Chapter 4

Maya looked at me.

She smiled.

Tears struck the floor, hard.

"Do you really have to push me this far?"

"So do you want it?"

The three thousand hung there in midair.

Maya had been proud her whole life.

Begging me was already her breaking point.

She braced herself against the floor.

Both hands over her belly.

She turned pleading eyes to every person in the room.

"Please... someone help me..."

The marketing girl and the models lowered their eyes.

Not one of them said a word.

"Please, I'm begging you!"

Her tears fell, one after another.

This moment.

This was when her proud spine truly snapped.

Maybe I should have taken the money back.

Helped her up.

Carried her downstairs to give birth.

But a real marriage, one built on mutual respect.

Maybe it had to come through some pain first.

She shuffled forward on her knees.

Opened her mouth.

And the three thousand.

She bit it between her teeth.

In that moment.

She was no different from the women in that place.

Her tears fell onto the three thousand.

She lowered her head.

And sobbed, low and broken.

The marketing girl finally turned midwife.

Not long after.

The medical staff from downstairs came up and took her away.

Maya didn't look at me again.

The door of the room shut.

Another marketing girl came over with a drink.

Smiling, she apologized to me.

Lena's hair, the mess Maya had made of it, was neat again.

Her hand stroked lightly up and down over my chest.

"Baby, you weren't too scared, were you?"

I looked down at Lena.

Her eyes were full of concern.

Even with Maya's slap still marked red on her cheek.

At least.

There was still someone in this world who wouldn't blame me.

Maya gave birth.

A baby boy, six pounds three.

I saw him.

I loved him at once.

Maya lay on the delivery bed, her face pale.

The air conditioning in the room was turned up high.

It kept her whole body warm.

The nutrition meal sat quietly at her bedside.

She said nothing.

Just stared quietly out the window.

I lifted our son a little higher.

"Do you want to be discharged now, or stay a while longer?"

Her hand gripped the blanket over her belly.

"I was in labor for a full day. I can't even get out of bed. How am I supposed to leave?"

"Then either I keep paying, and you don't have to worry about anything.

"Or, if you really can't stand it here, I'll arrange your discharge."

Her lips pressed thin.

Her eyes still fixed hard on the window.

As if forcing back tears.

"Which do you choose?"

I asked her.

She pulled the blanket up.

Over her face.

I heard the muffled catch of her crying.

I knew her choice.

For the next half month and more.

I spent my days upstairs.

At night I'd come down to look in on the two of them.

The last day.

Lena leaned in to kiss me.

I pushed her away.

"Baby, you're leaving today. We'll never see each other again after this."

Lena's eyes went red.

I said nothing.

"Just think of it as something to remember me by."

Her scent drifted close to me again.

I pushed her back.

Stood up and straightened my collar.

Tossed her a stack of bills.

"I'll remember you."

That month had been like a dream.

Since Maya and I first started dating.

It was the happiest month I'd had.

Leaving now.

There was a lot in me that didn't want to go.

But I knew.

In the end, I still had to return to my family.

I went downstairs.

Maya had already come down ahead of me.

She held the baby.

Waiting at the curb without a word.

I walked up with the car keys.

"Come on, we're going home."

She didn't move.

"Get in the car."

I held the passenger door open and looked at her.

She bent her face close to our son.

"I'm not waiting for you."

I froze.

A Ferrari pulled up slowly behind my car.

A man I'd never seen before stepped forward and slid his hand around Maya's waist.

They said something to each other.

Maya nodded and followed the man toward the Ferrari, going along easily.

"Maya!"

I went after her. "Who is he?"

Maya turned her head and looked at me. "Whatever that model is to you, that's what he is to me."

"You're insane!"

I couldn't believe my ears.

"You, doing something like this!"

She raised her eyes slowly.

Her hand still patting our son gently.

"Isn't this the line of work you told me to get into?"

I stood there like I'd been nailed to the spot.

"I have to admit, there are plenty of men richer than you.

"Really, so many."