Chapter 5. Bottomless River

Taking a deep breath, Edmund clutched his head.

His eyes closed again, trying to suppress the emotions.

“Let’s talk about this after Alice returns. Now let me get her.”

Seeing Edmund walk away, Emma followed.

She tried to grab his arm but failed.

“Where are you going? Running away from responsibility?”

“I said I wanted to get her back.”

Thinking it was a lie, Emma quickened her steps and grabbed his arm.

“Do you know where Alice is?”

Edmund looked at Emma and Henry with a throbbing jaw.

“The bridge where I proposed to her.”

Emma’s expression instantly changed to horror.

“The place you two first met? The place where she wanted to end her life?”

As Emma panicked, Henry tried to calm her down.

Meanwhile, Edmund walked to the car.

He wasn’t sure whether Alice was still there or not, but he realized that he was on the verge of a never-ending regret.

***

“I don’t know what you have experienced, but please don’t be careless. Suicide is not the solution to all your problems. Now take my hand and get down from there. We can find a way out. I promise to help you.”

Alice blinked slowly at the memory of the voice.

Her hand slowly moved, stroking the concrete barrier where she had once been standing.

“Well, I’m sorry you had to experience such a big misfortune. But please don’t give up. The world is not that evil. The people who care about you will definitely be very sad if you die.”

Still with a blank expression, Alice stared ahead.

The glistening river under the moonlight looked the same as that night.

So did her teary eyes, which couldn’t stop replaying the past.

“I do! I care about you. If not, would it be possible for me to be here, lending a hand to you?”

“Come on, get down from there. I just started a lodging business. You can stay there; it’s free. Consider it a gift because you are my first customer. I’m also looking for employees for my travel business. You can apply for a job there if you want.”

“Together, let’s reinvent your life. I believe you can do it. I will always be by your side, protecting and helping you. You’ll be fine, so don’t be afraid.”

Alice let out a faint breath.

Her hand moved to rub her stomach.

“You know what, Baby? I used to believe those words. But it turns out, the world is cruel. If only I knew things would turn out like this, I should have just jumped back then. That way, you wouldn’t have to be here and feel this suffering.”

Closing her eyes, Alice felt the wind gently caress her face and hair.

Instead of feeling calm, a single tear fell.

“Please forgive your mommy. Without your daddy, we wouldn’t be able to survive. I don’t want you to suffer the same fate, my dear. Before things get more painful and torturous, let’s end this life.”

After whispering those words, Alice climbed onto the barrier.

She stood there and stretched out her arms.

Several drivers were distracted by the action.

Some chose to stop, either watching from behind their windows or approaching, hoping to assist.

Unfortunately, Alice ignored the voices around her.

In her head, there was only Edmund’s voice.

Even when she turned around, the panicked cries of the people did not faze her.

For her, the night breeze only brought memories and despair.

Seeing Alice spinning on the barrier, Edmund’s face paled.

He got out of the car and ran toward his wife.

“Alice!”

Alice didn’t listen.

Taking a deep breath, she tilted her head to face the sky.

Her hands slowly moved down to hug her stomach.

Edmund knew he didn’t have much time.

He picked up the pace, calling out as loudly as he could.

“Alice, please listen to me. Alice!”

However, just as he arrived at the barrier, Alice dropped herself backward.

Everyone spontaneously screamed.

They hoped that Edmund would succeed in grabbing her hand.

Unfortunately, he failed.

With wide eyes, Edmund stared at his empty hand.

His mouth was agape, unable to say anything.

Only a faint choke escaped along with his short breaths.

“Alice...?”

His chest had never felt that tight, and his eyes had never hurt that much.

As his tears blurred his vision, his head moved to look down.

Seeing a river that seemed bottomless, his entire body began to shake.

“Alice...?

Alice?!”

Edmund burst into tears.

He shook his head, refusing to believe it.

When his sanity began to disappear, he gripped the railing.

His feet were prepared to jump.

Several people there quickly restrained him.

“Please don’t be reckless, sir!”

“That’s my wife! I have to save her. Alice? Alice!”

Edmund tried to break free.

“Come to your senses, sir. That won’t help. The current is too strong. You’ll just drift along!”

“But she is my wife! My wife! I promised always to protect her. Let me go! Let me save my wife!”

Edmund struggled harder.

Several more people were called to restrain him.

“Calm down, sir. Let the SAR team save your wife. Someone... call them now!”

However, Edmund continued fighting.

Emma and Henry, who had just arrived, could only gasp when they saw him.

“Where’s Alice?”

Emma asked with shaky eyes.

Getting no answer, she covered her mouth with both hands.

“Did she...”

Emma couldn’t finish her sentence.

Her mouth felt dry.

It was useless to swallow.

Her throat remained tight.

When she cried, she could only express her emotions in Henry’s arms.

Henry had no choice but to calm his lover.

Occasionally, he looked at Edmund.

He understood.

No matter how painful Emma’s heart was, it wouldn’t be worse than the regret Edmund carried.

That man must believe that he had killed his wife.

A moment later, Edmund finally dropped to his knees on the bridge.

His hands clenched into fists, pounding the ground as if it were himself.

He no longer knew how to breathe normally.

His cries and choked sobs made everyone who heard them feel the same tightness in their chests.