I Erased Our Marriage Timeline Chapter 06
The moving crew arrived at nine sharp.
Perla had already packed everything into three cardboard boxes and a suitcase.
Dressed in pajamas, Joseph walked down the stairs and looked at her.
“Is that all you packed?” he asked.
“Yes.” Perla moved the boxes out one by one. “I got rid of most of my things.”
Joseph strode over and lifted the heaviest one.
“Let me help you.”
Perla paused, but she didn’t refuse. “Thank you, Joe.”
Joseph ran back and forth three times to load all the boxes onto the truck.
On the last round, he lingered at Perla’s bedroom door.
The room was almost empty. With the curtains drawn aside, sunlight streamed in, making the place look even emptier.
That lonely jewelry box was still sitting on the dressing table.
Perla walked over, picked up the jewelry box, and opened it.
Inside lay a pair of pearl earrings, Joseph’s gift for her 18th birthday.
She stared at them for a few seconds before closing the box.
“You don’t want them?” Joseph asked.
Perla shook her head. “No.”
She put the box back down and turned to leave.
Joseph stood at the door, his gaze fixed on the jewelry box.
For some reason, he felt it was staring back at him.
“Joe,” Perla called out from downstairs. “I should get going now.”
He walked down.
Perla stood at the door, basking in the glorious sunlight.
She wore a white T-shirt and jeans with her hair tied up in a ponytail. She looked so innocent and clean.
“Joe, thank you for everything.” She beamed. “Bethany hasn’t fully recovered yet. Please, take extra care of her.”
Joseph looked at her and said, “I’ll come by when I’m free.”
“It’s fine. I can handle myself. Just focus on your own things.”
She spun around and hopped onto the truck.
Joseph remained at the door and watched the truck disappear at the road’s end.
For a long time, he didn’t move.
He headed back inside. When he passed Perla’s room, he found the door open.
He stepped in.
The room looked completely deserted. The wardrobe stood open and empty.
The curtains billowed in the wind.
The jewelry box was still on the dressing table.
He walked over and opened it.
The earrings lay quietly inside, and the pearls gave off a warm and soft sheen.
He pulled out his phone and sent Perla a message. “You forgot your earrings.”
After a few minutes, her reply arrived. “I don’t want them anymore. Just throw them away.”
He stared at the screen, typed a few words, then deleted them, repeating it several times.
When he finally sent the message, no reply came again.