Simon, despite his foolishness, had a heart purer than anyone I had ever known. Across both of my lives, no one had ever treated me with as much genuine kindness as he did. In my past life, under his protection, I had avoided the complete mental collapse that the abuse could have driven me to.
A decade passed in the blink of an eye.
I had finally grown into adulthood. Simon was now 20. I knew my real family, along with the police, would soon find this place. My sister would soon take my place.
It was time.
On the day of my coming-of-age ceremony, I went to Willie and his wife and asked them to arrange a wedding for me and Simon.
It was time for their family to atone for their sins.
The village came alive with celebration. A large shed was set up at the entrance, and every household pitched in to help. I wore a red wedding dress, while Simon, dressed in a suit, beamed with joy. He held my hand, eyes shining with pure admiration.
“Amber, you’re so beautiful,” he whispered, then hesitated as he noticed my distant expression. “Are you unhappy?”
I forced a smile, gently dabbing the saliva from his chin with a handkerchief. “No, I’m very happy.”