Twisted Man

The employer was very generous. I was offered handsome pay, and they even contacted a team of pro medics for me. I booked a flight that was set to leave in three days, then I went back and packed up.

The new house barely had anything big, save for the gigantic, very conspicuous 'Just Married' hanging from the wall. Zoe had burned the midnight oil to cut out the exquisite window decorations, while Timothy and I filled the space with other, smaller decorations.

We had built the place decor piece by piece.

Driven by excitement, Timothy even made the bassinet himself. His eyes shone with anticipation for married life. Sadly, all that happiness was gone now.

I pulled the door open.

Timothy was leaning on the wall, smoking. He glanced at my suitcase and blew out a stream of smoke. "How long is it going to be this time? Three days? A week? A month?"

I said nothing. He tried to coax me again. "Stop throwing a tantrum. You know I only care about you." Then, he leaned in for a kiss, prying my lips open with his tongue like a pro. At the same time, he tried to unbutton my shirt.

"I was going to wait until we're married, but I changed my mind." He moved like he'd practiced this a thousand times. Zoe must've taught him how to do this.

A wave of disgust rose from the depths of my belly. This time, I actually bent over to gag.

My reaction infuriated him. "Don't you turn your nose up at me! Men hate it when sex gets interrupted! Zoe would never be a buzzki—"

He froze before he could finish, then he hastily backpedaled, "Melanie, that's not what I meant. Zoe's been sleeping with me. I've never considered making things official between us. She's a pitiful woman. Can't you stand in her shoes?"

I swatted Timothy's hand away. "I don't run a recycling business, Timothy. Go back to Zoe if you want her so much!" I pulled up my suitcase and strode ahead.

My chest was burning with pain, and tears slid down my cheeks. I couldn't bid a calm farewell after all. I spent 10 of the best years of my life on him. I'd fallen in love with him when I was in high school, and I stayed loyal to him in college.

When he first started his business, we only had enough money for cheap bread every day. When success finally came for him, he proposed to me in front of the whole world. Just when I thought my work would finally bear fruit, life decided to teach me a painful lesson.

Timothy didn't come after me, but Zoe herself begged me to stay. "Please, you can't leave him! He can't live without you! If anyone should leave, it's me! If you stay, I promise I'll never show up again! You can be happy!"

I stared into the empty space ahead, my face deadpan. "Get lost!"

Zoe's hands were wrapped around my legs. She refused to let go. All I did was softly pull her hand away. Yet, she crashed to the ground, her forehead knocking against the hard floor. Blood was spilled.

"What will it take for you to stay? My death?" Before I could do anything, Zoe clenched her teeth and charged right into a wall, only to slam into Timothy's chest.

Timothy felt for her.

He wiped her blood off with his perfectly white shirt. When he looked at me, there was only hatred left in his eyes.

"That's going too far, Melanie! She's been keeping her chin up for you, but she had to take sleeping pills just so she could sleep whenever she sees us together!

"She spent nights making window decor, setting up our room, picking your shoes, and testing out your makeup. She did all that while her heart was screaming in protest!"

The twisted couple was huddled together like a grotesque statue. I was shaking with rage, and my emotions spilled over. "Look at you two justifying your betrayal. You're just a slut, Zoe! Don't try to cover it up!

"And you, Timothy! You're not allergic to women! You're just impotent! Only a slut can make you feel like a man! You're made for each other!"

He slapped me again. "I'm not impotent. I just can't get hard for you. I was thinking about Zoe whenever I'm with you. We were fucking like rabbits in the room next door when you were trying out your wedding gown.

"When we went to the movies, she rode me on my seat. When you were picking your ring, we were going at it in the restroom. We shagged for the whole night when we were supposed to set up the room. If your mother hadn't seen us…"

"Shut up, Timothy!" Zoe went white and covered up Timothy's mouth. "Don't listen to him! He's out of his mind! He's trying to rile you up!"

I was petrified, and my mind was filled with white noise. My mother's worsening condition was no accident. That scandal going live was just one of the catalysts.

Once again, I was taken back to the moment Timothy proposed to me. My mother couldn't say anything, but her eyes were full of tears. She hadn't been happy for me, then. No, she was heartbroken because I had no idea the bastard was lying to my face.

Heartless

There was no more pain, not because it had passed. Instead, it was because all I could feel now was numb.

Zoe stepped forth. "Melanie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fallen for Timothy. I shouldn't have sent you that text and ruined your wedding. It's all my fault!"

She went down on her knees and started slapping herself. It didn't take long until her cheeks were swollen like she was a squirrel carrying a big stockpile of food.

A concerned Timothy pulled her up, and an old album slid out of her arms. The cover was our photo from when we were still in high school. I was in the center, a big, stupid grin plastered across my face.

Timothy's arm went around my shoulder and wrapped itself around Zoe. His eyes were filled with the tenderness I'd never seen.

So, they had been going behind my back since then.

"Melanie, for old times' sake, please forgive me! We promised we'd grow old together as besties, remember?" Zoe was sobbing, trying to connect to me with our history.

That history served as nothing but a reminder of my humiliation. I snatched it out of her arms and hurled it in her face. "Fuck off!"

The metallic corner hit Zoe somewhere above her eye. She doubled over in pain and covered her eye, while blood slowly trickled out of the cracks between her fingers. "Ow! Timothy!"

Timothy shoved me aside and held her. I lost my balance and crashed into the ground. The metal shards pierced my palm, and pain swept across my body.

Timothy held Zoe in his arms and roared at me, "I'll make you pay if anything happens to her, you lunatic!"

The pain nearly robbed me of my consciousness. I only had the presence of mind to feel my phone buzz in my pocket. The immigration application I'd put in was approved.

…

I got myself bandaged and came to my mother's ward only to hear the moans of a couple coming from inside.

"Don't do this, Timothy. Melanie's going to be mad if she finds out."

Timothy's voice was ragged and raspy. "Why do you only think about her? What about me? What about my feelings? I've fallen for you, Zoe. You're the one I want to marry. Don't give me to someone else."

Sounds of rustling clothes slithered in the air. Sensual breathing and Zoe's suppressed moans followed. It was grating. It was filthy. How dare the bastards do it right in my mother's ward!

A wave of fury rushed into my mind. As Timothy's growl of ecstasy echoed, I slammed my foot into the door, and it swung open with a crash.

I charged into the adulterous couple and tore them away from each other, all the while grabbing everything around me to use as ammo.

Zoe scrambled to pull some clothes over herself, while Timothy kept her in his embrace.

"I'm sorry, Melanie. I just wanted to apologize to your mother, but one thing led to another…"

An apology wasn't possible.

Zoe knew my mother was conscious, even if her body couldn't move. She knew my mother couldn't suffer any more agitation, and that my mother treated her like she was her own.

Chaos followed soon as a loud blare pierced the air. It was coming from the machine.

Medical staff barged into the room, looking grim. "Septic shock! Emergency procedure immediately!"

I was chased out of the ER. The sign over the door lit up, died, lit up, and died again. A long, arduous wait later, the doctor came out and took his mask off. He shook his head.

"We did our best, Ms. Green. My condolences."

I nearly blacked out, but my uncontrollable rage held me up. I snapped up the scalpel and tried to drive it into the bastards, but a machine tripped me up, causing me to slam into the ground.

As the machine fell, Timothy turned around and kept Zoe well-protected in his arms. The heavy machine slapped down on me and punctured a hole in the back of my head.

Moments before my consciousness faded, I saw Timothy leaving with the scared Zoe, and he didn't even spare me a look. And so, I was left alone in a cold pool of blood.

…

Timothy rested his head on the edge of the bed that night. He had a dream. I was crying on the edge of a cliff, holding my legs. He tried to hug me, but a thick blanket of fog separated us. He tried his best, but he couldn't touch me.

After a while, I wiped my tears dry, gazed at him for a long moment, and jumped.

Timothy jolted awake and charged out of the room before he could change into some clothes. He grabbed a passing doctor and demanded, "Where's Melanie Green?"

The doctor looked at him like he'd never seen someone so breathtakingly stupid. "The girl who got hit by the machine? She just died."