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443words
“Get in the car.This kitten’s been bullied by strays,covered in wounds.Another cold night,and it’ll die.”
He drove us to a pet hospital,but the staff had left.
Finally,he called an emergency number on the hospital wall,paying a fortune to get a vet to save the kitten,Daisy,on Christmas night.
Watching Daisy, I saw a reflection of my orphanage self. Looking at Nathan holding it tenderly, my heart skipped a beat. I was truly moved.
We finally got together.
“Sis,we grew up in that place.We know human nature.Don’t you think a high-flying CEO chasing you for three years has an ulterior motive?”
Grace looked at me,hesitant.
I grabbed her hand,playfully shaking it.“A CEO obsessing over me for so long is indeed odd. But maybe fate,seeing my tough life,gifted me this miracle?”
She frowned.“Didn’t we say fate’s gifts come with a hidden price?”
I’d always suppressed my emotional needs,but in that moment,I wanted to let go.
“Then I’ll love until I’ve had my fill.”
“Sis,promise me. Always love yourself first. If you sense any warning signs, leave before he stops loving you.Okay?”
I nodded.
Growing up in an orphanage, I’d become adept at reading people. I could spot unkindness in someone’s eyes and duck out of sight to avoid trouble. Stepping back unscathed should’ve been a breeze. Post-marriage,Nathan and I were inseparable,deeply in love.
Love’s warmth seemed to erase my childhood pain, allowing me to embrace and express affection boldly.
He loved buying me clothes,especially denim skirts.
Trying one on, I remarked, “I’m not a high schooler or undergrad.Why so many denim skirts?”
From behind, he wrapped his arms around my waist, unbuttoning the skirt, lightly pinching my side…
Kissing me, he whispered, “You look amazing in them.” I blushed, flattered.
Gradually, I, who used to prefer one-piece dresses, grew fond of denim skirts. His kindness didn’t end there; it surpassed even his courtship days. It made me erase the“not”from“life’s not worth living.”
Life was worth living.
That was my biggest revelation from two blissful years of marriage.
Two years in,I suggested having a child.
Lying in bed, head nestled in his arms,I felt utterly safe.
That security drove me to yearn for new life.
But he kissed me and gently declined.
That was the first time I sensed something was amiss. I should’ve retreated then,when his love hadn’t fully faded.
I,who prided myself on detecting falseness and withdrawing easily, found myself stuck in this sweet marital quagmire. I watched him transition from picking me up every night to suggesting I get a driver’s license and commute myself. I watched him come home later,then not at all.
