Chapter 6

I curled up on the sofa, my fingers tracing my abdomen. That child had only been there for three months. I had already picked out a nickname for the baby, “Little Blessing. ”

I hoped the child would be safe and sound every year. The baby was so good, never causing any trouble, and I never experienced morning sickness. Even the doctor said it was a good baby who sympathized with its mother. Such a good baby. Left me on the coldest winter night. “It’s okay. ” I murmured, “Baby, just wait a little longer. Mommy will be with you soon. ”

The next morning, Liam and I went to the registry office. It was the first time he hadn’t stood me up. After coming out, I felt much more at ease. Thirty-one more days. They would pass quickly. Seeing my happiness, Liam wasn’t pleased. He was about to speak when his phone rang. I glanced at him: “Don’t forget to come back in thirty-one days to finalize the divorce. ”

With that, I walked away. During the waiting period for the divorce, Liam hardly came home. And I finished all my remaining tasks. With twenty-seven days left, I stopped updating my comic. It was a comic documenting my life with Liam. Reality was never as beautiful as in the comic. Now I was leaving; there was no need to draw these hollow things anymore. I closed my laptop, looked at the sunshine outside, and smiled. With seventeen days left, I bought summer clothes. I bought many colors I never used to wear, planning to change into a different one every day in Maui. And with only seven days left, I did one last thing. I packed up all traces of myself in this house. Afterward, I realized how few traces of me there actually were. I found our wedding photos, which I had carefully protected. In the photos, I smiled brightly, while the woman in the mirror was skeletal. Liam didn’t like me hanging wedding photos, so I never had. I threw them all into the trash. Then I burned my favorite things. I burned them for my deceased self. I knew no one would burn these for me. I also worried that after I was gone, my grandmother wouldn’t have any pocket money. So I bought a pile of paper money and burned it for my grandmother first. Watching the flickering flames, I softly said: “Grandma, save it up. We’ll need it together down there. ”

After burning, I looked at the vast ashes, feeling much more at ease. Now, nothing was holding me back. Just then, the front door lock clicked open. Liam was back. He walked into the house, frowning, and waved away the flying paper ash. “Skylar, what are you burning? ”

I calmly replied as I cleaned up the brazier. “Burning some paper money for Grandma. ”

“Don’t burn these things in the house again. ” Liam said, opening the window. “Okay, I won’t. ”

Anyway, this was the last time. Hearing my voice, Liam noticed I was in a good mood. After a moment of hesitation, Liam still spoke. “I want Aria to move in. ”

I paused, then sneered: “There are only seven days until the divorce, Dr. Sterling. Can’t you even wait that long? ”

“There are so many empty rooms in the house. It’s not like there’s no place for her to stay. ” Liam continued, “It’s close to the hospital, so it’s convenient for me to commute too. ”

I didn’t look up. “You’ve already decided, so why are you asking me? ”

Liam pursed his lips, his voice becoming very, very soft. “Aria is pregnant. ”

The basin in my hand clattered to the floor, spilling black ash everywhere. I patted my soiled white dress, only to leave several handprints on it. “Liam,” my voice trembled uncontrollably, “Is it yours? ”

He avoided my gaze, his explanations growing paler with each word. “That night was a misunderstanding. I never thought there would be a child. ”

“The baby is only twenty-six days old. The pregnancy isn’t stable. ”

Twenty-six days. I knew. It had been exactly twenty-six days since I was diagnosed with cancer. 9. I remembered the scent of that perfume. I was so foolish, so naive that I had forgotten. What kind of intimacy would leave such a strong, lingering perfume scent? I think I also understood why Liam didn’t want to divorce me. Did he think not divorcing was his way of compensating me? Seeing my silence, Liam continued,

“I want Aria to move in. Can you help take care of her? After all, you’re just… idle. ”

I walked over, unable to control myself, and slapped him across the face. A sharp crack echoed through the living room. Liam’s glasses flew off his face, landing far away. Unable to control the surging tears, I cried as I grabbed Liam’s collar. “Liam, are you even human?! ”

“Are you even human!!! ”

“You can not love me, but how can you humiliate me like this?! ”

Liam let me grab him, silently turning his head away. He knew he was in the wrong. But his silence at that moment was like a surging tide, suffocating me. Liam and Aria were childhood sweethearts. Their bond went from middle school all the way through college. I never expected Liam to love me deeply, nor had I thought about how intimate Liam and Aria might be. I thought I would be indifferent to it. But when the truth was laid bare before me, I realized. Watching the person I once loved so much admit to cheating, my heart still ached. I released Liam, leaning against the glass, struggling to breathe. “It’s my fault. ”

Liam admitted his fault for the first time. “But Aria’s not in good health.