“Two weeks, I think. Gotta go home and see
my parents first.”
In the afternoon, when I was being
discharged, Mark came to pick me up.
He bought a bouquet of roses.
“I’ll take you home.”
Free ride? I wasn’t gonna say no.
I got in the car, and there it was, that pink
Hello Kitty seat.
Mark saw me freeze.
“I’ll get rid of it, okay? Just say the word.”
I stared out the window.
<
“It’s nice. Don’t change it. You’ll have to
explain it to her.”
Mark slammed on the brakes, staring at me.
I ignored him, pulled out my phone, and
booked a ticket to my parents‘ house for the
next morning.
The second we got home, Mark pulled out a
heart–shaped cake.
He made it himself.
It was ugly.
But you could tell he tried.
“Ta–da! You like cake, right? I learned how to
make it just for you!!!
make it, just for you!”
“I know it’s ugly, but it’s good! Best cream
and best fruit, I promise!”
I looked at the cake, stunned.
Last New Year’s Eve, Old Bai organized a
beach BBQ.
I volunteered to buy and marinate the meat.
Everyone loved it.
“Sister–in–law, you’re the best!”
“Totally amazing. Everyone says if you’re
good at work, you can’t cook. But you’re
good at everything!”
<
“Hey, be nice, Jiang’s making us all look bad!”
I laughed and clinked glasses with everyone.
Mark ate one stick, then spat it out.
“Totally nasty. A dog wouldn’t eat this.”
I was mortified. Old Bai tried to comfort me,
and Mark just told everyone to eat the
seafood.
That night, I asked Mark why he did that.
Mark was annoyed.
“You were showing off. Did you ever think
about Rainey?
You knew she can’t cook. You had to brag?
<
Are you competing for men?”
Again, it was about Rainey.
I snapped.
“So because she’s mediocre, I’m supposed to
make myself mediocre, too?”
Mark glanced at me and said, “You’re so
nasty.”
I picked up a fork and scooped up some
cream.
With Mark staring at me, I spat it out,
imitating his words.
“Totally nasty. A dog wouldn’t eat this.”
<
Mark looked shocked, hurt.
I ignored him, took a shower, and went to
bed.
The next morning, Mark went to work, and I
packed my bags, left the divorce papers on
the table, and took a cab to the airport.
Three and a half hours later, I landed.
My phone said I had dozens of missed calls.
Most of them were from Mark.
“Where’d you go?”
“Your company says you didn’t come in
today. Where’d you go?”
I got in a cab, then texted him.
“Divorce papers are on the table. Sign them.”
He called me instantly.
I didn’t answer. I just blocked him.
Two days later, the security guard from my
condo called.
“Ms. Jiang, you were right. A guy named Mark
is making a scene out here. Says he’s your
husband, wants to come in.”
I watered my plants, unconcerned.
“Don’t let him in.”
Mark stayed at the quard station for three
く
Mark stayed at the guard station for three
days, finally passing out from exhaustion.
He got an IV, then went back to his post.
“Jiang, I messed up. Forgive me.”
“I broke up with Rainey. Come back, and we’ll
be happy.”
“Please. Punish me however you want, just
don’t divorce me.”
Mark sent me three voicemails, begging,
desperate.
I didn’t reply.
On the fifth night, it started pouring. The
く
security guard sent me a video.
“Ms. Jiang, another woman came. Looks like
she’s close to him.”
I was lying in bed, drinking ginger tea. I
opened the video.
Rainey walked up to Mark, holding an
umbrella.
Mark shoved her away.
“Get away from me. Jiang will be mad.”
Rainey fell.
She got up, grabbed Mark’s shirt, and yelled.
“Divorce her! She’s not right for you!”
<
“Get out of here!”
Mark’s eyes were red. He shoved her again.
“If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have left
me!”
He was so strong, Rainey scraped her knee
on the ground, drawing blood.
She got up again.
They started fighting.
Mark pinned her down and started punching
her. Rainey was screaming.
The guard finally called the cops.
The next day the quard told me
The next day, the guard told me.
“Ms. Jiang, they were taken to the station last
night. Haven’t seen them since.”
I called my lawyer and asked him to move
forward with the divorce.
I thought it was over.
A week later, right before I was supposed to
leave the country, Liz called.
