I'm sorry, sunshine

10

Mon covered part of her face with one hand. A tear slid down between her fingers as she said, "I know I'm making things difficult for you two, but I have no choice. Sam wouldn't tell me about it, and my dad is still unconscious after the surgery. My family has fallen into such a hopeless state, and I have no idea why. Even if I were to die, I'd want to know the truth. I don't want to suffer from ignorance every day."

"We don't know about her little sister."

As if knowing that Mon would continue asking them to help her, Kelvin started writing something on a piece of paper and passed it to her. "This is the most that I can do to help you," said Kelvin.

Mon looked at the paper in her hand. It was the address of a cemetery. Was Sam's little sister dead?

Even so, what did her dad have to do with her death? If anyone were to know what kind of person her dad was, it would be Mon. And she knew he would not harm other people.

She knew that Kelvin and Ron would not disclose more information and decided to stop probing them.

It was silent all the way to Anantrakul's residence.

Mon had mixed feelings when they arrived. Kelvin politely asked her, "Mon, would you like to go inside?"

"No, thanks. I will wait here." This was the final time she would meet Sam, and it was only to settle their divorce. She did not want to cause more trouble for herself.

Besides, every single thing in there would remind her of their first time together, and she refused to reminisce about the past.

She was to blame for cherishing Sam so much back then. Even though she had become colder and more indifferent to her over time, she would never forget how kind and loving Sam had been.

Sam should have been someone she hated to the core, but she could not find it in her heart to do so.

The ignition was not turned off, and the inside of the car was warm and comfortable.

She was the only one left in the car now. Her stomach started to hurt again, and she curled up into a fetal position and waited for the sky to brighten up. After that, she shifted into a position where she hugged her knees tightly to her chest.

It was already 7:45 a.m., yet the sky was still rather dark. The leaves had fallen from the apple tree in the garden, making her thoughts drift off to some time in the past.

Back then, the Sam she knew was amiable and approachable. She was an excellent cook, and she spoiled her like a princess. As her thoughts wandered, she found herself walking alone toward the tree. It was still there, as it had been back then. But everything had changed, including the woman she'd been with.

Even the tree had changed; only a couple of dried leaves hung from the branches now. Its sorry state resembled her current relationship with Sam.

As Sam walked out of the mansion, the same sight greeted her. A woman wearing a thin knitted shirt stood watching the apple tree from below. A gentle breeze blew, tousling her hair. The weather was much better today than in the past few days. The first rays of the sun cast their glow on her face. Her fair skin glowed under it, making her look like a fairy who would vanish into thin air in the blink of an eye. Her hands were bandaged, but her countenance was pale, and she still wore the clothes she had worn last night.

"Sam." She did not look at her but was able to sense her presence.

"Mhmm?" she hummed.

Slowly, Mon turned to face her. They stood close to each other, yet their hearts were far apart.

"I want to drink the milk tea you made one last time."

Sam was taken aback and took some time to respond. "I'm too lazy to make milk tea right now," she said, emotionless.

Mon's eyes looked a little puffy as she muttered, "Can you treat it as my last request before our divorce?"

"No."
"You must hate me a lot, right?" asked Mon.

"Absolutely, yes."

"Then, will you be happy if I die?" She still looked at Sam and spoke softly.
Sam's heart skipped a beat at her words, and her thoughts became empty. For a moment, it felt like she had lost her mind.

After some time, she recomposed herself and calmly said, "Fine. I will do it for you. Come in." Mon watched her as she entered the house, the corners of her lips turning up into a smile. "Are you afraid of me dying?" she thought to herself.

All of a sudden, she thought of taking revenge on Sam. She wondered what kind of expression Sam would have when she received the news about her death one day; would she be glad or upset?

Sam took out the ingredients for milk tea from the fridge. Mon watched as Sam busied herself in the kitchen, thinking ruefully that this was probably the last time Sam would cook for her.

At least, it was something worth remembering.

Mon crouched by the fireplace and started roasting the marshmallows. The sweetness permeated the air, reminding her of how Sam's grandma would never fail to rush over when she smelled roasted marshmallows.

The old lady treated Mon really well, as if she were her own granddaughter.

Sadly, she passed away two years ago. Sam's grandpa then moved overseas to prevent himself from being constantly reminded of his loss.

The once cozy mansion now stood cold and empty. Sam's grandma was no longer here to rob Mon of her roasted marshmallows too, and that made Mon feel empty inside.

After finishing the roasted marshmallows and gulping down a glass of warm water, she felt that her stomach did not hurt as much as before. She could smell the pleasant scent of food from the kitchen.