Hearts Remember What Minds Try To Forget by Rex Wilder 37

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By the pool 

Ethan barked at his bodyguard, who then violently shoved Sophia’s head underwater in the pool. 

The icy water instantly rushed into her nose and mouth. She struggled, frantic, but it was useless. Soon, breathing became impossible, her vision swam, turning dark. Just as she thought she was about to die, she was yanked back out of the water with brutal force. 

She coughed, hard. Just gasping, sucking in huge gulps of air. 

No time to beg. She was shoved back under. 

Over and over, countless times. Finally, the bodyguard dragged a half–dead Sophia, limp as a rag doll, in front of Ethan. 

She lay sprawled on the floor, gasping and coughing hard, despair filling her as she stared at Ethan’s dark, terrifying face. 

Screw it, she thought, might as well go all in. She used her last bit of strength to laugh maniacally, pointing at Ethan and screaming: 

Hahahaha! Yeah! I totally set you up! But Ethan, put your hand over your heart and ask yourself! Who really hurt Ella?!” 

She looked up at Ethan, her eyes burning with pure venom and sarcasm. 

“Was I the one who gave Ella those mangoes? Was I the one who made you choose us, your mom and me, over her again and again? Was I the one who made you stand by, watching her get bullied and tortured, completely indifferent, even thinking she was just putting on an act? Was I the one who forced you to sign that divorce agreement? Every single knife that stabbed Ella–which one didn’t pass through your hands first?!” 

“You’re the real hypocrite, the cruelest executioner! Ethan! Without your silent approval, your indulgence, what was I, Sophia, even?! You were the one who pushed Ella out of your world! You drove her away!” 

“When it comes down to it, you didn’t even love Ella that much! You’re just as much of a scumbag as I am! That’s why Ella dumped you, hahaha! You deserve to lose her!” 

“Shut up!” Ethan shot up, his bloodshot eyes swirling with furious rage at being exposed and a deep heartache for me. 

Sophia’s words were like the sharpest knives, precisely slicing through the bloody truth he’d been trying to escape. 

He raised his foot and stomped hard on Sophia’s fingers. Sophia instantly let out a series of piercing screams. 

He stared at Sophia’s agony, saying each word slowly and deliberately: 

“For the harm you caused Ella, I’ll make you pay a thousand, a million times over! And for the harm I caused Ella, I’ll spend the rest of my life atoning for it, making it up to her!” 

“Sophia, didn’t the hospital say you couldn’t have an abortion?” Ethan’s lips curved into a cruel smile. 

“Then don’t do it at the hospital.” He waved a hand at the bodyguard. The bodyguard got it, yanked Sophia up, grabbed a wooden stick, and slammed it into her stomach. A few hits later, a massive gush of bright red blood instantly flooded from beneath Sophia. 

Ethan stared down at the rapidly spreading pool of blood beneath Sophia, his eyes completely flat, devoid of any emotion except indifference, as if looking at a piece of disgusting trash. 

He pulled out his phone, dialed his assistant, his voice eerily calm, without a single tremor: 

Ms. Miller had a miscarriage. Get someone to take her to the hospital. Tell the doctors, just save her life.” 

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“And that bastard child… get rid of it. Find the worst orphanage, and send it there.” 

The call ended. Ethan didn’t spare Sophia another glance on the ground, turning and leaving. 

But Sophia’s crazed voice echoed in his ears, again and again-“Every knife that stabbed Ella, which one didn’t pass through your hands?!” “You’re the one who pushed Ella out of your world!” 

It was him. He hurt me again and again because of that bastard kid… 

It was him. He utterly destroyed me with his coldness and suspicion… 

It was him. He signed that damn divorce agreement with his own hands… 

“Ella…” Ethan squeezed his eyes shut in agony. His heart felt like an invisible hand was crushing it, and a massive wave of regret, cold as ice, washed over him, slicing his heart into a thousand pieces, 

He clutched his chest, vowing silently to himself: 

No matter the cost! He had to get me back! To earn my forgiveness! 

He couldn’t lose me! Without me, what was the point of living? 

He had to find me, no matter what it took. 

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