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Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
Chapter 39
“Speak,” he said while glaring at me. “Is it a hard question to answer?”
I said, “I didn’t hear you….”
“Put on your windbreaker,” he said and rolled up the window.
We went to the same hospital. After we got out of the car, Liam held my
hand.
Dr. Hollister was not in today, so the female manager from before attended
to us. When Liam said he wanted to get my ears checked, she looked
surprised. “There were no problems with your wife’s hearing last week. Why
did she suddenly suffer from hearing loss?”
1/11
Liam remained silent, so I said, “It’s not that I lost my hearing, but I can’t hear
certain things clearly.”
The ENT specialist came and inspected me. He said, “There is nothing
Chapter 30 hn Crazy
abnormal with your ear, Mrs. Mondoz.”
Liam looked at me.
“But I can’t hear…” I hastily said.
The doctor and the manager looked at each other, and the latter said, “It
might be psychological. I’ll refer her to the psychology department.”
Liam looked at me and smiled. “What do you think?”
I nodded. It was better than having to answer the question.
2/11
The psychologist made me fill up a meandering questionnaire before
concluding, “Mrs. Mendez is suffering from depression and anxiety. That might
have resulted in functional deafness.”
“It should be easily treatable, right?” I asked, thinking I could put up the act for
a few more days.
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Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
“There is no cure for functional deafness,” the psychologist said.
3/11
We left the hospital and got into the car.
Liam told the driver to go to the downtown commercial district.
The car started to move.
Liam chuckled. Suddenly, he draped his arm over my shoulders and pinched
my left ear.
Goosebumps instantly rose, and I turned my head to look at him.
He tilted his head and said mockingly, “It only takes two seconds to answer
the question, but if you want to keep up the act, you’ll have to do it for the rest
of your life.”
I lowered his head. I did not want to talk to him.
Even though there was no cure for functional deafness, it might go away on
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Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
its own.
4/11
Liam fondled my left earlobe for a while and removed his hand. Some time
later, an engine began to rumble, and a divider separated the front row from
the back.
The back row became an enclosed space.
Liam unfastened his seatbelt.
I clenched my hands, and my palms were beginning to sweat.
He shifted close to me, held my face gently with his hand, and kissed me on
my lips.
He was very gentle, but I was so nervous I could choke.
Even during rush hour, it was only a half–hour ride to the commercial district.
Liam needed more than half an hour to do his thing. I knew that he was not
Chapter 29 Cm Crazy
going to do it, but my heart was still thumping with fear.
A long time later, Liam let go of my lips.
He traced a line with his lips to my left ear.
Suddenly, he whispered, “Vivi, I love you.”
I froze instantly and turned my head subconsciously toward him.
I came to my senses when I met his cunning gaze.
If I were really deaf, I could not have heard it.
He was testing me.
As expected, he pinned my forehead onto the seat so I could not move.
“Two choices,” he said coldly. “Answer the question, or we’ll go home.”
Chapter 39 Im Crazy
I could not help but shudder at the threat. “What’s at home?”
Liam raised his eyebrows. “I’ll find the answer myself.”
He grasped my arms.
What did he mean? How was he going to find the answer himself?
Was he going to lock me in a room with other people again?
My mental defenses instantly shattered when I thought of that. “Fine, I’ll
answer! I didn’t! I didn’t pretend…”
“So you’re only pretending in front of me,” he said.
6/11
“No!” I shuddered, but the more nervous I was, the worse I explained myself. “I
didn’t pretend in front of you. That’s how I usually am…”
“So you pretend to be innocent in front of other men,” he said while running
his fingers across my lips. “You pretend to look cute and innocent and make
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Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
them fall for you.”
His tone suddenly became cold, “And they’ll forget how pretentious and
cunning you are.”
Is he really talking about me?
“Say something. Was I right?” Liam said coldly.
“You should see a psychologist,” I said.
Liam narrowed his gaze. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
No, I know he’s not crazy, but he does act like one.
“Maybe it’s the pressure at work getting to you, or maybe you hate me, so…”
Liam interrupted, “I am crazy.”
7/11
Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
“It’s hard not to be crazy when dealing with a woman like you.”
He let go of me, leaned back on his seat, rolled the window down, and lit a
cigarette.
I relaxed. As I gazed at his face, I thought I might be able to forgive him for
what he did to me if he were really crazy.
Fortunately, he was not.
Despite several consecutive days of snow, the commercial district was
bustling. There was a huge Christmas tree in the central plaza, and under it
were sculptures of Santa Claus and other famous cartoon characters.
Liam ew where he was going. As soon as we got out of the car, he dragged
me into an alley to the right and went to a jewelry store.
The store had ornate furnishings which I loved. Before the wedding, I had
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Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
custom–made a set of jewelry thore.
The owner of the store used to be my neighbor. She smiled and came to
greet us. “It’s you, Vivi!”
She shook my hand and looked at Liam. “Hello, Mr. Mendez. Are you here to
accompany your wife?”
9/11
Liam exchanged some pleasantries with the owner and said, “My wife lost her
wedding ring. I’m here to get it replaced.”
The owner smiled and said, “No problem…”
I interrupted. “It’s not lost. I left it at home.”
The owner was surprised that I disagreed with my husband, and she said
nothing.
“I must have been mistaken then.” Liam hugged my waist and said, “Since
we’re here, let’s make another one.”
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Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
He discreetly pinched my waist.
10/11
Before the owner could say anything, I said, “It’ll be a waste of money. I don’t
want another one.”
Liam was silent.
The owner looked at me, then at him. She smiled and said, “Why don’t you
two talk it out? My store isn’t going anywhere.”
I did not expect Liam would yield so quickly and bring me out of the store. He
remained cold, but he did not look like he was angry.
I walked alongside him for some distance before I asked him, “Where are we
going next?”
“Home.”
“And then?”
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Chapter 39 I’m Crazy
“Find the ring.”
“I told you I threw it away,” I said.
