Like A Lamb To The Slaughter

That night, Jake didn’t return.

After midnight, I silently wished myself a happy birthday.

I still remember that before I was admitted to the psychiatric hospital, Jake had once accompanied me for a prenatal checkup. At that time, when the doctor had calculated the due date, he had looked so excited.

“Your due date might fall right on your birthday. Let’s celebrate properly that day!”

However, as time passed, things changed. He lit up the whole city with fireworks for Luna, just to celebrate some baseless nomination.

At dawn the next day, the nurse brought me a little palm-sized cake.

“I remember you mentioned that today’s your birthday, but… about your baby…” She hesitated but still lit a candle for me. It was her care that got me through those inhumane days.

I closed my eyes and made a wish. Just as I was about to blow out the candle, a figure appeared in the doorway. Jake glanced at the scene before him, his brows furrowing slightly like he suddenly remembered something. “Oh, today’s your birthday.”

He awkwardly patted his coat pocket, as though searching for something he could use as a gift.

To no avail, he pulled out a crumpled piece of lacy pink lingerie. Embarrassed, he stuffed it back into his pocket and stammered, “Maybe… maybe someone played a prank on me. I’ll make it up to you with a proper gift later.”

I blew out the candle abruptly and replied without thinking, “There’s no need.”

The words had barely left my mouth when Jake’s expression darkened instantly. With a displeased look, he shoved his hands into his pockets.

“All this fuss over a gift? Really? I paid for your mom’s medical treatment when she was gravely ill. And now you’re throwing a tantrum over a lousy birthday? Don’t you think you’re being unreasonable?”

I bit my lip, silently listening until he was done. He was right. He was my family’s savior. I owed him, and it seemed like I could never repay that debt.

Even the nurse sitting at the bedside couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up to leave and accidentally bumped into Jake’s shoulder. Staggering, his expression grew even more unpleasant, and his chest rose and fell exaggeratedly.

He shot me a reproachful look, then decided to leave, only to run into Luna entering the room in her lab coat, under which was a short lacy dress faintly visible beneath.

Jake’s anger inexplicably dissipated. He hurried forward and said in a gentle tone, “I told you to rest at home. Why are you here again?”

Luna sneezed, waving her hand dismissively. “Thanks to you taking off your coat and warming me up yesterday, I’m feeling much better now.”

She suddenly realized there were others in the room, quickly retracted her flirtatious gaze, and gave me a polite smile. “I came today because there’s an important experiment to conduct, and I need Joy’s cooperation.”

My heart sank. I looked at Jake with pleading eyes, shaking my head repeatedly, begging him not to agree. However, he turned to Luna with a generous smile and said nonchalantly, “It’s fine. She’s not doing anything else anyway.”

At that moment, the knife hanging over my heart finally fell.

Luna curved her lips into a smile and added as she glanced at me. “This might hurt a little, but as long as you endure it, it’ll be fine. Joy, you’ve cooperated so many times before. I’m sure you’ll do great this time too.”

A sense of foreboding crawled over my chest.