, Pauline? How dare you?

Maximilian shouted loudly, “Pauline Moonstone, you are nothing without me, okay? Hurry up and apologize!”

Looking at the two people's contemptuous appearance as one, I was completely so disappointed in my heart. I said in my heart, ‘Maximilian Reitman, you really make me sick.’

I glanced at him. “Then don't get married to me. It’s so easy, right?”

It turned out that in his heart, I was just a woman who was dependent on him. I gave up the opportunity to study abroad and stayed at the University of Glasgow to still be on his side.

It was only because he didn't like long-distance relationships. He was ecstatic when he learned that I had given up the opportunity to study abroad.

That night he cried and proposed to me. He made a promise for life with me forever and ever.

I always thought that I was right to give up my dream of love. But now it seems that I was really wrong.

When I looked at him, our eyes met. But I couldn't see a trace of love for me in his eyes. The question that almost came out of my mouth was swallowed by me.

Maximilian frowned when I looked at him. He then snatched the flowers in the hands of his mother. Maximilian forcefully stuffed them into my hands.

“Alright, no need for you to apologize, Pauline. Take the flowers and go quickly.”

He thought that I was still that little girl who could smile and forgive him with a little coaxing. He also didn't believe that I would give up on him just after giving up the opportunity to study abroad for him. I immediately returned the flower to him.

“This is what your mother gave to Jocelyn, Maximilian. It's not appropriate for me to accept it. I won't apologize and I won't marry you.”

An inexplicable uneasiness welled up in Maximilian's heart. It seemed that something important was passing away.

Maximilian asked in his heart, ‘Didn't Pauline Moonstone give up so much just to marry me? What did it mean to keep saying she wouldn't marry now? It couldn't be that she was really angry, could it?’

I could see anxiety flashing in his eyes. His hand subconsciously wanted to hold me.

“Pauline, I just …”

Maximilian's mother hurriedly coughed a few times. It made Maximilian immediately change his words. “I am more generous, Pauline. As long as you behave yourself, I will definitely marry you!”

But I smiled indifferently. “Oh, you should accompany your girlfriend quickly.”

Getting such a careless attitude from me, Maximilian's heart once again thumped. He always felt that I was very different after Rosie's death. But he couldn't say where it was different.

Maximilian's mother looked at his son. She then pulled him away.

“My son, don't look at her. Jocelyn is injured just when she needs you! It's just playing hard to get. I'm a woman and I know that you are too innocent to have had too few relationships!”

Listening to the way she purposely said it to me in a loud voice, my heart didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. The pain in my belly was crushing.

The blood slowly flowed out taking away my body heat. My heart became cold inch by inch.

Back to the villa, looking at the messy ground I let out a bitter smile. It all happened today. But I felt like it was a lifetime ago.

After settling the remaining kittens, I carefully dug a hole to bury Rosie and a few other kittens.

A very round pebble was pressed on top of the small mound of dirt. In this way, I hoped I would be able to see them again in the future, if there was another chance.

As the sky gradually darkened, I immediately packed up. I couldn't stay inside this house for a moment longer. Throwing away the memories of me and Maximilian, I personally dismantled the wedding room that I had decorated myself.

After packing up everything, a message came from my cell phone. It was from the mentor.

My mentor: [Pauline, today is the last day to apply for study abroad. I still have a quota left for you. Are you really ready to give up?]

I looked at that message for a while, before giving the answer.

[Thank you, sir. I will send you the application tonight.]

My mentor: [No need to apply! Professor Vilhelmina Solstice is just waiting for you to report. So, let’s go tonight!”

My mentor kept advising me to definitely study abroad. The technical conditions were all better over there. Even though I refused him many times, in the end, he paved all the way for me. 

My eyes were sore at that time. I really didn't know what to say other than thank you.

After confirming that there were no traces of me in the villa. I took a breath.

After deleting the fingerprints, I then dragged the suitcase. I would send the kitten to the pet hospital for foster care.

Without looking back, I boarded the last flight of the day. In my heart, I said, ‘Goodbye, Maximilian Reitman.’