Last Night’s Star Fell Without a Trace

A bolt of lightning seemed to strike Virginia, rooting her to the spot. Her long lashes didn't even flutter, frozen in shock.

Four years of marriage, and this was the first time the truth slammed into her: this was how Roger truly saw her.

She suddenly remembered that night—their wedding night. Roger had eagerly offered to change the sheets, but when he returned to the room, his face had been dark and closed off.

Back then, she hadn’t understood. Now, everything made sense.

No wonder he’d never been particularly fond of Sophie, right from the beginning.

No wonder, after Sophie got sick, he’d hinted—both openly and subtly—that maybe they should just stop the treatment.

“Enough. Just get out. You’re being hysterical.”

Watching Roger stride away, Virginia was struck by a chilling realization: the man she’d married was seething with a bitterness she’d never seen.

Some time later, she returned to the hospital.

Her daughter lay on the sickbed, small and thin.

The treatments had left her nearly bald.

Yet Sophie was stronger than her own mother, always smiling and saying she felt she’d be better soon, ready to leave the hospital.

Virginia wiped away her tears and decided to clean the wound on her forehead first, so as not to frighten her daughter.

A nurse settled her behind a curtain partition before leaving to fetch some gauze.

The quiet room was shattered by a voice dripping with false congratulations.

“Congratulations, Donna. Finally heading back to the city. Who knows how long I’ll have to wait for my own spot.”

“Honestly, I prefer life out here in the countryside. If it weren’t for finally getting my transfer order, I wouldn’t even want to go back.”

Donna’s gentle voice chimed in. “The air is so fresh here, the people so simple. Part of me will miss it, honestly.”

“I heard Roger’s wife wants to go back too, but she didn’t make the list.”

Donna feigned reluctance. “We really shouldn’t discuss other people’s family matters. It’s just… poor Roger. His home isn’t much of a home anymore.”

Shirley snorted a laugh. “Roger is pitiful, stuck with a wife like that.”

“Come to think of it, that child doesn’t look a thing like him either…”

*Bang—*

The curtain partition was wrenched aside, its metal frame crashing to the floor with a screech of metal.

Shirley’s words died in her throat, her pupils contracting in shock.

“You… you were eavesdropping!”

“Go on, then. Tell me. What kind of person am I?”

Shirley stiffened her neck, refusing to back down. “It’s the truth! I didn’t say anything wrong. Everyone knows you’ve been fooling around behind Roger’s back!”

Donna quickly pulled at her arm, soothing. “Let’s all calm down. Virginia, she didn’t mean it. Let me apologize on her behalf, alright?”

The gash on Virginia’s temple had split open again, a stark, angry line against her pale skin.

Seeing Donna’s hypocritical face only fueled her rage further.

Her chest heaved violently, as if it might burst at any second.

“Donna, you’re so good at playing the victim, fishing for sympathy. You’d better stay out of this today!”

“Virginia, do you have some misunderstanding about me? Hearing you say that… it really hurts.”

Donna bit her lip, her expression the picture of wounded innocence.

Shirley lifted her chin, comforting Donna. “She just can’t stand to see anyone else happy. Ignore her. Let’s go.”

The nurse tried to pull Donna away, but Virginia stepped forward, blocking their path.

“You’re not going anywhere! Explain yourselves! Why are you slandering me?”

“Who’s slandering you? If you hadn’t done those things, would you be so afraid of what people think?”

Shirley looked Virginia up and down, a sneer twisting her lips. “Look at the state of you. No wonder Roger doesn’t want to touch you.”

“Alright, Shirley, that’s enough.” Donna forced a weak smile. “Virginia, I know you can’t handle country life. But I’m going back to the city for important work. If you really want to go back, I can talk to Roger again for you, see if we can find another way, okay?”

The feigned gentleness was like needles piercing Virginia’s ears, each word—overt or implied—dripping with Donna’s intimate knowledge of Roger. Virginia felt a vein throbbing at her temple.

A voice screamed in her mind, over and over: *Tear her apart! Rip that hypocritical mask right off her face!*

Finally, the thread of reason snapped.

Virginia lunged forward and slapped Donna across the face. Shirley shrieked, throwing herself between them and calling for help.

“Someone! Quick! Virginia’s lost her mind! She’s attacking people!”