Please Forget Me - Chapter 142
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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“…”
“While I count to three.”
Could he really do something like that?
“Three.”
I knew well enough that Major Felkner was the kind of man who would do such things. Yet, I still cling to the hope that his words are nothing but threats. I wondered if he would really go as far as ruining his reputation, killing my husband on false charges, and trying to take me from him.
“Two.”
But that hope is vague. After all, this is the same man who, breaking everyone’s expectation, came directly to me, ignoring his own reputation.
So, should I go along and get through this crisis, hoping that somehow, someone will come to my rescue when the next one comes? Whether I face this horrible fate now or a few days later, I’m forced to make a decision.
It’s no surprise I couldn’t decide, and three counts seemed too short.
“One.”
With the last number, all was silent. Not long after, I heard footsteps leaving, and my heart started to pound loudly again.
Should I stop him now? No, he’s testing me again, pretending to leave. Hold on. If I wait…
Clang.
The sound of a tin can being kicked down the basement stairs stopped my breath. He wasn’t lying. Finally, with my decision made, I shut my eyes tightly.
“I’ll go!”
A tear fell on my hand, which had been knocking on the door I had tightly closed myself.
I had layered on thick clothes, unsuitable for the warm spring weather, for many reasons. I didn’t forget to put the revolver in my pocket. When I saw that the Major was waiting outside as promised, I opened the door, but I couldn’t bring myself to step outside right away.
‘It’ll be fine.’
Even though I said it, I grasped the parasol I had set against the wall with my trembling hand. I knew I couldn’t protect myself with something that someone like the Major could snap in half without a second thought, but I felt like I needed to hold something.
“It’ll be fine.”
As I stepped outside and began to descend the stairs, I hesitated.
Mrs. Becker, who I met on the first floor, was trembling just like me. Her eyes were filled with tears, much like mine. The only difference was that her eyes were red, glaring at me.
I froze, suddenly thinking that she had already misunderstood what I had said.
“Madam, neither I nor Johann ever said that.”
The moment I explained, the trembling of Mrs. Becker’s chin became more pronounced. Seeing her grit her teeth, it was clear she didn’t believe me at all.
“The Major is very perceptive. He could have put someone to watch us.”
“If it weren’t for you, there wouldn’t have been any surveillance.”
So, even if I hadn’t said anything, was it ultimately my fault that they were caught? Frustrated, I pointed to the pile of empty cans still stacked on the stairs leading to the basement.
“If you’re going to leave cans like this in such a suspicious place, who wouldn’t suspect something?”
The Major, seeing that, must have figured something was hidden down there the moment he saw the cans. He probably kicked them with his foot, realizing they were alarms.
But pointing out Mrs. Becker’s carelessness only gave me a brief sense of relief; it did nothing to get me out of this predicament.
“Leave now.”
She was telling me to get out of this house.
“I will.”
There was no reason for me to stay. We would have preferred to leave because we were uncomfortable with Mrs. Becker, but we were stuck because we knew her secret. Now, that secret was discovered, and the friction had started, so there was no reason to remain here any longer.
“Just know that we’ve never told anyone.”
I explained once more, but Mrs. Becker turned away sharply and went back into the house.
Bang.
Since the Major was still outside, I had to watch and make sure her son wouldn’t be taken. Slamming the door was a clear sign of hostility. Since it had already been found out, it didn’t matter whether I revealed it or not—I was to blame in any case, so I felt defeated.
‘I’m being dragged out by the Major to avoid the misunderstanding that I sold out a deserter…’
Suddenly, the question arose in my mind: Is there any point in opening the door and willingly enduring such treatment?
The thought quickly faded. If I didn’t open the door, the Major would come in. He would drag Mrs. Becker’s son out instead. Then, Johann and I would be a step closer to death.
“Ha…”
Reluctantly, I grabbed the doorknob, letting out a long sigh. Is survival really this difficult? In a war-torn land, even the most ordinary survival becomes a battle.
By now, I was so mentally exhausted that when I opened the door and saw the Major, I didn’t tremble at all.
The Major, leaning against the car and smoking, smiled broadly at me, his teeth visible under the brim of his officer’s cap. I clenched my teeth to suppress the urge to curse and glared at him as though I could kill him.
‘If only you would die.’
Despite my murderous gaze, the Major grinned like a careless fool and suddenly changed to a look of pity, as though he were gazing at a helpless puppy.
“Rize, you’re even paler than a corpse. What’s hurting?”
I couldn’t mention the time of the month, and I didn’t plan to, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Shall we go to the bunker? I’ll have a doctor check you out.”
Then he would surely drag me to his bedroom.
