- 3.
I stayed up all night, but Mark never came
home.
It was dawn when he finally walked in,
smelling like perfume.
“Sarah, Lily was feeling insecure. She couldn’t
sleep. I just stayed until she drifted off. I
came right back.”
Mark seemed surprised to see me waiting. He
rushed over, hugging me tight and holding my
hands.
Mark has gorgeous hands. Long and clean. I
used to love his touch.
But I just glanced at them and pulled away,
going back to my work.
I really wanted to ask him why Lily needed her
future brother–in–law to make her feel
secure.
But I didn’t want to start a fight. I’d taken the
day off, and I had work to do.
Mark sighed when he saw I was still working.
“Sarah, you don’t have to work so hard.”
“It puts a lot of pressure on me, being your
boyfriend.”
Г
I stopped writing and looked up.
“You didn’t used to say that.”
“Huh?”
I stared at Mark’s confused face. When I first
started at the firm, I worked like crazy to
prove myself.
Mark would stay up with me, rubbing my sore
wrists.
He used to say, “My Sarah’s the most
amazing girl in the world.”
He also said, “I’m going to work even harder
so I can be worthy of you.”
I still remember how sincere and caring he
was. But it was like he’d forgotten all of it.
The cloying perfume scent was suffocating
- me.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I stood up and ran.
“I’m going to take a shower.”
I stepped into the hot shower. I looked at the
clothes Mark had laid out for me: my favorite
pajamas.
Mark, how could you do this?
Caring for me and forgetting me at the same
time.
The steam was making me dizzy. I got out of
く
the shower. Mark was on the patio, talking on
the phone.
His voice was gentle.
Mark heard me and came over. He took the
hair dryer from me, setting it to warm.
“Didn’t I tell you not to use the cold setting?
You always get headaches. You need to take
care of yourself.”
Mark carefully dried my hair.
His fingers brushed my skin.
“I forgot.”
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was
so busy, I would just fall asleep without drying
Г
It started to give me headaches.
Mark got so mad and told me I didn’t take
care of myself.
I was guilty and asked for his forgiveness.
Mark was gentle and took the time to
untangle my hair.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.
“Mark, do you want to go to Yunnan for our
honeymoon?”
Mark raised his eyebrows. “Why do you want
to go to Yunnan all of a sudden? Aren’t you
afraid of getting sunburned?”
My heart sunk
く
My heart sunk.
Mark, have you forgotten? We had previously
said that we would go to our favorite place,
Yunnan, for our honeymoon.
You said you would take me to see Erhai
Lake and take the best photos of me.
Mark put down the hair dryer. He went over
to pinch my face before heading into the
bathroom.
I moved away.
It was the first time I pushed him away.
Mark didn’t notice. He just thought I was
sleepy.
Г
“You go get some rest. I have to take care of
some files.”
He walked into the bathroom.
He purposefully grabbed the phone, which
was sitting on the table.
Soon, the water was running, and he was
talking in a low voice.
I curled up in bed. I covered myself up.
I slowly started to cry. I looked at the
bathroom and stayed up all night.
