Farewell, Cruel Love

"What?" I was shocked.

Michael got angry out of nowhere.

"Don’t act like you’re the victim. If you hadn’t run into the street and scared Regina, she wouldn’t have gotten hurt! This is all your fault. You need to take responsibility!"

His voice was loud and sharp. He hit the table by accident and knocked over the chicken soup. The hot liquid spilled all over my thigh, burning it badly.

I gasped in pain, trying hard not to cry. My hand reached for the emergency bell, but Michael grabbed my wrist again.

"Regina doesn’t feel well after the surgery. She needs the doctor to stay with her. You’re used to pain, right? Just deal with it. Stop acting weak."

My arm started bleeding again. Before I could say anything, a doctor rushed in.

"Miss White is showing signs of a strong rejection. She needs another operation immediately."

Michael turned to me and grabbed my arm tightly.

"Come with me," he said, dragging me into the hallway.

When we entered the room, I saw Regina lying on the hospital bed. Her eyes were full of tears and her lips trembled slightly. Michael’s heart softened at the sight. I could see the pain in his eyes, but none of it was for me.

"Regina, don’t worry. Evelyn still has plenty of skin. If one surgery isn't enough, we’ll try again."

The doctor quickly stopped him and said grimly, "Mr. Purnell, that’s not possible. Doing another transplant could damage your wife’s arm permanently. She might never be able to use it normally again, let alone play the piano."

But Michael didn’t even hesitate. He pushed me forward.

"It’s fine if she can’t play anymore. Regina can take her place as the lead musician in the orchestra. Evelyn can just stay at home to wash clothes, cook and live comfortably. I’ll take care of her for the rest of her life."

I couldn’t speak. My whole body was shaking.

To make sure the surgery would be successful, Michael told the doctors not to use anesthesia on me. I felt every slice of the scalpel, every pull of the skin. The pain was so intense I nearly passed out.

As I was lying there sweating and in agony, Michael patted my shoulder like he was doing me a favor.

"I owe you for this. When everything calms down, I’ll come home more often to keep you company."

From behind him, Regina snorted unhappily.

Michael immediately turned around and hugged her tightly. He promised her a vacation to the Maldives, bought her new jewelry and transferred money into her account. All while I was still on the surgery bed, bleeding.

They acted like I wasn’t even there.

After that, my phone rang.

The sound cut through the cold silence in my heart. I saw the name on the screen and, for a brief second, the pain in my body seemed a little easier to bear.

I answered quickly, just to say I was safe. I didn't want anyone to worry.

But when I looked up, Michael was staring at me with suspicion.

"Who was that?"

"Someone from the Purnell Family."

Michael didn’t look surprised.

"Don’t tell them anything. I mean it."

He didn’t ask anything else after that. In his mind, I had no friends, no one who could help me. After we got married, Michael made me cut off all my social connections. No parties, no work, no friends. My world became smaller and smaller, until only he and his family remained in it.

I didn’t want to stay and watch the two of them flirt anymore. I picked up my phone and tried to leave the room. But as soon as I stood up, I felt dizzy. My vision blurred and before I could fall, Michael caught me from behind.

He looked down at me and for the first time, I saw a flicker of something close to concern.

"When you’re better, come with us to the Maldives. You need to relax."

"No need to," I said quietly.

He frowned, confused.

Some time ago, Michael had also promised me a honeymoon. But when we arrived, I learned Regina had come too. She didn’t like the food there, so I was forced to cook and clean for them. I was treated like a maid.

When I refused, Michael got angry and took away my phone and passport. He left me alone, in a foreign country where I didn’t speak the language. I had no money and no way to get home.

A stranger almost tricked me into going with him. If I hadn’t escaped, I might never have made it back. That trip left a scar in my heart that never healed.

This time, I would not be fooled again.

Michael noticed my cold expression and looked annoyed. He opened his mouth, probably wanting to scold me. But when he saw how pale I was, he held back.

He looked away and said, almost gently, "You should rest, Evelyn. I’ll bring you a gift when I return."

I didn’t reply. Instead, I watched as he walked back to Regina’s side and kissed her forehead. She smiled sweetly, like she had already won.

As I stood there, alone and hurting, I realized something very clearly.

Michael never loved me. I was just a body, something he could use when needed. And now, even my skin belonged to someone else.

Nevertheless, the phone call I had received might have meant something more. It seemed that I wasn’t as alone as he wanted me to believe. And perhaps … my time as a silent victim was finally coming to an end.