Chapter 2

Dominic saw the shock on my face.

He let out a sigh.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

"You know your own body better than anyone.

"I love you, Margie, but don't I get to leave something behind for myself?"

"But..."

"I know."

He cut me off.

"The fact that you can't have children, that came from what she did to you back then, the bullying.

"But she's already sorry for it."

A tear struck the floor.

"Dominic, even you're going to hurt me..."

The moment the words were out of my mouth,

I regretted them.

Even my own mother had helped them hurt me.

What right did I have to say that to Dominic.

But in the end, a flicker of guilt did cross his face.

"Margie, I..."

"Let's get divorced."

I said it.

His head came up, startled.

"What?"

I wiped the corner of my eye.

"A divorce. I'll walk away with nothing.

"The sooner the better."

"No."

Dominic frowned.

"Why not?"

I gave a bitter smile. "Don't tell me you're saying you still can't let this marriage go?"

"Our marriage is one part of it, yes."

He sighed.

"But there's something more important.

"Sera can't be branded a mistress.

"It's already hard enough on her, raising the child alone.

"If I divorce you now for her, and marry her, the neighbors will read all kinds of things into it."

I stared at him blankly.

"Dominic...

"You'd think this much of her."

He turned his face away.

Silence in place of an answer.

I smiled and held back the tears about to fall.

"It's fine if you don't agree. I'll find a lawyer, and we'll go through the courts."

"Margie..."

He reached for me.

I got to the bedroom door first.

It slammed shut with a bang.

Dominic stood outside the door for a few minutes.

Then came the sound of footsteps walking away.

I slid down the door, inch by inch, my back against it.

That night,

I had the nightmare again.

Seraphina Joyce and her pack of friends, faces twisted,

like demons.

Their laughter was shrill and high.

The louder I cried, the more piercing their laughter grew.

I started sobbing and crying out in bed again,

but no matter what, I couldn't open my eyes.

The doorknob seemed to twist hard, twice.

Then the door burst open.

A pair of arms wrapped tight around me.

At my ear was Dominic's voice, the way he'd soothed me through countless nightmares before.

"It's all right, it's over, it's all over.

"I'm here."

"Margie, it's all over.

"She knows she was wrong too."

My eyes snapped open.

The sheets were soaked with cold sweat.

The clock ticked on.

I turned my head.

The pillow beside me was empty.

The lock, too, was just as I'd left it when I shut the door.

No one had come.

My phone buzzed.

It was my therapist.

【Margie, come in. Your last follow-up results are very off. Has something happened to you lately?】

I washed up quickly.

I'd slept the whole night,

and my body was still worn out.

Walking down the hospital corridor,

a familiar cry made me stop dead.

"Margie!"

Seraphina was looking at me.

"It really is you!"