Chapter 3

Theresa posted a video on her social media, grinning as she held the flowers from Chester. Meanwhile, I was visible in the background—stuck in the kitchen wearing an apron, looking completely out of place.

Her caption read: [Favorite flowers from my favorite person.]

Comments started pouring in.

[Chester, that's cold. Your wife is gonna be crushed.]

[Man, after all these years she's loved you, this is just brutal.]

Maybe they pitied me—after six years of chasing Chester, this was how it ended. Everyone was jumping in to speak up for me.

Chester replied instantly. [Stop calling her my wife. Think twice before running your mouth. Theresa hates it.]

I turned off my phone, forcing a crooked smile. It didn't matter to me. If he wouldn't give me that title, I didn't want it anymore.

I went to the hospital for a check-up and scheduled the procedure.

The doctor warned me I might never be able to have kids after this.

I just sat there, pressing my fingers together, and nodded slowly.

The doctor frowned. "Your husband isn't with you for something this important? That's just irresponsible."

I was about to make excuses for him, but the words stuck in my throat when I noticed two figures outside the window.

I lingered in the hospital room much longer than necessary before heading downstairs, but still ended up bumping into Theresa right at the entrance.

Theresa spotted me immediately. "Eunice, it really is you. Did you come to the hospital all alone? How pitiful," she said with false concern.

"It's my fault, really," she sighed. "I got oil splashed on my hand, and Chester just had to drag me here to get it checked."

She glanced at the angry red marks on my hand and smiled. "Glad that you can use this ointment too. Oh, and remember, I want breakfast at six tomorrow, so don't oversleep."

I'd accidentally scalded my hand with steam this morning. It hadn't seemed serious at the time, but now it burned with a sharp, stinging pain.

I swallowed the bitterness rising in my throat and forced a smile. "Your mom sure taught you well, didn't she? A family of homewreckers.

"Our bathroom is open twenty-four hours. You can go eat there at four in the morning if you want—no one's gonna stop you."

Theresa stamped her foot in frustration, and then made a sudden grab for the report in my hand.

"Eunice, what's this? Some terminal diagnosis you're hiding from Chester?" Theresa shot me a mocking look.

I didn't have the patience for her games anymore and just pushed her away.

Just then, the edge of the paper caught her chin, leaving a thin red line.

She suddenly lost it, lunging forward to slap me hard across the face.

For a moment, my ears rang from the impact. Moments later, I tasted blood in my mouth.

I grabbed her by the collar, about to slap her right back, but someone caught my wrist from beside me.

Chester's voice was icy. "Eunice, are you causing trouble again?"

Before I could get a word out, Theresa threw herself into Chester's arms. "Chester, don't be mad," she wept. "Eunice didn't mean it. It's nothing." As she said, she tilted her chin upward just enough to show off the scratch.

Chester shot me a frosty look. "You know Theresa cares so much about her looks, and you mark her face? Eunice, when did you turn so cruel?"

The corner of my mouth twitched. I didn't expect him to describe me like that.

The cleaning lady who had been watching finally stepped in. She jabbed her broom at Theresa. "She was the one who started this!"

She then motioned toward me, adding, "Can't you see the handprint on this girl's face?

"You're a young man—how can you see less than an old woman like me?"

Chester turned me around and finally noticed my swollen left cheek.

His expression changed as he caught sight of the blood on my lips. "What gave you the right to hit her?" he demanded, glaring at Theresa.

Tears streamed down Theresa's face as she sobbed, "Chester, I was just worried about Eunice coming to the hospital alone. Then she called me a homewrecker. I just... I have feelings for you. That's all."

She turned to me, sniffling, "Eunice, I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

The sting on my lips was sharp, and I didn't even feel like answering her.

"Fine, I'll slap myself then," Theresa said dramatically, lifting her hand. But Chester grabbed her wrist before she could strike.

"It's alright. Just be more mindful next time, okay?" he said gently. "If you keep bawling, your eyes are gonna be sore again."

I rolled my eyes and called out sharply, "Hey."

With a sharp whoosh, my hand connected with Theresa's cheek. The smug look vanished from her eyes, leaving both of them frozen in shock.

Seeing Theresa's swollen cheek, I allowed myself a thin smile. "There, now we're even."