I spent an entire month in the hospital.
I was trapped for too long–my lungs were damaged from inhalation, and they had to insert tubes to clear them.
Every time they changed the dressings on my burns, it felt like a form of torture.
That single month dragged on like an entire year.
Yet for all that time, neither of them–the father nor the son–came to see me even once.
I tried to convince myself it did not matter.
However, whenever I saw families reunited, I could not help the quiet ache that crept into my chest.
The day I was discharged, sunlight poured over me, and for a moment, I felt dazed.
It reminded me of the first time I met Leo.
The weather was just as beautiful as it was today.
We met on a blind date–introduced through our parents' friends.
He was a firefighter. I was an elementary school teacher.
He was an only child. So was I.
He liked quiet things, liked reading.
I liked staying at home, watching movies, and tending to flowers.
Everything seemed to fall into place, as if it were meant to be.
We never ran out of things to talk about. And just like that, we ended up together.
However, on our wedding day, I saw a message on his phone.
The contact name was 'Maya.'
She wrote: [Congratulations. You finally got what you wanted.]
Leo stared at that message for a long time.
Back then, I did not think much of it.
I assumed she was just a close friend who could not attend the wedding–that was why he seemed so distracted.
It was not until this year, when she returned from overseas, that everything fell apart.
That night, after attending a class reunion, Leo lay in bed, crying out her name.
That was when I realized how naive–how ridiculous–I was.
Like a madwoman, I dug into their past.
Maya was his first love.
Their relationship was intense, unforgettable.
He was the quiet, well-behaved student.
She was a spoiled, headstrong, rich girl.
Academically, she lagged far behind.
Financially, he had to rely on hardship subsidies.
Even their interests could not have been more different.
Yet, despite everyone's opposition, these two opposite people stayed together–from high school all the way through college.
Until Maya went abroad for graduate school and broke up with him.
Two years later, after he started working, he agreed to a family-arranged blind date. That's when he met me.
That message–[you finally got what you wanted]–came from the moment they broke up.
As he watched her leave, Leo said he would not wait for her anymore.
From then on, he would be with someone suitable for marriage.
That person was me.
When I learned all of this, it felt like my heart was being carved apart, piece by piece.
If it were the old me, I might have chosen divorce–unable to accept a love already stained by someone else.
However, when I looked at my son, still in elementary school, I fell silent. And let that layer of dust settle deeper and deeper into my heart.
I got into the car and headed home.
Not the one that was burned down–the other apartment.
When Leo and I got married, his family bought one place, and mine bought another. The one that burned was his.
However, when I slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open, I did not see Leo or Dominic.
Instead, I saw Maya–wearing my pajamas, acting like she owned the place.
"Oh, I thought Leo was back," she pouted, muttering to herself before slipping on my slippers and strolling back into the living room.
That's when I noticed it.
The home I carefully built piece by piece–every detail chosen with care–was now a mess.
Trash was everywhere.
The white carpet I used to keep spotless was stained with greasy red oil from takeout.
I did not ask her why she was here.
The answer was obvious.
Who else but that father-and-son pair who treated Maya like she hung the moon would do something like this?
Just because I did not ask did not mean she was not eager to show off.
Maya lounged on my sofa, munching on chips, crumbs falling into the cushions without a care in the world.
I frowned slightly.
She laughed like it was the funniest thing.
"Does it bother you? Your husband and son love how easygoing I am
"Do you know what they say about you, Shirley Kael? You're barely in your thirties, but you act like someone resurrected from some ancient dynasty.
"With a personality like yours, how could anyone like you?
"And now, it's even worse, isn't it? All that skin of yours–burned, right?"
As she spoke, she reached out and tried to lift my clothes.
I dodged, but not fast enough. She caught a glimpse.
The scar–twisted, ugly–made the pampered young lady stumble back in shock. She lost her footing and fell to the floor.
"Aunt Maya! Dad and I brought Cupcake home!"
Dominic burst in just then, holding a kitten. Seeing her on the ground, he immediately put the cat down and ran over, planting himself in front of her like some kind of little hero.
"You bad woman! You're bullying Aunt Maya again!"
He was covered in cat fur.
The moment he got close, my chest tightened. I could barely breathe. I quickly pulled out a tablet of loratadine from my bag.
Just as I was about to take one, Dominic snatched it out of my hand.
"Apologize to Aunt Maya right now, or I won't give it back!"
I looked at him coldly–this child I carried for seven months before giving birth.
He was premature, just a tiny, fragile bundle at birth. Even as he grew, his health stayed weak, always falling sick.
I had no idea how many times I'd rushed him to the hospital in my arms.
Later, under the doctor's guidance, I strictly controlled his diet and even made him exercise outdoors.
After Maya came back, I don't know what she told him.
He was still in primary school, yet he kept saying I took away his freedom.
At first, I thought it was just childish talk. I even found it a little amusing.
However, after the fire, I realized he truly resented me.
A child like this, I truly regret giving birth to him.
I did not do what he expected–lower myself and apologize to his precious Aunt Maya.
Instead, I took out a new strip of medicine from my bag, shot him a mocking glance, and swallowed a pill.
Dominic froze for a moment–then lunged at me, trying to hit me.
In the past, I might have stood there and let him, just because he was weak, letting him vent his anger.
However, now-
With a simple push, he fell straight to the ground.
"That's all the strength you've got? And you think you can play the hero?"
Hearing the sarcasm in my voice, Dominic did not flare up like before. Instead, he stared at me, stunned, as if he could not process what just happened.
After all, I never even laid a finger on him before. If he so much as bumped into something, I would fuss over him endlessly.
"You pushed me? How could you push me?"
His face was filled with confusion and a hint of hurt.
Maya quickly pulled out a packet of spicy snacks and waved it in front of him.
"Don't waste your energy on someone like her, Dominic. Here–have some spicy strips. Don't be upset."
"Hmph, Aunt Maya treats me the best! I like Aunt Maya the most!"
Dominic snatched the snack from her hand and started eating happily. But his eyes kept drifting toward me, as if he were waiting for my reaction.
He had a weak stomach. I rarely ever let him eat junk like that.
However, I did not care anymore. I only gave him a cold glance before turning and walking away.
As I reached the door, I ran straight into Leo, who just came back from the supermarket, his hands full of snacks, vegetables, and fruit.
He clearly did not expect to see me here–he froze for a moment.
Dominic, as if spotting his lifeline, immediately ran to complain–
"Dad, you're finally back!
"When I opened the door earlier, she pushed Aunt Maya to the ground! She even pushed me just now!
"I don't want her to be my mom anymore. Can you divorce her and let Aunt Maya be my mom instead?"
Maya stood to the side, looking at me with barely concealed triumph.
"Shirley, your temper is getting worse and worse.
"So what if you were injured in that fire? You've already been discharged from the hospital. Maya's family is in trouble, and she's struggling with depression–she's already having a hard enough time on her own. Why are you still making things difficult for her?
"Can't you be a little kinder?"
I did not look at Leo. My gaze fell instead on the bags he was holding.
So many times before, I asked him to go shopping with me–there were things at home that needed buying, and I couldn't carry them all myself.
However, he always had an excuse. Either he was too busy with work, or he did not have the time.
Even on the rare days he had off, he would say he was too tired to go out.
Now it was clear–he was not too busy, and he was not too tired.
He just did not want to go with me.
A faint, mocking smile curled on my lips again, though I didn't know what about it set him off.
Leo's expression darkened immediately.
"Shirley. Apologize to Maya."
He spoke like it was an order–just like he had countless times before.
I could not help but wonder, was I too accommodating all this time?
I rolled my wrist, then swung my arm without hesitation and slapped him across the face.
Leo froze. Dominic froze. Maya froze.
None of them expected me to lay a hand on him.
"Leo, we're getting a divorce. The child is yours–I don't want custody."
I walked out the door without looking back.
However, I still heard their voices behind me–
"Leo, don't be angry. Shirley is just throwing a tantrum."
"Exactly. If she really wanted a divorce, how could she not fight for custody?"
"Sigh, if she really does divorce, that'd be great. Then Aunt Maya could be my mom."
I let out a small laugh.
I hoped he would get exactly what he wished for.
