My husband, Ethan, told me to give blood to his childhood best friend. She had a bleeding ulcer, he said. He completely ignored the fact that I was two months pregnant. ["Chloe is in surgery, Eva! It's just some blood. Why are you making this so difficult? Stop being so selfish. Is being pregnant that big of a deal?"] My husband's friends all chimed in, accusing me. He just stood there, silent. He let them ignore my protests, my struggles, as they physically pushed me toward the donation room. My heart finally died. A single tear escaped and slid down my temple. After the transfusion, I dragged my weak body to the OB/GYN wing. Ethan, a man like you doesn't deserve to be my child's father. 1. I stayed in the hospital for three days after the D&C. Ethan, meanwhile, never left Chloe’s side. My stomach was empty. But it was my heart that ached. When I was discharged, I ran into them. Chloe and Ethan, surrounded by their entire group of friends. I was alone, just holding my small overnight bag. Chloe was leaning on Ethan, as if she could barely walk. When Ethan’s eyes met mine, he froze for a second. ["You're still here?"] ["It was nothing."] I didn't tell him about the miscarriage. I just turned my pale face toward the exit. ["We'll go together."] Ethan grabbed my arm. His tone left no room for argument. When we got to the car, Chloe immediately slid into the front passenger seat. She looked at me, her eyes watery and innocent. ["Eva, I get carsick so easily, especially after my surgery."] ["You don't mind, do you?"] I wasn’t in the mood to fight. I opened the back door. But Ethan's friends, three large men, piled in, filling the entire back seat. They stared at me, their hostility obvious. ["Sorry, Eva," one of them, Shawn, said. "Chloe's still really weak. We're all going to your place to help take care of her."] I looked at Ethan in the driver's seat. His jaw was tight, but he said nothing. I laughed, a dry, soundless thing. The summer cicadas outside seemed to be mocking me. How could I still expect anything from this man? Ethan’s friends had never liked me. In their eyes, he and Chloe were the ones who were meant to be. I was just the evil, gold-digging witch who’d split them up. Whenever they came over, they treated me like the hired help. Ethan never said a word in my defense. Even when I was pregnant with his child, I still had to give blood to Chloe. And I never even got a "thank you." All they said was: ["You should be honored."] This wasn't the first time I'd been humiliated. It was just the first time I chose to accept it quietly. ["Okay. I'll get home on my own."] I shut the car door and walked away. It was rush hour. I couldn't even get a rideshare. I had just had surgery. It was the peak of a brutal summer, and I had to walk for an hour under the blazing sun to get home. The moment I opened the door, I was hit with a wave of accusations. ["Eva, what took you so long? We've been here forever!"] ["We're starving. Go make us something to eat."] My gaze fell on Ethan and Chloe. It was sweltering, but the air conditioning was off. They were afraid the 'frail' Chloe would catch a chill. So Ethan sat next to her, fanning her with a magazine. His own forehead was beaded with sweat, but he ignored it, his eyes fixed on her. I stayed silent. Shawn nudged Ethan. ["Come on, man. We're hungry. Tell your wife to get in the kitchen."] Only then did Ethan look up. He completely missed my ghostly pale face. His voice was casual, entitled. ["Eva, be good. Go make us all a simple meal."] ["And make some extra soup for Chloe. It'll help her recover."] The dull ache in my heart sharpened, twisting like a knife. I could barely breathe. I walked into the kitchen, closing the door on their happy chatter and laughter. I was the outsider. I was the one who didn't belong. In the past, I would have screamed. I would have fought. I thought that would save my dignity. But all it ever did was make them double down. Compared to my "hysterical" rants, Chloe always looked so sweet and understanding. But now... I was done fighting. A man like this, a group of people like this... they weren't worth it. By the time I brought the food out, I was drenched in sweat. Chloe offered to "help," taking the heavy tureen of chicken soup from me. The second I let go, her hands "slipped." The tureen crashed to the floor, shattering. Boiling soup splashed everywhere. ["Watch out!"] Ethan dove, shielding Chloe, who didn't have a single drop on her. My bare legs, however, were instantly scalded, a blistering red. ["Eva! I know you don't like me, but you can't just throw things!"] Chloe burst into tears, burrowing into Ethan's chest as if she was the one who'd been hurt. ["What the hell, Eva?"] ["We know you hate her, but this is too much!"] ["She didn't even do anything!"] ["She's my best friend, that's it! Why are you so crazy?"] ["She let go first."] My voice was dead calm as I stared at the people yelling at me. They started to argue again, but Ethan cut them off. ["Eva. Apologize."] His voice was like steel. ["You've gone too far. She just got out of the hospital. You scared her."] In the middle of a blazing hot summer, I was shaking, frozen. The burning, blistering pain on my shins was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. I looked at the man who I once thought was my protector, my safe place. He was my executioner. Something inside me snapped. ["Okay. I'm sorry."] I smiled, a horrible, broken smile. The tears just started falling. Ethan flinched, as if he was surprised. He reached for me, but I pulled away. ["The food is ready. The apology is done. Can I please go bandage my legs now?"] I gestured to my skin, which was already blistering. Without waiting for an answer, I turned my back on the mess and walked to our room. I could hear Chloe's 'wounded' voice from the living room. ["I'm so sorry... It's all my fault Eva's so angry..."] ["I'm just a burden. I'll go..."] I heard the front door slam. She had run out. And, of course, the whole pack of them ran after her. I thought Ethan had gone, too. But then, my bedroom door opened. He came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His large hand came to rest on my stomach. ["Eva, why can't you just be patient with her? She's like a kid. She needs us to look out for her."] ["Besides," he whispered, his voice suddenly tender, "we have our own baby now. As soon as I get this next project sorted, I'll get you that wedding. Just stop being angry, okay?"] ["So you do remember I'm pregnant."] I pushed his hand away. The sarcasm in my voice was sharp. His smile froze. Just then, his phone rang. He picked it up. Shawn's voice was loud in the quiet room. ["Man, you gotta get over here! Chloe fainted on the street! We're at the ER, and they need a card for admission."] Ethan didn't hesitate. He went straight to the nightstand and pulled out the bank card from the drawer. The card with all the money we'd been saving for the baby. ["Are you insane, Ethan?"] I blocked his path. ["You're taking the money we saved for our child... for her?"] Ethan's face darkened. He tried to push past me. ["That's enough, Eva."] ["This is life and death. And you're only thinking about yourself. Why are you so selfish?"] I snapped. I started hitting his chest. ["I'm selfish? She's your friend, not mine! You can't take my money for her!"] Something in my words triggered him. He roared, shoving me with all his strength. I flew backward, falling hard onto the floor. Onto the pile of broken ceramic and spilled soup that no one had cleaned up. A searing pain shot through my back and arms. I looked at my hands. They were covered in blood. Ethan was already gone. He hadn't even looked back. As I started to black out, I managed to dial 911. In the haze, I dreamed of a younger Ethan. We were at the lake overlook. He had his hands clasped together, his face serious. ["I swear I will love and protect Eva for my entire life."] ["If I ever break this promise, I hope I die a miserable death."]
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