The Wife’s Revenge Begins Thirty Minutes Before the Earthquake

There was a half-hour warning before the earthquake. My husband insisted on waiting for his childhood sweetheart, Jessica Ledoyen, to finish her shower and put on her makeup before she would go downstairs.

With only ten seconds left, I made up my mind, called my friend and pushed my husband, Damien Arrowsmith downstairs.

We survived and somehow, we were given a resettlement house in the city center for free as compensation. But Jessica was left disabled. She then had to marry an old bachelor in the village with yellowed teeth.

She died from excessive bleeding during her eighth pregnancy trying to have a son. And her body was never properly disposed of. 

My husband appeared calm on the surface. But at night, while I was asleep, he used a pillow to cover my mouth and nose.

“If it weren’t for you, Jessica wouldn’t have become disabled! All her misfortune is because of you. How dare you live without a shred of guilt like this?”

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the earthquake happened. Watching my husband embrace Jessica’s back, I turned and went downstairs. I swore at this time, that I would let them be a pair of unfortunate lovers.

——

“Why are you in such a hurry? It's just a warning, not a real earthquake, right?”

Damien locked the door and put the key in his pocket. “By the way, the key is in my hand right now. So you all have to listen to me.”

A loud argument erupted inside the house. I felt a bit dazed at this time. The pain of being suffocated to death still haunted me. I didn't expect that I would be reborn half an hour before the earthquake.

Someone stepped forward to grab the key. But Damien stiffened his neck, pulled out the key and threatened.

“If you disturb Jessica, I’ll eat the key. So no one of you will be able to leave!”

Hearing this, everyone was scared into a cold sweat. Everyone’s mobile phone sounded a warning about the earthquake at the same time. It was clearly not a prank, but a real earthquake was about to happen.

“Damien, if you want to die, don't drag us down with you! Give us the keys quickly!”

Amid the anxious persuasion of everyone, he stood in front of the door without any ripples. When someone tried to grab the keys, his eyes flashed with ferocity. He put it directly in his mouth.

“Take one more step and I'll swallow this key! None of you will survive!”

Instantly, all the friends froze in their place. They glared at Damien with anger, but they didn't dare to act rashly.

Damien snorted coldly. “We’re all friends who grew up together. Are you going to abandon Jessica alone and run away?”

“If we all leave, what if she comes out and can’t find us, she will get scared?”

Today was Jessica’s birthday. And we had all come to attend her birthday party. I didn’t expect such a ridiculous and absurd thing to happen. Now, everyone was regretting it deeply.

One of my friends grabbed my hand and said, “Eugenia Joubert, please talk some sense into your husband! If he keeps making trouble, we will all die!”

I lowered my head and rubbed my eyes for a moment. How could he possibly listen to me? Damien loved Jessica so much. I had never been in his heart.

***

My dad was a laborer. When I was born, he got into an accident in a machine. When he was pulled out, only his hands were intact. When my mom heard the news, she jumped off the building due to depression before her postpartum period was over.

As an orphan, I was entrusted to the village chief. I always thought Damien and his family were kind-hearted people who didn’t expect anything in return. But after nearly dying, I realized they were only doing it for the exorbitant compensation money in my hands.

Damien glared at me threateningly. “Eugenia, won’t you even listen to me?”

“No.” 

I shook my head and suppressed the hatred in my heart. I then agreed with him.

“We should indeed wait for Jessica, guys.”

Seeing that I changed sides at the last moment, my friends were unhappy.

“Eugenia, have you lost your mind? Even if he is your husband, you can't be so unclear about the situation!”

“If an earthquake really happens later and something goes wrong, can you afford the consequences?”