He Put Me On Do Not Disturb For Three Years, But Prioritized His Stepsister Chapter 08

He Put Me On Do Not Disturb For Three Years, But Prioritized His Stepsister Chapter 08

Sean was losing his mind.

He hired a private investigator and burned through his savings.

Three months later, the investigator handed him a photo.

It had been taken on the beach in Northport.

Ella stood in the sunlight in a long white dress, paintbrush in hand.

Beside her stood a man in a white shirt, bending down to wipe a smudge of paint from her cheek.

They stood close together, looking at each other tenderly.

The man was holding a bouquet of sunflowers.

Ella was smiling.

It was a smile Sean had never seen.

So bright, so alive, without a trace of shadow.

Sean’s knuckles went white around the photo, veins standing out on his hand.

“Who is this guy?” he asked.

“His name is Leo. He owns a café and also has a modest reputation as a painter around here.”

The investigator said.

“They’re together now. They seem very much in love.”

Sean felt as though a knife had been driven into his chest.

He booked the first flight out.

By the time the plane landed, it was late at night.”

Using the address the investigator had given him, he found the gallery.

The steel shutter was down, and a “Closed Today” sign hung on the door.

Sean sat on the curb and lit up.

The autumn night in Northport was cold, and the salt breeze slipped under his collar.

He remembered how Ella had always felt the cold; in winter her hands and feet would go ice-cold.

He used to hold her feet against his chest to warm them.

Back then, he’d thought that as long as he didn’t let go, she would always be there.

But now she’d taken her feet back, put her shoes on, and run far away.

As dawn approached, the shutter rolled up.

Ella came out.

She was wearing a hoodie and jeans, her hair up in a bun, a trash bag in her hand.

She looked like a student.

The moment she saw Sean, Ella froze.

The trash bag fell to the ground.

Sean stood, clumsily smoothing down his clothes.

“Ellie,” he called.

Ella looked at him with perfectly calm eyes.

No surprise. No anger. Not even shock.

It was like looking at a stranger on the street.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Come home with me.” Sean stepped forward and reached for her hand.

Ella stepped back, out of reach.

“Sean, we broke up.”

“I know I was wrong.” Sean’s eyes turned red.

“I shouldn’t have ignored you, shouldn’t have missed your calls, shouldn’t have touched that

money…”

“I’ve changed. I sent Aria back home. Ellie, come back.I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

He was rambling, like a drowning man clutching at straws.

Ella listened with no expression at all.

“Sean, do you know what I was thinking last Friday?” she asked suddenly.

Sean froze.

“I was thinking, if I had died in that accident, would you have been sad for even a single minute?”

No.” Ella answered for him.

“You would have thought I was too much trouble, and that even dying was an inconvenience.”

“I’m doing fine now.”

Before she could finish, a car pulled up at the curb.

Leo got out of the car carrying hot coffee and warm pastries.

He walked over, handed her the breakfast as if it were the most natural thing in the world, then took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

“Why are you dressed so lightly?” His tone was chiding, but his hands were gentle.

Then he turned to Sean, his gaze sharpening. “And who is this?”

“Just someone from my old life,” Ella said with a smile, taking a sip of coffee. “Come on, let’s go

home and eat.”

Leo nodded, taking Ella’s hand.

Their fingers laced together.

Sean stared at that hand, dazed.

That hand had always held his, peeled shrimp for him, ironed his shirts.

“Ellie!”

Sean couldn’t help calling out.

Ella stopped and turned to look at him one last time.

“Sean, don’t come looking for me anymore.”

“From now on, your world has nothing to do with mine.”

They got in the car.

The engine turned over, and the car pulled into the morning rush, disappearing from sight.