- 4.
The next news I received about my mom was in the middle of the night.
She died from a car accident, unable to be saved.
The moment I couldn’t reach my mom, I rushed out the door, frantically searching the streets. By the time I got to the hospital, I only had one shoe left.
Seeing my mom lying silently on the cold bed, I couldn’t stop my tears from falling.
In others‘ eyes, she was strong, petty, a greedy mistress. But she never thought of abandoning me during the toughest times.
In the past, she often looked at me with disappointment and said, “If only you were a boy, or at least a bit smarter. I fought all my life and ended up with not even a share.”
5:33 A
<
Yet, over the years, though she could have had more children, she didn’t because once I said, “Mom, if you have a brother, you
won’t want me anymore.” She gritted her teeth and aborted the baby boy.
On that birthday, when my dad slapped me, she hugged me and said, “Don’t cry. He’s not your dad. That old man tricked me into thinking he was single, and it turned out he had such a big kid. Serves him right to be cheated on.“”
Mom’s phone was still barely working. As I picked it up, a video call came through.
“Hey, why is it you, Lydia? Where’s your mom? Look, this is the house your mom had me supervise for a long time. It has a garden, and there’s a swimming pool in the back…”
Memories from childhood suddenly echoed in my ears.
“Mom, I want to live in a big house, with a garden, and a swimming pool…”
The Aunt on the other end interrupted my thoughts, “Look!”
A small dog, tongue out, looked at me energetically.
In the past, my dad hated animals, and the little dog I’d raised since I was young was thrown away by my mom. I was so angry
about it.
The dog on the screen looked exactly like the one I had back then.
I choked up and hung up the call, sitting in a daze for who knows how long until Jasper appeared.
“Hmph, heaven has eyes. This is the karma for a mistress.”
I stood up in anger, raising my hand, but stopped before it touched Jasper’s face.
Jasper’s hateful eyes stared at me unwaveringly.
“Hit me then. Are you feeling guilty? Do you also think your mom deserved it?”
I suddenly slumped into the chair, numbly saying, “Jasper, let me go.”
Jasper paused, then tightly grasped my hand, eyes filled with obsession.
“Never! Your mom is dead, so you will pay for it!”
I wanted to stay at the hospital to handle my mom’s affairs, but he wouldn’t let me and dragged me home roughly.
My constant struggling only made him treat me more violently.
“You still want me to let you go? Didn’t you just have a miscarriage? I might as well give you another child now, let’s see if you
can still leave!”
I was in disbelief.
As he entered me, the pain was so intense that my whole body felt like it was falling apart.
After prolonged torment, the painful ordeal finally ended.
Jasper adjusted his tie, startled by the lifeless look in my hollow eyes.
5:33 AM
<
He finally softened his tone, saying, “I’m sorry, I went too far today. Don’t worry, I won’t let you be embarrassed on the wedding day. I won’t let that old man attend.”
“If there’s another child, even if it’s not perfect, I’ll take responsibility.”
My tears had long dried. I closed my eyes, unwilling to look at him anymore.
After a moment of silence, he slowly got up and said in a low voice, “Anyway, you’re not allowed to leave. I’m very busy these days. See you on the wedding day.”
He left, and I struggled to get out of bed, numbly putting on my clothes.
A notification for my flight appeared on my phone.
I wrapped my clothes tighter and dragged my suitcase to the airport.
From now on, with mountains and rivers between us, your grudges have nothing to do with me.
