Chapter 609

Jonathan looked back and locked eyes with Sanford. “…” Sanford hesitated, frowning, unsure if he should speak.

Jonathan asked, “What do you want to say to me?”

After a long pause, Sanford finally said, “Thanks for today.”

Jonathan didn’t answer. He just turned and walked away, disappearing from Sanford’s view. Sanford’s expression grew complicated. He wondered if Jonathan would feel happy or worried if he knew Teresa had a son with him.

At 2:30 a.m., by Starlace River, the calm water hid dangers beneath the surface. There weren’t many people on the roadside, just a lone figure staring ahead. She slowly walked to the spot closest to the river and then stepped over the railing.

It was Cathy. At that moment, there was no warmth left on her face. Her eyes were sunken, and tear stains dried on her cheeks.

She stood with her arms outstretched, holding that pose for a long time. In the wind, she looked as if she might collapse at any moment.

A patrolling security guard spotted her and froze. He shouted, “Ma’am, are you okay? Don’t do anything stupid. Come down. It’s dangerous here!”

Cathy said, “My life is meaningless. It’s all my fault. Everything’s my fault.”

The guard urged, “Life’s still worth living! Come down and talk to me.”

Cathy snapped back, “You don’t get it. Don’t worry about me. If I die today, it’s not your problem. You’re just a security guard.”

Then she jumped into the river with a splash. She felt weightless falling through the air. In a daze, she heard a voice calling her name. It sounded familiar, but she didn’t want to think about who it was.

The security guard saw her jump and immediately radioed, “We have a woman who jumped into Starlace River!”

Then, with another splash, someone else jumped in too. The security guard was shocked and radioed again, “Two people jumped in. We need backup now!”

Cathy was struggling in the water, flailing desperately. The instinct to survive drove her to reach for anything she could grasp. Mouthful after mouthful of river water poured into her throat, into her lungs. She felt like she couldn’t breathe anymore.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed hers. Cathy felt the strength, and her survival instinct kicked in. She couldn’t think clearly. She just held tight to the other person’s neck. It all felt like a dream.

When she opened her eyes again, the bright white room was hard to adjust to. Slowly, she realized she was in a hospital. A doctor came in. She sat up, holding her head, and asked who had saved her.

The doctor said, “A young man saved you.” Then he turned away, saying, “Strange. He was just here, but now he’s gone.”

Cathy looked around but saw no one. She asked, “Doctor, what’s his name?”

The doctor said, “He didn’t say. He looked about thirty, his clothes still wet. He left without changing.”

Cathy went quiet. Then a familiar voice echoed in her mind. As she was about to jump, someone suddenly shouted, “Don’t jump!”

‘It was him!’ Cathy knew right away who had saved her. She threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. The man who’d saved her was heading down the stairs, about to leave.

“Wait!” she shouted. The man slowly turned around. Cathy hurried down after him, and there he was–Sanford, the man who saved her. She couldn’t believe it.

She stepped closer and stared at him. “You saved me, didn’t you? Why did you?”

Sanford looked back and asked, “Why did you want to die?”

Cathy scoffed. “You want to know? Try putting yourself in my shoes. How am I supposed to live after knowing my husband has a son older than me?”

Sanford’s eyes dropped, a flicker of something passing through them. “I’m sorry. If it weren’t for me, none of this would’ve happened. I should be the one gone.”

Cathy said nothing. Sanford went on, “You can hate me, hate Werner, but I still don’t get the full story. How did two people with no connection end up with a kid? Why was that kid me?”

Cathy forced a bitter smile and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. Werner says it’s all my fault, and that I shouldn’t have dug so deep or caused trouble. He accused me of ruining this family.”

Sanford sighed, frustrated. “I don’t get why you think that way. You believe that if you keep silent, this secret will stay hidden forever? How long can they keep it?

“One year? Two? Five? Ten? This truth’s like a thorn in my heart. No matter how long it takes, I have to pull it out to feel better.”

Cathy broke down and collapsed to the floor. “We just can’t accept the truth. My family’s gone. Werner destroyed it. Divorce is the only way.”

“Then get a divorce. Love yourself. Live well.” Cathy froze and looked up at Sanford, shocked. She never expected those words from him.

“Cathy, I hope you live well. Don’t buy into Werner’s blame. You’re not at fault. Neither is Donald, nor the others. You’re all innocent. Take care of yourself,” Sanford said and started to walk away.

“Wait.” Cathy’s eyes filled with tears as she held his gaze. “You’re right. You kids really are innocent. Thanks for saving me. I hope you live well too.”

Sanford didn’t look back. Every step he took was heavy and filled with pain. In just a moment, he completely disappeared from Cathy’s sight.

In Nareigh. It was 2:30 a.m. Teresa didn’t know why Jonathan was looking for her so late. Usually, if he showed up this time, she figured he was drunk.

Jonathan leaned against his Maybach, his back turned to her. Teresa tapped his shoulder. “You’re looking for me–uh.” Before she could finish, he pulled her into a strong, warm hug.

Teresa stared blankly at him. Jonathan breathed in her scent and buried his face in her shoulder. “Sanford isn’t my dad’s kid.”

“What?” Teresa asked.

“Remember when we went to Shaville? On the way back, we saw Werner. You told me on the plane he looked like Donald. I should’ve been more careful,” said Jonathan.

Teresa understood and was shocked. “You mean Sanford is Werner’s son? That makes him Donald’s half-brother?”