Gary dropped his cigarette, threw off his
jacket, and covered me.
“Sarah, you’re asking for it!”
“Close your eyes! If a single word about this
gets out, you’ll regret it!”
“Get out!”
Gary rarely lost his temper, especially in
public.
They all knew him, and discreetly left.
The nine girls went upstairs, only Lily
remained.
“Gary, are you satisfied? Can I leave now?”
I looked up at Gary defiantly.
Even though tears welled up, I wouldn’t let
them fall.
I’d cried enough for him.
“Sarah, stop with these games, it’s
disgusting.
“”
<
He still didn ́t believe me, warning me not to
disgrace his family.
I took a deep breath, “Gary, I really want a
divorce.”
He grabbed the back of my neck, bending me
over.
“You dare divorce me? Can you afford your
father’s hospital bills? Your mother’s
shopping sprees?”
“Sarah, your mother begged me not to
divorce you!”
His hatred for me and my mother was
palpable.
He hated my mother for drugging him, he
hated my inaction.
“Even if your mother hadn’t drugged me, I
would have married you, helped you, but you
used the most despicable methods!”
“Sarah, you destroyed our relationship!”
No matter how many times I explained, he
would never believe me.
Seeing my silence, his brow furrowed deeper.
He forced me to kneel before Lily and put her
shoes on.
“Put her shoes on. You’ve done this for ten
years, you should be an expert by now!”
For ten years, I cared for Gary and his nine
girls.
I did everything, willingly or not. I did things I
despised myself for.
But now, I just wanted it to end.
So I put on Lily’s shoes.
Perhaps I was too obedient, he was bored.
He dragged me into his room, undressed Lily
in front of me.
I’d seen this many times, sometimes he’d
even make me teach them.
I reached for a condom, like always.
But he pushed my hand away.
“No need.”
My hand trembled, I retracted it.
He continued, but unexpectedly looked up at
- me.
I didn’t look back, I was too tired.
He locked me in the bathroom.
That night, a blizzard raged outside, and there
was a lot of noise. I listened all night.
I was awakened by a ringing phone.
“Ms. Song? Your mother was in a car
accident, she’s in surgery. Please come to
City General Hospital.”
My heart leaped into my throat.
“Gary!”
I pounded on the door, trying to get his
attention.
He opened the door in a bathrobe, kiss marks
on his chest, a woman clinging to him.
“What?”
“My mom’s in an accident, will you take me
to the hospital?”
I knelt and begged, tears streaming, afraid
he’d refuse.
“Are you serious? It’s three in the morning, a
blizzard, who would be out driving, let alone
crashing into your mother’s house?”
Lily scoffed, pointing to the dark, snowy
night.
Gary laughed, “Sarah, you’re a terrible liar.”
“Or did you just get tired of listening to us?”
He locked the door again.
The noise outside increased.
Desperation seized me. I smashed the window
with a stool and climbed out.
The glass sliced my leg, blood pouring out.
It was too late, and it was snowing, I couldn’t
get a cab.
I ran like a zombie, red streaks marking my
path in the snow.
A black Cayenne pulled up beside me.
“Get in.”
く
Get in.
The man in the driver’s seat didn’t turn
around.
