Chapter 3
I was locked in the far corner of the pigsty, barely able to move, with no scraps to eat.
Three days later, they arrived with spoiled rice.
The rice was covered in fuzzy green mold and was sticky and stringy.
It was sour and putrid.
After days of starvation, my stomach churned.
I felt like puking.
But they pressed my face into the bowl with foot.
He grinned cruelly and said, "Don't want it? Starve for another three days!"
I never wanted to feel that gnawing hunger again—the kind that drained the life out of me. I wanted to live.
Even if it meant losing all dignity.
I held my breath and swallowed the spoiled rice, bite by disgusting bite.
He excitedly turned and ran off.
"Ha! I told you I'd win—she even ate what Buddy won't."
After he left, I vomited all that disgusting rice.
From then on, my stomach was completely ruined.
After meeting Lucas, he began waking early to make ginger ale and bring it to my apartment.
All my friends said I'd found the perfect, devoted boyfriend.
But I never knew he had a past with Lydia; otherwise, I wouldn't have dated him.
She'd already stolen my parents, my brother. I wouldn't let her near anyone else I loved.
When I was five months pregnant, Lydia returned from abroad, revealing they were each other's first love.
When Lydia returned, I saw Lucas rattled for the first time. He spent all night smoking on the balcony.
He had quit smoking for months because of the baby.
Looking back, that was the moment I should have understood. With Lydia, I was destined to lose.
I found Lucas in the kitchen, busy after a sleepless night.
He spotted me and eagerly ladled a bowl of ginger ale.
"Lena, your stomach hurts. Drink the ginger ale I made," he said gently.
For a moment, my heart felt warm and full.
The moment I saw the food container in his hand, my eyes went cold.
He suddenly looked nervous and hid it behind his back.
"Lena, don't misunderstand. Mom said Lydia lost her appetite and asked me to make ginger ale for her," he explained, flustered.
I gave a bitter smile.
"Lucas, when making ginger ale, were you thinking of your pregnant wife or your depressed ex threatening suicide?"
I looked at the ginger ale in my bowl as a tear fell from my eye.
"Looks like you were thinking of her." My voice was flat. "I never eat pickles."
She was the one who loved pickles.
"Let's divorce," I announced coldly.
I was exhausted. Why stay with a husband whose heart was elsewhere?
Lucas looked nervous as he tried to explain, but the ringing phone distracted him.
"I won't divorce you. I'll explain when I return," he said tensely.
With that, he grabbed the food container and rushed out.
I touched my belly and bitterly laughed. 'See? He never chose us.'
I bought coffee and a muffin downstairs but barely ate them. I wasn't hungry.
Then I took a cab to the hospital.
I guessed it was time to pay a visit to my oh-so-beloved cousin.
I stood outside Lydia's hospital room.
Through the glass, I saw my mother as she tenderly peeled an apple for Lydia.
Lydia smiled, leaning against Damian's shoulder, as Lucas played mobile games with her.
She grinned. "Lucas, help! They're coming for me!"
Lucas gave her that indulgent, affectionate smile.
I suddenly recalled how obsessed I was with Realm Clash and wanted Lucas to team up with me as an in-game couple.
He paused, then said he didn't know how to play and wasn't interested.
He knew the game. He just didn't want to play it with me.
I clenched my teeth, breathed deep, opened the door, and stepped in.
When Lydia saw me, she set her phone down and clung to Lucas.
Tears in her eyes, she begged, "Elena, please let me have Lucas back. I can't live without him."
She finished, and the room went silent.