Farewell, Cruel Love

Michael suddenly raised his foot and stepped hard on my hand. It really hurt my hand. Still, I couldn’t help but grit my teeth as I tried to stop myself from screaming.

"Evelyn, Regina is upset because of you. If you can’t make her happy, don’t even think about returning to the Purnell Family for the rest of your life!"

I froze, my body shaking without meaning to.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t leave Michael. I had stopped loving him a long time ago. But I knew him too well. I knew how cruel he could be.

Once, I refused to wash Regina’s underwear. I told him I couldn’t do it anymore. I had some pride left, even if just a little. Regina got angry and refused to speak to Michael. He was so frustrated that he snapped.

That night, Michael dragged me out, stripped me completely and locked me on the balcony in the middle of winter. I shivered out there all night until I passed out from a high fever.

When I woke up, he didn’t take me to the hospital. He didn’t even ask if I was okay. He forced me to clean up the bedroom, as if nothing had happened. As if I had done something wrong.

Remembering that, I lowered my head.

I bent at the waist, almost to the ground.

"I’m sorry. It’s all my fault."

But before I could finish my sentence, someone kicked me from behind.

I stumbled forward and hit the counter. A sharp pain hit my forehead and everything spun. I reached up and felt the swelling start to rise.

Tears blurred my vision, but I bit my lip to stop them from falling. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction.

The only thing I could do was to lie there while my body was shaking. Michael gave me another kick, this time with the back of his foot.

"Hey, I barely touched you. Why are you pretending to be so weak?"

Then, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Forget it. I don’t want to waste time on you. Come to the family mansion with me tomorrow and say you want the ring back. But listen carefully, don’t say anything stupid. One word out of place and I’ll make you regret it."

With that, he turned and walked off with Regina, as if nothing had happened.

It took me a long time to sit up. My hands were bleeding. Little pieces of glass and gravel were stuck in my skin. I couldn’t even feel the pain anymore.

I dragged myself to the side of the road and tried to call for a taxi. I just wanted to get to the hospital and treat my wounds. After that, I heard the sound of a car speeding up.

Regina’s car came straight toward me. Before I could react, everything went black with a loud crash. When I regained a bit of awareness, I heard voices.

It was Michael and the doctor.

"Did Evelyn have a miscarriage?"

There was a short silence.

"Forget it," Michael said coldly.

"As long as the baby in Regina’s belly is fine, don’t worry about Evelyn. Move all the doctors and nurses to take care of Regina. I’ll handle Evelyn myself."

Not long after that, the door opened and Michael walked in. When our eyes met, he looked a little awkward. For a second, his usual arrogance faded.

"I didn’t know you were pregnant," he said as if it was nothing important.

"But a miscarriage isn’t a big deal. It’s not the first time, right?"

He chuckled like it was some kind of joke.

"Now that you’ve lost it, you can take care of Regina’s baby without distractions."

I didn’t reply. I couldn’t. I just stared at him and thought of the first baby I lost. Back then, Regina had just appeared in our lives. She cried and made a big scene, saying she didn’t want to ruin someone else’s marriage.

Michael, desperate to keep her, made me take abortion pills.

"Don’t think you can tie me down by getting pregnant," he said coldly.

"I hate kids. Especially ones from you."

I had to go through a painful, irregular abortion. The doctor said I might never have children again.

Right after the operation, I got a photo from Regina. She and Michael were lying in bed together.

While I was still bleeding, almost dying, they were celebrating in our wedding room. They stayed in bed for three days. Dozens of condoms filled the trash bin. One leg of the antique bed I brought as part of my dowry broke from how much they used it.

Michael took the handkerchief stained with Regina’s first blood and framed it. He even hung it on the wall where our wedding photo used to be. Since that day, I knew there was nothing left between us. I stayed in the marriage only because of the business between our families. I had nothing else.

I lowered my head again and didn’t say a word.

Michael handed me a bowl.

"I made chicken soup for you. Drink it while it’s hot."

I raised my arm, but a sharp pain shot through it. I gasped and looked at my bandages.

Michael turned his face away, guilt flashing across his expression for a second.

"Regina was hurt in the car accident. She’s afraid of scars ... so I had the doctor take skin from your arm. Just a small patch. You won’t even notice it."

I stared at him, not sure whether to laugh or cry. Even when I was hurt, even when I lost our baby, he still used my body to protect another woman. And he thought he was doing me a favor.