Mark’s glare told me she was a success.
He’d even forgotten I was “pregnant,” didn’t
care if I could handle getting shoved like that.
“Lily, what the hell are you doing!”
<
He practically snarled the words.
I had to laugh to myself for being so gullible.
But I kept my voice steady. “Mark, who are you gonna believe? Her or me? If you believe me, then you know she’s acting.”
“She’s bleeding all over the place! And you’re saying you didn’t do it?”
Mark’s eyebrows were drawn together, and he was looking at me with both anger and
disappointment.
I was about to say something else, but he cut me off. “Lily, you’ve gone too far! I never thought you were like this!”
Then he scooped Ashley up, bridal style, and
“I didn’t either…”
I whispered after him, “I never thought you
were like this.”
Ashley peeked out from Mark’s shoulder and
smirked.
Like she was saying, See? Mark only cares
about me. He’ll always believe me.
I squeezed the broken pieces of the bracelet
in my hand.
Blood trickled out of my fingers.
But I didn’t feel a thing.
My heart was numb.
L
My body might as well be too.
I didn’t make a scene.
Or try to talk to Mark about it.
I just went home.
Cleaned up the cut on my hand.
And crashed.
Mark came back the next morning.
He looked a lot better than he had in the
garage last night. He even took my hand and
apologized.
<
“Lily, I lost it yesterday at the office. Are you
and the baby okay?”
He finally remembered I was “pregnant“?
Finally realized I might not be okay after he
shoved me?
Too bad I wasn’t pregnant anymore.
I calmly pulled my hand away.
“We’re fine.”
Mark noticed the cut on my hand and
grabbed it again. “Lily, what happened to your
hand?”
I shrugged.
<
“How did you get cut? Let me get the first aid
kit.”
He let go of me, then turned to find the first
aid kit in the cabinet.
I stood there.
Cold.
What did his caring amount to?
A little pity left over after he was done taking
care of Ashley?
I didn’t need it!
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mark pull the divorce papers out of the cabinet and get
ready to look at them.
<
I rushed over and snatched them away.
Mark stopped.
Looking back and forth at me and the papers, he asked, “Lily, what are you doing? Why are
you so excited?”
I squeezed the papers tighter.
“Those are yours.
Mark laughed.”
It’s a beach house. It’s no big deal. I don’t
know why you’re so excited.”
He stretched his hand out to me and said,
“Give me that thing.
I’ll have one of my assistants send it in.”
I shook my head.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m going to go alone.”
I put on a sad face and said, “Who knows what you’ll do with that thing? You said you were going to give me that jade bracelet.
Then you turned around and gave it to
someone else.”
Mark’s face darkened, and his eyes darted
around.
“Lily, I need to talk to you.”
He pulled me over to the couch.
As he was cleaning my hand, he explained,
“Lily, I was going to buy you that bracelet. It
turns out that Ashley bought it first. I didn’t
tell you about the buyer because I was afraid
you would get the wrong idea.”
It was a stupid excuse.
But I didn’t say a word.
く
He realized that I wasn’t mad, and he
continued.
“I know that I messed up.
But that doesn’t mean that you should get
someone to rough her up like that.
Do you know how messed up she is?”
I pulled my hand away.
He shut his mouth.
But he frowned.
I ignored his face and turned to say in a cold.
tone, “Mark, I didn’t do it.
I didn’t get anyone to rough her up.
She’s acting.”
“Lily, you…”
He lowered his voice.
“Why do you have to be so mean? If you
messed up, you should just apologize.
What’s the point in pretending?”
“You’re only saying that because you’re
pregnant. You think the police can’t touch you. That’s why you’re so conceited.”
I had to laugh.
He was back because he realized I was
pregnant and could handle getting pushed.
He was apologizing because he messed up.
He wanted me to apologize to Ashley.
Did I want to apologize to a mean person?
I kept having flashbacks to Ashley and Mark
being together.
“Did Ashley send you?”
I tried to sound calm.
“Yes. She said she would just move on if you
<
He grabbed my hand. He said, “Just
apologize. It’s no big deal.”
“How many times do I need to say it? She lied
to me.”
“Mark, say it. If you want to get divorced, I’ll
get out of your way. Just stop messing with
me!”
I pulled away.
“What are you talking about?”
Mark got angry and stood in front of me.
“Lily, do you want to get divorced over
something this minor?”
“Minor?”
I laughed. “Mark, you and Ashley are two peas
in a pod. You’re both a mess!”
“Tell Ashley that I don’t want you anymore. If
く
“Lily!”
Mark lost his patience and hit me.
“There’s a limit to what you can say.”
He hit me hard. I fell to the floor.
He’d hit me twice in as many days.
I started wondering what my child would’ve
been like.
Mark froze.
His anger went away.
Then he bent down to me.
“I messed up.
I didn’t mean to do that.”
The truth was, he’d lost control.
The truth was, Ashley was the one making
him hit me.
“Are you okay?”
<
He helped me up, gently patting my stomach.
His touch brought me back to the present.
“I’m fine.”
My calm made him feel guilty.
“I’m sorry.”
He caught himself and said, “I’ll go
apologize.”
He still believed in Ashley.
He still thought I needed to apologize.
I was getting sick of this.
“Mark, I don’t need your help. You can go
apologize if you want, but don’t tell me.”
I tried to go back to the bedroom.
But Mark insisted on taking me to the
He picked me up.
He said, “Just rest. You need to take care of
your body.”
As he was walking down the stairs, he looked
at me and acted like everything was fine.
I couldn’t stop him from finding out about my
baby.
I squirmed around in his arms, but he only
grabbed me harder.
He was strong.
And got in the car.
I freaked out and pushed Mark.
I said, “I don’t want to go to the hospital.
Can’t you understand anything?”
I couldn’t let him know that the baby was
dead.
The divorce was almost over.
“Just rest, Lily.”
I went to open the door, but he grabbed me
and told me to calm down.
Just then, his phone rang.
I grabbed it.
Ashley was calling.
Mark’s face changed and he kissed my
forehead. “I have to take this. Just go to the
hospital. I’ll be there soon.”
Ashley said her wound was hurting her, and
she didn’t want to eat.
I knew what was happening.
I said, “Okay.”
“What changed?
Mark looked at me like he was looking for a reason to get mad. I blinked and said, “When we started our business, we said we wouldn’t
let our work affect our relationship.”
Mark looked guilty.
He hugged me.
“I promise that I’ll get there soon.”
“Okay.”
I smiled.
I couldn’t smile any longer.
<
The driver stared at me.
“Are we going to the hospital?”
“Yeah. Go.”
I knew he wouldn’t show up.
According to Ashley’s photos, Mark was with
her all day, feeding her.
