His First Love Returned. I Walked Away. I’d been with Julian Hayes for five years, married for three. It was only then I realized how utterly ridiculous my love was, compared to Julian’s first love. I was in the hospital, undergoing an abortion procedure, while he was setting off fireworks across Metropolis, celebrating his first love’s return. Holding the consent form, the moment I signed my name, I finally decided to let Julian go. More importantly, to let myself go. The day Brittany Hayes returned. Fireworks lit up the sky over Metropolis all night, and the entire high society was celebrating her. I scrolled through the vibrant posts on Ins, the explosions outside perfectly mirroring my mood. A complicated, unspeakable emotion welled up inside me. “Ms. Green.” The doctor held out a consent form, placing it in front of me. “If you agree, just sign here.” My face was devoid of expression as I took the form from her hand. The doctor offered another reminder. “Ms. Green, your uterine lining is thin. If you terminate this pregnancy, it might be very difficult to conceive in the future…” The doctor looked at the frail girl before her, a pang of sympathy in her chest. She had witnessed firsthand how desperately I’d tried to have a child over the past three years. She saw the light in my eyes dim bit by bit, and her heart ached for me. But she was an outsider. She couldn’t pass judgment. I stared at the abortion consent form, my heart clenching so hard I could barely breathe. Still, I maintained my composure, thanked the doctor after signing, and she left with a sigh, not saying another word. Silence returned to the ward. A quiet world, starkly contrasted by the vibrant celebration outside my window. I opened SnapChat, scrolling to Julian Hayes’s chat, and saw his latest reply: [Brittany’s back. Let’s not keep the baby.] Julian was my husband, and my benefactor. He was the man who’d brought me out of the impoverished countryside, the perfect gentleman I’d loved and been captivated by my entire life. Julian and I had been together for five years, married for three. Three years ago, it was Julian who told me he wanted a child, a child with me. It was Julian who, with a tender look, asked me, “Will you give me a child?” Julian caressed my stomach. “Here, we’ll nurture the precious fruit of our love.” I’d had a few drinks; liquid courage filled me. I stood on my tiptoes, kissed his lips, and looked at him with adoration. “I will.” Like a shy, wild thing, I lightly nipped at his throat. I actively shed my nightgown, and Julian lifted me into his arms, carrying me to bed. We became one. That night. Julian whispered, “Alice, I won’t let you regret this.” He gently kissed my forehead. “I love you.” I was so incredibly happy then, my dream of marrying the man I loved most had come true. I was Mrs. Hayes. Just as my idealized love seemed to materialize, Brittany Hayes returned. Brittany was the Hayes’s foster daughter, Julian’s younger sister. I’d always thought of them as just siblings. I had no idea. Brittany wasn’t just a sister; she was Julian’s true love from his youth. The one etched into his heart, the regret Julian had to abandon due to concern for his reputation and others’ judgment. Brittany crashed my wedding, overturned my wedding cake, and ripped apart Julian’s and my wedding poster. She screamed, attracting everyone’s attention, wild and utterly shameless. I watched, stunned, as Brittany stood on the rooftop, forcing Julian to choose. “Her or me. You can only pick one.” Brittany yelled, disregarding the Hayes family’s reputation. “If you go through with this wedding today, I’ll jump.” Brittany pointed at me, terrified, and shrieked, “You slut! You seduced my brother while I was abroad! You shameless hussy, you don’t deserve to be my sister-in-law!” “You pauper, don’t think I don’t see through you. You’re just a bitch who used this as an opportunity to climb up. I’m telling you, as long as I’m here, you’ll never have a moment of peace. I won’t let you off easy.” Brittany reduced me to nothing. I couldn’t react. I couldn’t understand why Julian’s sister harbored such malice towards me. Then I heard Mr. and Mrs. Hayes scold Brittany for being childish, then they turned to comfort me. “Don’t worry, we’ll handle her.” Just when I thought Julian would surely take my side, I saw Brittany step into thin air, a single tear falling from her eye. “Brother, if you don’t want me, then I might as well have never existed in this world.” As Brittany teetered on the edge, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes panicked, and Julian, ignoring everyone present, pushed me aside and rushed to her. Julian held Brittany tight, as if she were his entire world. He looked at her with a tenderness that spoke of finally reclaiming a lost treasure. He told Brittany. “It’s off.” “The wedding, it’s off.” He spoke as if afraid of hurting her. “Whatever makes you happy. Anything you say.” I watched my beloved husband abandon me for another girl. He held her close, comforting her with words that felt like daggers to my heart. My chest ached with dull pain. I closed Julian’s chat. Then I saw a message Brittany had sent me a short while ago: a flight ticket and a voice message. Brittany’s voice said: “I heard you’re pregnant. My apologies, but I can’t stand any outsiders in the Hayes family, besides me. Not even a baby.”
Brittany was gone for three years. For three whole years. She wasn’t allowed to return to Metropolis, forced by Mr. and Mrs. Hayes to stay abroad. She was blocked from all news regarding me, yet she still managed to find out my situation. Brittany wouldn’t let me live a carefree life. Because, in her eyes. Julian was hers. Listening to that voice message, I still found it laughable. Laughing at my own foolishness, and at my misplaced sincerity. In the midst of the lively night sky outside my window, the phone in my hand suddenly rang. My heart leaped. Seeing the caller ID, my nose stung, and I pressed answer. It was Julian. Julian’s end was noisy; his voice sounded cheerful, happy. He asked me. “Where are you?” “Brittany’s back, why aren’t you here?” “As my wife, aren’t you being a bit neglectful? Are you still holding a grudge about what happened three years ago?” Julian started explaining on Brittany’s behalf. “Brittany’s still a child. She’s spoiled, and she doesn’t know any better. You’ve suffered so much since you were young, don’t you understand how hard-won your current life is?” He was right. In Julian’s eyes. I was sensible and thoughtful, a girl with a wonderful temperament. Because I knew how difficult my journey had been to get to this point. Because I’d seen the hardships of life, seen children in the slums often go hungry. I naturally understood how precious everything I had today was. But Julian. He wouldn’t understand that I never cared about these material things. All I cared about was Julian. I only cared about Julian, who had been the spring in my desolate world, breathing life into a soul that felt barren. I sniffled, trying to sound as calm as possible. But I couldn’t stop a sob from escaping. I quickly covered my mouth, afraid Julian would hear. Just then, a nurse walked into the room. “Ms. Green, you can head to the operating room now.” My eyes welled up with tears, and a torrential downpour raged in my heart. The storm swept away the few remaining specks of warmth I had shared with Julian. Julian’s and my child was about to go to another world. The only remaining link between us would also disappear. I hated to let it go. I wanted so badly to ask Julian why he was so cruel to me. But then I heard Julian’s voice, tinged with concern, ask me. “Are you sick?” Julian walked a few steps to a quieter spot, and finally, the noise subsided. He seemed to have heard something about ‘surgery’ and instinctively pressed. “What kind of sickness? Why didn’t you tell me?” Julian was about to ask further when someone called out to him. “Bro.” Brittany had followed him, her voice full of complaint. “They’re all bullying me. Come on!” “Make them understand I’m not easily messed with. I have backup!” Brittany clung to Julian, refusing to let go. Julian saw her hugging his arm, and couldn’t bring himself to refuse. A thought crossed his mind: *What could be so urgent for Alice?* *I can go see her after this, it’ll be fine.* Julian agreed with Brittany. “Okay, brother will get revenge for you.” Julian spoke into the phone. “If you’re not feeling well, have Mrs. Gable make you some chicken soup and look after you. I’m busy here, so I can’t talk anymore.” Julian hung up. The noise from his end ceased abruptly. A bitter smile played on my lips. Staring at the disconnected call, the words stuck in my throat – *Can I keep this child?* – ultimately remained unsaid. I followed the nurse into the operating room. Looking up at the fluorescent lights, before the doctor administered the anesthesia, I heard her ask, “Should we notify family?” I shook my head. “No need.” I held onto my last breath. “I don’t have any family.”
As I drifted into unconsciousness, I vaguely felt cold instruments enter my body. I tried to struggle, to keep this child, but only tears fell. The child was like an accident. Coming and going in a rush. When I woke up, the ward had suddenly become noisy. I slowly blinked, looking at Mrs. Hayes sitting by my bedside, her eyes red as she asked, “Such a big thing, why didn’t you discuss it with us?” Julian sat beside Mrs. Hayes. His face was unreadable. Mrs. Hayes hit him again, scolding him, “What kind of husband are you? Your wife is in the hospital having an abortion, and you’re out messing around!” Julian remained silent, letting Mrs. Hayes hit him. I tugged at my dry throat, wanting to tell Mrs. Hayes to stop. But I didn’t have to. “Stop it!” Brittany stood in front of Julian. “She chose to have the abortion herself! What does that have to do with Julian? Who knows what shady things she was doing behind his back! If she didn’t have a guilty conscience, why would she secretly get rid of the baby like this?” Brittany’s words were like a dull knife stabbing into my chest. I looked at her in disbelief. She met my gaze, not an ounce of guilt in her eyes, but rather a righteous indignation. “You tell me.” “Did you cheat?” Brittany reached out to grab my hand. “What did my brother ever do to you that you would do such a thing behind his back, and then let him be swallowed by gossip?” Brittany’s grip was strong. With a slight tug. A searing pain shot through the back of my hand, blood splattering from the torn vein. The IV drip still hanging was roughly pulled out, and I winced in pain. “That’s enough.” Julian called out to Brittany. “Stop causing a scene.” Julian’s gaze fell on the back of my hand. He pressed the nurse’s call button. “She hasn’t recovered yet. Let her rest.” Julian sent Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes, and Brittany away. Brittany refused. Brittany was still throwing a tantrum. But Mrs. Hayes pinched her ear, and the ward finally fell silent amidst Brittany’s wails. Julian watched the nurse arrive, saw her stop the bleeding on my hand, and re-insert the needle. Then he heard the nurse say, with a look of disgust, “Honestly, the things people do these days.” Julian understood the nurse’s sarcasm. But his refined upbringing wouldn’t allow him to argue with a young nurse in such a setting. He saw the nurse out. Closed the door. Pulled up a chair and sat in front of me. He looked at my pale, sickly face, an indescribable feeling in his heart, like damp, heavy cotton stuffing his chest. He felt suffocated. “Alice.” Julian’s hand, hanging by his side, clenched. He looked at the person on the hospital bed. “Explain yourself.” Julian held my medical records. He had read many books, seen countless proposals and contracts. He was a man who had faced many situations, but never before had a scene made him feel so choked up, so breathless, simply by sitting there. It felt as if something incredibly important was slipping from his grasp. “If I hadn’t heard ‘operating room’ over the phone, if I hadn’t sent someone to check on you, how much longer would you have kept it from me?” Julian’s voice was tinged with anger. “Today it’s an abortion. What about tomorrow?” Julian, with his natural air of authority, could exert immense pressure when looking at someone without expression. I looked at him. I couldn’t decipher what Julian was thinking. He was the one who didn’t want this child. He was the one who wanted to give up this child. Now, why was he questioning me? Was it to solidify his position in front of his family, to avoid being seen as the villain?
I was physically and mentally exhausted, and I didn’t want to argue with Julian in this atmosphere. I had already lost the urgency to argue for a definitive answer from Julian, the desperate yearning for his complete sincerity. I answered Julian with silence. Julian felt like he was punching a cotton ball. Just as I was about to close my eyes, he grabbed my chin, his voice deepening. “Tomorrow, are you planning to move out? The day after, are you planning to swallow up Hayes Corp too? What are you thinking?” “Can you stop acting like a mute?” Julian’s presence was heavy. The faint scent of alcohol mixed with a woody base note on him was usually pleasant. Normally. Whenever I smelled Julian’s scent, I always slept soundly. But today, I detected another scent on him. It was Brittany’s perfume. A wave of nausea unexpectedly rose in my stomach. The moment Julian leaned closer, I pushed him away with all my might, clutching the edge of the bed as I started to vomit. “Get away!” I vomited until I felt lightheaded, tears streaming down my face. I hated Julian. “Get away!” My emotions suddenly broke. I had constantly told myself to hold back, told myself that even if I was abandoned, even if I became a stranger to Julian, I should do so gracefully. While Julian and Brittany celebrated, with fireworks lighting up the entire city. Recalling their intimacy, and my child, reduced to a bloody mess under the blade. I hated Julian, deeply, deeply. He could choose not to love me. He could be devoted to Brittany. He could marry any woman in this world. But why did he have to trample on my sincerity? I had only one heart in my life, and Julian had taken it, treated it like a toy, and smashed it to the ground again and again. I witnessed, with my own eyes, how my heart was torn to bloody shreds. How could I not hate Julian? “Get out!” I broke down. I shrieked hysterically at Julian, “Get out!” I saw a rare flash of confusion on Julian’s face, a rare moment of helplessness. I grabbed the flowers and nutritional supplements Mrs. Hayes had brought, all on the bedside table, and hurled them at Julian. “Get out!” I threw everything I could, and when Julian still didn’t react, I finally couldn’t bear it, curling into a ball under the blankets, sobbing like a wounded animal abandoned by the world. Besides crying. It felt like I couldn’t do anything. Couldn’t keep anything. I was so miserable, so miserable. Julian watched me cry, watched me, devoid of my usual composure, throw things at him. His expensive suit was crumpled, stained with water. He was confused for a moment. *What was she making such a fuss about?* *She made a mistake, why is she making a fuss?* Julian looked at her, curled into a ball, sobbing uncontrollably. A sharp pang went through his heart. But he still couldn’t understand why someone who had made a mistake would dare to cry in front of him. He had left the party. He had left his friends, and told his family not to disturb her peace. She wasn’t grateful, but was instead throwing a tantrum at him. “Alice Hayes.” Julian, despite being disheveled, still stood tall, his aristocratic aura strong. “Have I given you too much leeway?” Julian walked to the edge of the bed, abruptly pulled back my blanket. He roughly yanked me out from under the covers. “Who do you think you’re throwing a tantrum at?”
Julian pulled me to face him. He saw the brokenness in my eyes. He looked at me. It was as if he saw the light in my eyes dim, and he paused for a moment, his hands still. As if he was afraid to see me like this. He took a step back. Then, he saw my eyes fixed stubbornly on him, and I said with defiance, “Of course I understand that I have no right to be angry with you.” It wasn’t that I didn’t understand. After Brittany crashed the wedding. I knew that I could never compare to Brittany. And I couldn’t rival Brittany’s presence throughout Julian’s entire childhood and youth. I was late, I missed the best years of Julian. But, I always held onto hope. As long as I stayed with Julian a little longer, as long as I treated him a little better. As long as Julian was willing to let me stay, I would eventually help him move past the past and slowly come to my side. I would always have a chance to enter Julian’s heart, to become the person in his heart. I had always held onto a fragile hope for this marriage, because I always felt that Julian truly cared for me. In the three years without Brittany. Julian would hold an umbrella for me in the rain, and would take me to see the ocean and the snowy landscapes. He would drive from the south side of the city to the north side just because I said I liked a certain dessert, waiting in a long line for me. We had lived like an ordinary couple. Not all of our memories were unpleasant. But then. “Mr. Hayes.” My heart was tearing inch by inch, the broken glass on the floor reflecting years of my own pathetic delusion. “Do you remember the house you prepared in advance for the baby?” From the day Julian decided to have a child, he had looked at countless houses in Metropolis, finally choosing a luxury penthouse apartment perfectly suited for a family. The day he took me to see the house, the weather was bright, and sunlight streamed into the living room. Julian hugged me from behind, his head resting on my neck, breathing warmly. “In the future, this apartment will be our child’s welcome gift.” “It’s the first present Daddy will give her.” Julian said. “I hope it’s a girl, like you – quiet and sweet. I’ll spoil her like a princess.” That day. The sunlight cast Julian’s shadow, his silhouette overlapping mine, like an inseparable, perfect match. My heart filled with sweetness, and I began to imagine. What kind of mother I would be. What kind of father Julian would become. I eagerly awaited this child. I awaited. What I believed was the fruit of Julian’s and my love. I couldn’t wait to tell Julian the good news. For the first time, I disregarded etiquette and rushed into Julian’s office. But I didn’t see Julian, only heard his secretary mention that Julian had gone to pick someone up, his sister was back. Brittany Hayes was back. It hit me like a lightning bolt. I sat frozen on the couch, unable to process anything. By the time I came to my senses, I was already dialing Julian’s number. I wanted to tell Julian. They had a child. They had their own baby. But Julian didn’t answer. I called many times, but he still didn’t answer. I couldn’t find Julian, but on Ins, I saw a post from someone else: Julian and Brittany hugging at the airport. Julian’s face was soft with a gentle smile, looking at Brittany with doting affection. 6. Brittany and he looked like a couple. My heart plummeted. I stood up from the sofa, walked to the office door, and heard the secretary whispering. “Mr. Hayes has always liked his foster sister. It’s just that his parents separated them, believing their relationship would be criticized, which is why they sent her away. Otherwise, how would this country bumpkin have had a chance to climb up?” “If you ask me, I’d prefer his sister too. She’s outgoing and generous, nothing like that pauper, who always looks like death warmed over, as if everyone owes her a million dollars. Ugh!” Julian and I were mismatched. I had always known it. The first time I went with Julian to meet his friends, I was mocked as an uncultured pauper. Some even joked about Julian’s bad taste, saying he ignored the jewel at home to rummage for trash. I had my pride; how could I not care? I looked at Julian, hoping he’d say something for me. Julian just smiled, squeezed my hand, and told me, “Don’t mind them. These people are used to being wild, their words aren’t pleasant, but there’s no malice.” He always knew they were scrutinizing me with malice. He also knew I was constantly the butt of jokes in their circle. But even knowing this. Julian never thought to defend me. It wasn’t that Julian didn’t understand, it was simply that Julian didn’t think it was worth arguing with his friends over. So much so. I thought Julian was just like that. Polite in any situation, for any reason, with anyone. He didn’t like to make things awkward, so I comforted myself, *Julian is just naturally like this.* But then I saw Brittany cause trouble, hitting his good friend’s sister. His good friend, enraged, demanded an explanation, yet Julian, unreasonably, tore into his friend, shielding Brittany in his arms. It was then I realized. Julian wasn’t ignorant, wasn’t incapable, wasn’t against it. It was just that I wasn’t worthy. I wasn’t Brittany, I wasn’t Julian’s exception or special treatment. I didn’t have that privilege, so I naturally didn’t receive Julian’s doting affection. I looked at Julian, his expression flickering with a hint of guilt when I mentioned the baby. But he quickly composed himself and asked her, “What do you want to say?” I didn’t want to say anything, nor did I want to argue anymore. My voice was very soft, my expression very calm. “Could you come with me to see the house again?” My eyes were still red-rimmed, my throat felt ripped, hoarse beyond recognition. “I prepared a gift for the baby there. I want to see it, if that’s okay?” Julian was about to agree. His phone, resting nearby, rang. It was Brittany. Brittany had recorded a voice reminder on his phone herself. So, when the phone rang, Julian instinctively reached to hang up, but I interrupted him. “Aren’t you going to answer?” My expression was calm, tear streaks still on my face, making me look fragile and pitiful. Julian felt a flicker of guilt. “It’s nothing major.” “Brittany was just worried about you,” Julian always instinctively defended Brittany when she was mentioned. “She’s a bit wild, but she truly has no ill intentions.” “Don’t mind her.” Julian looked at me. “Her words today were only because she didn’t want me to be blamed by the family, and besides, you were the one who made the mistake in this matter.” Julian’s protectiveness was obvious. How could I not understand? I silently looked at Julian, making him more and more uneasy. When Brittany’s call rang again, he picked up his phone, not daring to look at me. 7 “I’ll take this. Maybe it’s something from home.” He didn’t wait for my response, grabbing his phone and stepping out of the ward. It was late at night. The corridor was quiet. The ward door was left ajar, a tiny crack letting the white light from the corridor reflect into the room. Like a long string, it carried Julian’s voice from the other end. Julian’s tone was reassuring, entirely different from how he spoke to me. His voice was so gentle it could melt butter, and every now and then, soft laughter escaped him. His laughter echoed in my ears, like countless tiny needles piercing my heart, making it ache so much I could barely breathe. Not long after. I saw Julian hang up the phone, but he lingered outside, reluctant to come in. My heart already understood. When Julian finally came in after a few minutes, I, being the understanding one, spoke up for him. “Go.” Julian lowered his head in shame, wanting to explain, but feeling that any words would be futile. He simply picked up his now-damp jacket and told me, “I’ll be back soon.” Julian walked to the door, then paused. “When you’re discharged,” He spoke as if out of guilt, seeking to compensate. “I’ll go with you.” Julian left. The ward fell silent again. The previous liveliness vanished. I looked at the mess on the floor, propped myself up from the bed. I picked up my phone and dialed the number of Zara, the sister who had left our village with me years ago. The call connected quickly. Zara’s gentle voice came through. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” The moment I heard Zara’s voice. All the unresolved, painful emotions hidden deep in my heart came flooding in, overwhelming me. They turned into a torrent of tears that streamed down my face. I tried hard to stifle my sobs, but I couldn’t hold back, bursting into desperate tears. “Sis…” I choked for a long time, calling her, “Sister, I don’t want to stay in this city anymore.” “Can… can you take me away?” Before. Zara had come looking for me. Zara’s mother was bought by Zara’s father for $4,000, and that’s how Zara came into the world. Zara’s mother hated her. But she also constantly instilled in her the idea that men were untrustworthy. This led Zara to develop the notion from a young age that she had to escape the countryside. And the year she escaped. I helped her. After I received a scholarship and left the countryside, I studied desperately, participated in competitions. I worked part-time whenever I could, and later saved a sum of money. The day I took Zara away, I gave her all my savings, telling her to live a good life. At that time, Zara said. “If one day, you need me, I will give you everything.” Zara never approved of the unequal love between Julian and me. So, she had tried to persuade me. But I was deeply in love, I couldn’t hear or see anyone else but Julian. It was my own fault. I cried, asking Zara, “Can I still go with you?” Zara agreed without hesitation. “I’ll come pick you up right away.” When she learned I had an abortion and Julian was still with Brittany, she was furious. “He’s an animal!” Still, she respected my wishes. After I said I wanted to say a proper goodbye to Julian, Zara agreed. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll take you.” Since Brittany returned. Whenever I opened Ins, I always saw Julian and Brittany attending various events together. Julian broke his promise. Even on the day I was discharged, he didn’t spare a single moment to visit me. Even though I knew Julian wouldn’t come. Every time a doctor or nurse opened that door, I would instinctively look outside. Instinctively hope, then retract my gaze, suppressing the disappointment in my heart, pretending nothing had happened. 8 The day I left the hospital. The Hayes household was bustling. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes were there. Brittany sat at the dining table. Seeing me, she said impatiently. “Finally, she’s back.” Brittany’s tone was accusatory. “It just goes to show, country people have no manners. She knows we’re having a family dinner today, but she drags her feet, making everyone wait for her.” Mrs. Hayes raised a hand and slapped Brittany. “If you can’t say anything nice, shut up. Do you want to go abroad for another few years of ‘further education’?” Brittany felt wronged by the slap. “Mom!” Then, seeing Mrs. Hayes unresponsive, she went to tug on Julian, who had just stepped out of the elevator. “Bro, Mom always hits me when I talk. Aren’t you going to do something?” Julian gently patted Brittany’s hand, asking what happened. Then he looked up and saw me, standing by the door with my luggage. Julian’s expression froze, and his hands stilled. His eyes flickered. He finally remembered that today was my discharge day. Mrs. Hayes had even reminded him that morning to pick me up. But, because Brittany said her stomach hurt that morning, he panicked and called the family doctor to examine her. The doctor checked her thoroughly. But couldn’t find any reason. Later, Brittany hugged his arm and pouted, saying, “I probably just didn’t eat. I’m hungry.” Brittany swayed his arm. “Brother, you’re not mad at me, are you?” Julian was a little annoyed. But seeing Brittany was fine, he ultimately sighed in relief. More than being angry, Julian cared more about Brittany’s health. So, with that delay, it was already noon, and I had returned by myself. Julian’s heart skipped a beat. He was actually afraid that I would see him being too close with Brittany. He immediately withdrew his hand from Brittany’s shoulder and walked to me. “I was just about to pick you up.” Julian explained. “Why didn’t you wait for me?” Mrs. Hayes saw the scene and chimed in. “Julian had the housekeeper buy all your favorite dishes this morning. You must be tired from your hospital stay, come sit down. Let’s have a nice family meal.” I looked at the interaction between Julian and Brittany, my disappointment deepening. I couldn’t believe Julian didn’t notice Brittany’s constant hostility towards me, nor did I believe he was unaware of her cold sarcasm. He wasn’t unaware. He simply didn’t want to see it, nor did he want to displease Brittany for my sake. In Julian’s heart, the one he truly loved and cared about most was only Brittany. A bitter smile touched my lips, and I didn’t respond to Julian. I didn’t wait for him not because the doctors were about to leave, and I’d have to wait until the afternoon. Instead, I turned to Mrs. Hayes and said, “Okay, thank you, Mom.” I followed Mrs. Hayes to the dining table. Julian’s expression stiffened slightly. He couldn’t describe the feeling in his heart, so he just followed. Brittany, however, rolled her eyes at me. “So dramatic.” I sat at the dining table, looking at the array of dishes, all of which had cilantro, which I detested. My forks were in my hand, but I didn’t know where to start eating. Julian had already picked up a shrimp and placed it in my bowl. “Eat more. I remember you love shrimp.” Julian’s polite and attentive gesture made everyone at the table pause their movements. Mrs. Hayes looked at Julian with an unreadable expression. Even Mr. Hayes’s face showed displeasure. Only Julian was oblivious. “Why aren’t you eating?” “No appetite?” Julian maintained his remaining gentlemanly demeanor, smiling at me. I stirred the white rice in my bowl, then placed the shrimp on the side plate, my voice very faint. “Mr. Hayes, I’m allergic to shrimp.” “…….” Julian was momentarily at a loss. Brittany was quicker, snatching the shrimp from the side plate. “You’re so fussy. I love shrimp. I’ve loved it since I was little.” 9 “And I’ve never seen anyone get an allergy. A country bumpkin, so many demands, she really thinks she’s a socialite.” Brittany chewed on the peeled shrimp. Her mockery of me was undisguised. I was used to her targeting me like this. I watched Brittany eat her shrimp, the bitterness in my mouth intensifying. I suddenly didn’t want to tolerate it anymore. “Brittany Hayes.” I put down my forks. “Whether I’m a country woman or not, it’s not for you to judge.” “In this family, you should at least call me sister-in-law. You don’t even know basic etiquette,” My voice was very calm. “Do you want people to say that the Hayes family has a bad reputation, or poor upbringing?” Brittany couldn’t stand it when people called me her sister-in-law. In her eyes, Julian belonged only to her. Never to anyone else. As soon as she heard those words, she couldn’t help but explode. She picked up her forks and hurled them at me across the table. “You country bumpkin, what right do you have to make me call you sister-in-law?” “What right do you have to be my brother’s wife, to be my sister-in-law? What do you think you are?” Brittany grabbed the tablecloth, flipping the entire table over. “You’re just a cheap woman, climbing into my brother’s bed with dirty tricks! Do you really think my brother cares about you, or that my parents genuinely consider you their daughter-in-law?” Seeing Brittany about to go even crazier. Mrs. Hayes sharply reprimanded her. “Shut up!” Brittany still wouldn’t stop. “My parents only used you to silence outside rumors! My brother just used you to vent his loneliness and boredom because I wasn’t here! In the end, you’re nothing but a tool!” Brittany’s voice was sharp. It echoed throughout the Hayes’s living room. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes’s faces were ashen with rage, and Julian’s face turned pale. Only I remained, sitting in my seat, stained with the soup that had splattered when Brittany threw the forks. The soup dripped down my forehead, mixing with my fringe. I looked up at Brittany, calmly picking up my water glass that had rolled a few times on the floor. Then I opened the cap and splashed it at Brittany. But. The scalding tea didn’t land on Brittany. The moment Julian noticed my movement, he instinctively moved to protect Brittany. Julian held Brittany tightly, the hot water scalding his back. He hissed in pain, then turned, furious, to scold me. “Are you crazy?!” Julian stood in front of Brittany. “She’s still just a child, she doesn’t know any better. Don’t you know any better?!” Julian listed my faults. “Are you going to argue so much with a child? Are you even fit to be her sister-in-law?! Have you forgotten basic etiquette and manners?!” I looked at Julian, then at Brittany, who was hiding behind him, smirking triumphantly at me. Suddenly, I felt so tired. It wasn’t that I hadn’t fought for it. Before, when I learned about Julian and Brittany’s past relationship, I had also fought. I told Julian. From now on, I would be with him, I would be his ultimate support. I wouldn’t let Julian be caught in a dilemma again. Whenever Julian needed me, I would bravely fight for him. At that time, Julian looked at me, and his eyes, too, held a light. Julian’s eyes, too, were filled with starlight. He smiled, pinching my cheek. “What foolish talk. Do I really need you to protect me? Since you’re with me, you’re my person. No one out there can bully you. From now on, I’ll always stand by you.” 10 In the beginning. Julian used to protect me. In college, some people mocked her for being a country bumpkin, an uncultured pauper. They told me to go back to the countryside and never come out. At that time, I was ridiculed, isolated, and mocked. It was Julian who stood in front of me, just as he stood in front of Brittany today, shielding me behind him, telling those people, “When you belittle others, you’re already the ones without class.” Julian appeared before me like a guardian. I looked at Julian, and for the first time, felt a ripple in my calm heart. For the first time, just looking at someone, made my heart flutter. Julian told those people. “She is part of the Hayes family, she is my person. When you try to bully her, consider if you can afford to offend the Hayes family in Metropolis.” The Hayes family of Metropolis. Renowned. Who wouldn’t know the Hayes family? Those people quickly apologized and fled. I stood there, at a loss, until Julian gripped my shoulders, making me look up. He told me not to be afraid, to bravely accept everything. It was Julian who whispered in my ear. “As long as I’m here, you don’t have to be afraid.” As long as he was there. I wouldn’t have to fear anything. I looked at Julian, who was tightly shielding Brittany. I wondered if he could still remember how he once protected me in his arms, treating me like a treasure no one could bully. My chest ached. I still felt sad because of Julian. I was still that unaccomplished girl. Still the girl from the village, who revolved entirely around Julian. I looked at Julian. Amidst his anger, I asked him, “Then what should I do?” I stood up. The spot where I was hit was red. It made me look especially disheveled, causing Julian to falter for a moment. How could he have forgotten that I had just been discharged? How could he scold me like this? Guilt flooded his heart. Meeting my gaze, he instinctively averted his eyes. “Forget it.” Julian couldn’t look at her. “Don’t let it happen again.” He was afraid to look at me, afraid to face me. He suddenly acted like a fugitive, dropping a quick, “You women’s drama is such a pain.” Then. Julian walked away without looking back. Brittany, seeing Julian didn’t help her continue to scold me, stomped her foot in frustration. She glared fiercely at me: “Don’t get too smug. My brother will always be mine, and you’ll never take him!” “Bro.” Brittany kicked a chair, expressing her anger, and chased after Julian. In the dining room. Only I, Mr. Hayes, and Mrs. Hayes remained. Mr. Hayes was a man of few words, but Mrs. Hayes comforted me. “Brittany didn’t do well, it’s our fault for not raising her properly. I’ll talk to Julian too. Don’t take it too much to heart.” Seeing no reaction from me. Mrs. Hayes took out a card. “You’ve been wronged. Take this and buy yourself something nice.” Mrs. Hayes was generous. Every time Brittany hit me or did something outrageous, Mrs. Hayes would give me a card. Over the years, the cards I stored in my cabinet could almost make a stacking game. I looked at Mrs. Hayes’s beautiful hands, her jeweled nails sparkling. Those were hands I had never seen in the slums. Beautiful, delicate, so captivating I couldn’t look away. Completely different from the women in the slums, the women she had seen since childhood were rough, tanned, not allowed to eat at the table. How could they be like Mrs. Hayes, radiant and elegant, like a queen out of a fairy tale? But a queen, after all, was not my mother. I took the card and thanked Mrs. Hayes. I assured her I wouldn’t take these things to heart. I saw relief and a sigh of contentment in Mrs. Hayes’s eyes, but no pity.
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