Faintly, I heard someone shout:
“Hey! There’s a lot of blood on the ground!
Something’s wrong. Is Sarah okay?”
“Relax, she just wants Ryan to look at her.
She’s been at it all day. Fine, go get him.”
But instead of Ryan’s concern, I got his harsh.
voice.
He slapped me, hard.
“Sarah, wake up! What the hell are your
doing? You set the fire and now you’re like
this, you reap what you sow.”
He still thought I started the fire, that I was
jealous and acting.
I wanted to explain, but my mouth was too
dry.
My stomach was killing me.
I reached for his sleeve, hoping he’d
understand I needed help.
He hesitated, then pressed down hard on my
stomach.
“You’re a good actress, but Ashley said you
hid after the fire. I almost believed you.”
Then he left.
The firefighter beside me shouted. “Ryan!
Blood! Sarah’s bleeding!”
“Is she miscarrying?”
“Ignore her. Ashley said it’s fake. She’s five
months. She’s fine. If she wants to act, let her
act.”
Then I passed out.
In my dream, I was with Ryan when we first
met.
He was a guest speaker, a cold fish, but his
skills made the girls swoon.
I was no different and started following him.
around.
At the time I was an instructor at school, he
<
didn’t notice me.
To grab his attention, I worked even harder.
Once my contract was renewed, I thanked
him for his inspiration over dinner.
That’s when he started looking at me
different.
I used the chance and fiercely went after him.
Flowers, basketball, cake, coffee.
I bought him so many presents.
Finally, he said yes and I was so happy. I
thought it was the beginning of my happiness,
but it was just the beginning of a nightmare.
く
After, he got cold, and always bailed. “Work”
and “rescue missions” always came first.
I didn’t question it until our wedding day.
An email from overseas shattered my dream.
Ashley detailed their ten years together and I
felt pain.
He’d spent all those nights with another
woman.
I was too scared to say anything.
I didn’t want him to leave.
He was so calm when Ashley died, and I
thought I won.
く
He bought all those baby things for us.
I was stupid to believe he loved me.
Then he killed my child, I realized he wanted
revenge.
Ashley was the only woman he ever loved.
When I woke up, I was in a hospital room.
Not with Ryan, but a stranger.
“You’re awake? I’m your neighbor. I checked the fire, and found you on the ground, and brought you here. You okay? How do you
feel?”
I moved my limbs, but when I touched my
stomach, I froze.
<
“I’m sorry, the doctors said they couldn’t save
the baby…”
I smiled, “I know.”
“Thank you for bringing me to the hospital.”
Even strangers knew I was in trouble, but my
husband of five years didn’t care.
The neighbor was angry, “I don’t know what
those firemen were doing. Why didn’t they
help you?”
“If I didn’t check, you would have died!
Where’s your family? The baby’s father?”
“I can call him. You can’t be alone. I’m going
to report those rescue workers. They are
harmful to society.”
く
I nodded, “The father is dead.”
He was full of sympathy, and said that he
would take care of me until I left the hospital.
I rejected him.
I sent him the money for the hospital bill and
surgery fees and then persuaded him to
leave.
But online, the comments were going crazy.
The Fire Captain’s home on fire had so much
attention.
It was trending everywhere.
The neighbor posted a photo of me on the
Everyone attacked the rescue team for not
caring about the pregnant woman.
If so, they should be called the “Fire
Department,” not “Rescue.”
The comments called for the Fire Department
to be closed.
I looked through the comments and thought
that the punishment wasn’t enough for Ryan.
I wanted to send him the divorce papers when
Ashley sent me a message.
She was at the hospital, right below me.
Ryan was feeding her soup, carefully blowing
on it.
く
I had seen the pictures of them before.
I wasn’t sad.
I closed the chat box and called Ryan.
He answered on the fifth ring, annoyed, “Why
are you calling? You want to know if Ashley
died? Sorry to disappoint you! I saved her!
She’s at the hospital!”
“Sarah, after knowing you for so long, I didn’t
know you were like this. What are you doing?
You are a murderer! Are you crazy?”
“I give you an hour to apologize to her! Or
else, divorce!”
Then Ashley started crying, “Ryan, don’t
blame her. It’s my fault. She can say I set the
fire. Don’t argue with her, pregnant women
shouldn’t get too emotional.”
Ryan sighed, “You’re too nice. She’s taking
advantage of you. We met first, so what does
she have? Why is she attacking you?”
“Don’t worry, I will let her know not to mess
with us!”
When he was about to say something, I said,
“Yeah, let’s get divorced. I will send the
papers to you.”
Ryan was shocked, “How come you are the
one to bring up divorce?”
He was silent for a while, then burst out in
anger. I hung up the phone.
く
Before I could block his number, he sent me
messages.
“Where are you? You’re crazy! I didn’t care
because you were pregnant, but you took
advantage of me!”
“You think I won’t divorce you? When you
give birth, you’ll beg me!”
“Take down the news now! Don’t make me
expose you!”
I didn’t read the messages. I deleted
everything and blocked his number.
Even if I already experienced this, it still hurt.
The nurses changing my medicine didn’t
notice, and were talking to each other.
く
“That guy downstairs is so handsome, I’ve
never seen a couple so perfect! They were
childhood friends, I’m so jealous.”
“You’re late, Ryan paid to use the cafeteria
kitchen to make his wife food!”
“I was going to put medicine on Ashley, but
Ryan did it himself. They are so sweet!”
I stared at my arm.
My arms were itchy and painful.
When they left, I took in all the oxygen.
But I couldn’t breathe.
