In the Hospital Alone, While He Stayed by Her Side

Erik's entrepreneurial journey was progressing smoothly; he soon secured his first project. Overwhelmed with excitement, he invited me to the celebration banquet, making promises that echoed in my ears. “I’ll be there for you and the baby from now on. If you notice anything amiss, just tell me, and I’ll make it right.”

However, when we arrived at the restaurant, I caught the waitress’s smile falter. She leaned in and whispered just loud enough for me to hear, “Why did you change partners?”

I froze, the words hanging in the air like a heavy cloud. At that moment, my supervisor sent a message, urging me to return to the office to address some urgent matters. Erik’s expression darkened, revealing his displeasure. “Can’t you put your work aside for me?”

I shook my head, feeling the familiar ache of disappointment. How many times had I reached out for support, only to have him brush me off with excuses about working late?

I had gone out of my way to bring him meals, yet when one of his colleagues admired my outfit and asked for my contact information, he turned it into a reason to accuse me of monitoring his every move.

He claimed to be suffocated by my perceived control, insisting that I should no longer interrupt his work. Yet now, he expected me to abandon my job for a celebration party that had nothing to do with me.

I watched as Erik paced back and forth, his irritation palpable. “Alyce, you’re the one who doesn’t trust me and Polly. That’s why I brought you to this celebration. But now that you want to leave, don’t let jealousy take over.”

I nodded, feeling a sense of resignation wash over me. Jealousy had long since become meaningless in this tangled web of relationships. After finalizing my plans to go abroad, my supervisor informed me that the departure was set for next Sunday. She looked at me with concern, noting, “You’ve lost so much weight lately. Are you still in that cold war?”

I didn’t respond; perhaps I was simply waiting for the final verdict on everything. Just then, a friend request popped up on my phone. It was from the waitress I had just encountered at the hotel. After accepting it, she immediately sent me a video.

In the clip, Polly held a glass of wine, feeding it to Erik as his brothers cheered and jeered around them. My heart sank as the video ended, and a message from her followed.

"You are the most disgusting mistress, not worthy of seeing the light," she spat, her disdain cutting through me like ice.