Chapter 3

While I was taking my medicine, Marcus slipped out onto the balcony to take a call.

"Can't you give it a little more time?"

"Bella's in a really bad way right now. If I bring up divorce, I'm afraid she won't be able to hold on..."

I couldn't hear what the other side said.

Marcus's voice turned into a sigh.

"Fine. I'll tell her as soon as I can."

I didn't need to guess. On the other end of that line were my mother and Yasmine, pushing him to divorce me fast.

What Marcus didn't know:

Today, besides going to the hospital, I'd also met my best friend at a café.

My wealthy best friend Stella Farley had hired a private detective to follow them overseas.

She'd sent me a video.

In it, my mother was praying to the saints.

"I'm not being heartless as a mother, wanting to wreck Bella's marriage.

"It's just that, compared to Bella, Yasmine needs Marcus so much more, and she's already given birth to his child. They're the ones who should be a family.

"Making Bella let go is really the best choice.

"And with my death standing between them, Bella and Marcus were already at the point of divorce anyway. I only helped things along, to set them free. The saints will forgive me, won't they?"

Watching all this, I said nothing.

So it turned out she did know she was doing wrong.

She just believed the saints would forgive her.

Stella was hopping mad.

"I honestly can't believe it. This is supposed to be your own mother? How is there a mother in this world who's this cruel to her own daughter?

"Even playing favorites has a limit. She wouldn't ruin her own daughter's life like this just for an illegitimate one.

"I'm starting to think you two have some blood feud. You must be some kid she picked up off the street!"

I thought back to how, ever since Yasmine lost the baby and went abroad,

Marcus had been trying to force me into a divorce.

"Instead of torturing each other like this, better to end it cleanly and part on good terms."

But I refused, no matter what.

"This marriage cost my mother her life. What right do you have to force me out?"

My eyes went red. I hated Marcus down to the core.

"If you hadn't gone chasing Yasmine, if it weren't for the mess you made out there,

"none of this would ever have come to this."

So I would drag it out with him. Even if it dragged me to death, I would take him down with me.

That was why I'd thrown out the threat: "If you want a divorce, then we go down together."

I could understand why he'd hesitated so long.

No matter how urgently they pushed him from overseas, he never once said the word divorce.

He was afraid he'd truly corner me, and there'd be another death on his hands.

But lately, the calls from overseas came more and more often.

At first he'd still hide out on the balcony to take them.

Later he stopped bothering, and just took them in the living room.

"Mom, I know, but she can't sleep at night, she can't even walk straight anymore.

"I can't just, not right now..."

"Yasmine's side... tell her to wait a little longer.

"What do you mean I can't bear to? I'm a person. I have a conscience.

"Mom, you used to love Bella so much. How can you now..."

He stopped short and slammed a fist into the wall.

After he hung up, Marcus sat on the couch, weighed down with thoughts, not moving.

In my pajamas, I watched him through the gap in the bedroom door.

He was smoking.

But he'd quit three years ago.

When he saw me, he stubbed the cigarette out fast, panic flooding his eyes.

"Bella, when did you get back?

"Or did you... not go out at all today?"

Marcus had thought I wasn't home. That was why he'd taken the call in the living room so freely.

"Marcus, let's get a divorce."

This time I'd made up my mind.

If not a single person in this world loved me, then all the more reason to love myself.

Dragging it out like this was no way to live.

So let me be the one to say it.

The timing was just right.