The breeze of the wind in the middle of November never felt so cold as the iciness that seemed to course through Erin's veins.
Her heels clicked with a noise as she descended into the living room, only to find her father, who usually sat in the living room while enjoying a warm coffee and a newspaper with a smile, standing with two women with their suitcases beside their feet.
Erin stopped just below the stairs. The sight of them was both familiar and nauseating. In fact, it had been years since she last saw them. And here she thought, they would've been smarter to not appear before her again.
Her eyes imperceptibly narrowed. It wasn't enough that you drove my mother to her death. You've come back for more.
"Why are they here, Father?" Erin asked flatly.
Her father, Marco, stared at her for a brief second before looking away. Erin could see uncertainty and hesitation in his eyes, as if he couldn't bring himself to say a word. But the woman beside him gave him a reassuring squeeze.
"Erin, they are going to live here with us from now on." Her father declared, lifting his eyes to meet his daughter's.
As she listened to him, she dropped her gaze to the diamond ring on the middle-aged woman's ring finger.
Her heart quickly dropped to her stomach as she traced her eyes up to where her father's ring finger was. The old wedding ring he had been wearing, the ring he had exchanged with her mother, was gone. Instead, a new gold ring wrapped around his finger.
"You… married her." Her voice was soft, but it cut deep. It wasn't a question.
The man who had once denied every single accusation of his affair thrown at his face, who swore to everyone he had no intention of getting remarried, now looked at her with irritation for daring to question him.
"I did," he said curtly. "And you will have to start accepting that fact."
Accept? Her lips curled in a humorless smile. Accept the woman who had been the reason why her mother had died early?
"I know this may be hard on you." The middle-aged woman interrupted with a false sympathetic smile. "But the sooner you accept us, the sooner we can be a real family. The five of us, actually."
Before Erin could reply, the young lady beside them sweetly smiled. "That's right. We'll both become big sisters to our brother soon, isn't that right, Mom?"
"That's right, dear."
Erin laughed. "Don't think too highly of yourselves. My mother died before I could have siblings. And I am not that desperate to consider companionship with parasites."
The young woman stiffened, her sweet and innocent smile twitching. Though, she quickly covered it up.
"That's enough!" Marco's patience finally snapped. "I won't tolerate such disrespect from you anymore, Erin."
Erin, however, didn't change her expression. She remained calm, almost bored. "You're right. This is more than enough."
Her heart twisted inside her, but her face showed nothing of it.
She stepped forward, passing them by as if they weren't in front of her.
"They may stay here, Father. But don't expect I will do the same."
Without another word, she gracefully walked out the door.
"Erin! Where the hell are you going?!"
From behind, she could hear her father's furious shouting. But she didn't stop.
She didn't spare him a glance and welcomed the biting chillness of the night.
…
The night air hit her like a slap.
The cold and sharp breeze somehow cooled down the madness boiling inside her. And by the time Erin awoke from her daze, the taxi she had taken out on an impulse stopped on an uneven road.
"Miss, we're here," the driver announced with a knot on his eyebrows. "Are you sure you want me to drop you off here?"
This was the countryside. Only locals and a few tourists who would come by occasionally would be there. Honestly, the driver was even surprised that the young woman would know of this place.
The countryside was small and quiet, so different from the noisy city. A city girl like Erin, who looked like she could afford expensive things, was clearly out of place.
The driver once again gave her a doubtful look through the rearview mirror, but Erin took out a few bills from her bag and handed them to him. "Yes. This is fine. Thank you."
Erin stepped out of the car and shivered as the chilling wind seeped through her clothes. She should've taken a jacket or a few clothes with her, but she wasn't thinking of taking anything when she ran out earlier.
Where was this again? Erin let her gaze sweep around her. The faint outlines of old, wooden houses, some brick walls, and rusted gates. On the other side of the small street, a few stores were still open. It didn't look like a thriving place.
This place… it wasn't random. She had given the driver an address. And surprisingly, it was here.
So, this was where he vanished for these past few years…
Half in disbelief, Erin couldn't believe he was the first thought she had after falling out with her father.
A few villagers saw her and gave her a strange look. They didn't expect a woman from the city would come to their village in the middle of the night.
Erin smiled at them, giving them a polite nod as a greeting. Thankfully, they returned it before scurrying away.
However, before Erin could retract her gaze, she blinked. Although it was far and the streetlamps were slightly dim, a tall figure was walking down the road. He walked steadily and slowly, but one glance was enough for her to recognize who it was.
Her heart started hammering inside her.
As he came closer, his handsome face started to grow much clearer. No matter how many years passed and how many people had forgotten about him, Erin still couldn't tear her gaze from him.
"Aaron…?"