Chapter 3

When I woke up, my mother was lying by my bedside.

From extreme grievance and fear, I instinctively hugged her, my voice choked. "Mom..."

"Ethan is having an affair."

My mother cut off my tearful complaint. My heart felt like it was being crushed by a giant hand.

"Over such a small matter, do you really need to act like you want to die? Which man doesn't cheat?"

My emotions surged. "But the person he cheated with is..."

Her tone was calm. "I know."

I looked up in disbelief, staring into my mother's clouded eyes.

Not a trace of guilt, only dissatisfaction with me.

I grabbed my mother's arm, my voice breaking. "You knew? You knew and you still..."

"Men have work stress and need an outlet. It's bad enough that you as the wife don't understand."

"Women outside would cost money. Your sister is clean. Isn't it good that she's helping share your burden? What are you making a fuss about?"

Her mouth opened and closed, every word criticizing me for being unreasonable. My mind went blank.

Even though I'd long known her favoritism had no bounds.

Even though I'd long known Stella was the apple of her eye.

I still couldn't comprehend it. I screamed and questioned her in despair.

I thought she could at least show some concern for me, but instead she said, "When I gave birth to you, my body was ruined because of you. Since you were little, you've been an ungrateful wretch, always fighting with Stella over things. Now you even want to fight with Stella over a man!"

My fingertips nearly drew blood.

My phone chimed with a special notification.

Stella had updated her social media:

"Feeling down, so Ethan swept the whole claw machine arcade for me."

I was lying in the hospital from gas poisoning.

My husband was accompanying Stella to check out the newest Western restaurant, playing at claw machines with her, taking her to Disneyland.

"If you can't hold onto your man's heart, who's to blame?"

My mother's light mockery made my red-rimmed eyes seem especially pathetic.

When Ethan and Stella returned, I was still in the hospital waiting to give birth.

"Natalie, I'm sorry. When I was cooking, I forgot to turn off the gas. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have..."

Stella cried like a pear blossom in the rain, but I didn't even bother to look at her.

She cried harder. "Ethan, is Natalie mad at me? I'm so stupid—I can't even handle such a simple thing."

Ethan gently comforted her. "It's not your fault."

He looked at me, seemingly displeased with my attitude. "Natalie, Stella is apologizing to you. Are you deaf?"

I suddenly felt like laughing, but tears fell traitorously instead.

Ethan realized his tone was too harsh and softened it, pulling out two plush toys. "I know this scared you. I asked the doctor—you and the baby are fine. Stella is still young. She even brought you the dolls you like."

The necklace around Stella's neck was blindingly conspicuous.

It was the wedding gift I'd asked Ethan for over an entire year.

To this day, my neck remained empty.

Was I only worthy of these cheap dolls?

I nearly bit through my lip. "In what capacity are you speaking up for Stella? Ethan? Her lover?"

Ethan's expression darkened bit by bit.

He laughed coldly.

"No wonder your mother doesn't like you."

"Stella is sunny and cheerful, unlike you—petty and small-minded. If I were your mother, I would also..."

I looked up in disbelief.

Ethan's eyes showed panic. "That's not what I meant..."

From my earliest memories, my mother had disliked me. Even with two chicken drumsticks, she'd give both to Stella.

When I was little, every friend I made would be drawn to Stella and become her friend instead.

Every late night, I hated myself for not being as likable as Stella.

It was Ethan's appearance that told me even if I wasn't perfect, he would always stand by my side.

But now, even he stood on Stella's side.

My tears poured out like a broken faucet, uncontrollable. I grabbed things and threw them at him, breaking down. "Get out! Just get out!"

Over the next few days, perhaps from guilt, Ethan and Stella came to the hospital to see me every other day.

Baby diapers and supplies, all kinds of pregnancy nutrition meals appeared endlessly.

"Natalie, didn't you always say you really liked this necklace? I specially bought it for you."

The necklace I'd wanted for so long was placed in my palm by Ethan, yet it felt cold to my heart.

One year and three months. He knew I liked it but never thought to buy it for me.

I raised my head and finally spoke the words I'd been holding in my heart.