Until I Disappear

I went through my days just like that, and my health deteriorated.

I became more lethargic, and the frequency of pain flares grew.

Susan wanted me to stay with her, but I did not want to.

I just wanted to be alone and live through my final days quietly.

Monette refused to let me have my peace, though.

She would often send me messages.

Sometimes, they were pictures of her and Zach out traveling. Sometimes, they were selfies taken in front of a mirror in a luxurious hotel. Sometimes, they were pictures of Zach’s sleeping face.

However, even when I saw those intimate photos, I felt nothing. That was until Monette sent me a special picture one day.

It was a picture of the old house I had with Zach.

Just as I wanted to ask her what it meant, Monette sent me another message.

[A present.]

I immediately panicked and called Zach, but no one answered.

In my unease, I pulled myself together and grabbed a cab to my old house.

That was our first house after we moved out of the basement.

While we lived there, we watched the company grow and had many beautiful memories together.

That was why I never found the heart to sell it, even after Zach gave me a better house. It was because this house contained memories unique to us.

Of course, I was the only one who remembered them.

Nevertheless, I wanted to keep the house because I still wanted to preserve those memories.

I rushed over, only to find that the door was open. A few construction workers were moving in and out, and the house was a mess.

I broke down and yelled at the construction workers to stop, but they ignored me.

Out of my wits, I called Zach again and again.

After calling him more than a dozen times, he finally answered, “Yeah, I’m renovating the house. Monette wants to move in.”

When Zach reached the old house, it was already almost 1 p.m.

The construction workers had already left, and I had waited for him for five hours.

However, that was not important.

“Why are you renovating the place? You know just how important this place is to me…” I demanded in a quivering voice.

Zach knew just how many beautiful memories the place contained and how much it mattered to me. He knew that I would always come here to remember and lick my wounds whenever I argued with him while waiting for him.

He knew all this, but he still did this because Monette wanted it.

Zach said nothing, and then, I heard high heels clicking against the floor.

It was Monette.

“Mrs. Stone, don’t blame Mr. Stone. It’s my fault. Things have been pretty busy at the company lately, and I wanted to rent a place close by.

“Mr. Stone then said that he has a house. While it’s a little old, it could be renovated.

“I didn’t know that it was so important to you. Please calm down. I’ll have the construction workers restore it to how it originally looked,” Monette apologized timidly.

She then stepped inside.

“Oh, no… The place is already wrecked.” She sighed, but she was smiling.

She did this on purpose.

I clenched my fists, but Zach stood in front of me.

“It’s just a worn-down house, and you’re trying to hit her again?!”

“A worn-down house? To you, both the house and I are worn down, aren’t we?”

Zach then dragged Monette behind him. “Monette wants the place for something serious. Stop throwing a tantrum.

“If you like this location, I’ll buy a new one for you.”

“I don’t want it.” I glared at him through my tears. “I just want this place.”

Zach scowled. “Stop being so unreasonable, Ninian.”

“Don’t blame Mrs. Stone for this, Mr. Stone. It’s my fault.” Monette held his hand. “Should I compensate you?”

“Using what?!” I yelled at her. “This is my house! Get out!”

I shoved her. Monette lost her footing and stumbled backward a few steps. She crashed into a corner of the wall and got hurt.

She frowned, and Zach immediately held her hand tightly.

“Ninian, you’ve really lost your mind!

“You want this place? You can forget about it!

“I bought this house! I can do whatever I want with it!

“And don’t forget just who is providing for you right now!”