5
743words
"You're Ava?Why do you look so old?"She brought several unruly young men from the streets and was eyeing me up and down.There were no surveillance cameras in the alley."You have no right to judge me,"I tried to stay calm,but my legs were still shaking.No one would not be afraid when facing such a situation.The raindrops fell on me,and the already muddy road surface in the alley became even more slippery.
"Do you guys want to teach this old hag a lesson and see how she seduced Ethan?"Lily's best friend sneered and gave the order.
When people were pushed to their limits,they often summon great strength.After coming to the new city,I lacked a sense of security,and I always carried a small knife that wasn't very long in my bag.At this moment,I took it out.
They called me a mad dog.Only I knew what I was defending- my crumbling self - esteem, if I still had any left..
Perhaps it was already gone. Over the years that I loved Ethan,my self-esteem had slowly eroded.But I really had nothing left.
I didn't have a young appearance,and I didn't have a lot of money.If I lost my self-esteem,I would be no different from the living dead.
I promised my parents that I would be a good person.I'm sorry,Mom and Dad.I'm not young anymore,but I'm still in such a state that I can't take care of myself.It rained heavily that day,and I had a high fever.
I had been on an IV drip in the hospital for several days.I was always alone.People of my age around me all had their families or husbands taking care of them.
I was the only one with nothing.But I’d grown accustomed to it.Never underestimate the power of habit.
"Ava,your husband is here to see you,"a friendly little nurse said to tease me when I was about to be discharged from the hospital.
"What husband?"I was full of confusion.She pointed to the man on one side.My blood seemed to rush to my head.It was Ethan.
What was he doing here again?He was carrying a bag of fruits and wearing casual sportswear and jeans.
I used to like it when he dressed like this and thought he looked very young.But he had always pursued a mature look and rarely wore such clothes.
I didn't even bother to lift my eyelids and face the nurse."He's not my boyfriend.Can you ask him to leave?"
The nurse probably thought we were just a quarreling couple,so she took a step back to check on the conditions of other patients.
"Ava,"Ethan called out."Don’t be so annoying.Just leave,"I said and then closed my eyes.If he didn't leave,I would just treat him as air.He was just indulging in self-pity,thinking he had done a lot for me.
"Ava,you never used to treat me like this before,"he said as he peeled an apple beside me.
"You used to be so good to me.You’d stayed up all night knitting scarves for me and run three blocks to get my favorite old-fashioned pastries when I was sick.You took great care of me even when I was ill."
I remained indifferent and closed my eyes to rest.
Seeing that I didn't respond,Ethan's voice gradually lowered."I thought you wouldn't hate me.Ava,just think of me as someone who was young and made mistakes."
Ridiculous.Why didn't I make mistakes when I was young?I still kept my eyes closed and rested.His mood became more and more dejected.
"Ava,just pay attention to me for a moment.You can even scold me."The old Ethan was so proud.How could he say such dejected words?He must have been frustrated with Lily.Then,his tone became cheerful again.
"But it doesn't matter,Ava.I resigned from your job for you.I talked to your..."I suddenly opened my eyes,grabbed the handrail tightly,and said in a hoarse voice,"...What did you say?"
“I know the boss of your company. I've already submitted your resignation letter. From now on, you just have to marry me and stay at home,” Ethan said, his tone instantly turning happy.You finally paid attention to me,Ava."
I wanted to cry,but there were no more tears left.The career that I had finally made some progress in was destroyed by him with his own hands again.
"Why don't you go to Lily?"I asked him. “Please don't torture me. Just go and marry her. Don't come to me. Why did you come to ruin the life I'd finally managed to improve?”
"Ava,"Ethan said slowly."Lily was faking her illness.She doesn't have a terminal illness."
