Austin was supposed to be the perfect, doting husband. We had been married for seven years. To give him a child, I endured over a hundred hormone injections and went through hell. Today was our final embryo transfer. Before I went into the operating room, he kissed my forehead and promised he wouldn’t leave my side. But when I was wheeled out, fighting through the pain, the hallway was completely empty. The nurse looked at me with pity. She said my husband had taken a phone call and rushed off in a hurry. I lay on that freezing hospital bed for six long hours. As the anesthesia wore off, the pain made me break out in a cold sweat. He didn’t reply to a single Snapchat message. At dusk, dragging my weak, aching body down to the parking garage, I finally found him. He was in his car. He was holding Ashley, his childhood friend who suffered from depression, comforting her in his arms. Ashley leaned against his chest and looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “Clara, I’m so sorry. My divorce was finalized today, and Austin was just worried I’d do something reckless.” Austin’s face turned grim. He shot me a glare full of blame. “You just had surgery. Why are you running around? Ashley is highly unstable right now. Can’t you be more understanding for once?” I stared at the bracelet on his wrist. “Do you even remember what I just went through in that operating room today?” He froze. But Ashley gripped his hem even tighter, sobbing, “Clara, you can always try for another baby. But if Austin hadn’t been here today, I would’ve lost my life.” Austin didn’t hesitate for a second. Right in front of me, he yanked the pendant from my necklace and placed it around Ashley’s neck. It turned out his devotion was never meant for me alone.
Austin started the car without saying a word. The suffocating silence in the car was quickly filled with the sickly sweet scent of Ashley’s perfume. I leaned against the window, unable to utter a single word. When we got home, the motion-sensor light in the hallway flickered on. On the dining table sat the cold coffee I had made for him before leaving this morning. Next to it was a handwritten note outlining my post-surgery care instructions. “Go get some rest,” Austin said as he took off his coat. His voice was completely devoid of emotion. “How is Ashley?” I asked, gripping the wall for support. My voice was dry and raspy. He immediately defended her. “She just got divorced. She’s extremely unstable and almost did something crazy. I couldn’t just abandon a sick woman.” He said it so righteously. Then, he walked into the kitchen and noticed the urgent legal documents from my father’s company on the table. My father’s business was on the brink of bankruptcy, and as our retained attorney, Austin was supposed to review these. I had placed them in the most obvious spot to remind him to read them tonight. He picked up the files, flipped through a few pages, and frowned. “This is a mess. Tell your dad’s assistant to reorganize it and send it to me tomorrow.” “If you had spared just thirty minutes last night, you would have finished reading it,” I said, staring at him. “Instead, you spent hours editing Ashley’s divorce settlement line by line.” Austin paused, his face darkening. “That was just a quick favor.” He sighed impatiently. “Ashley is a woman who doesn’t understand legal terms. Clara, do you have to make everything so complicated?” “Complicated?” I almost laughed out loud. “I just got off the operating table. I sent you over twenty Snapchat messages, and you didn’t reply to one. Why couldn’t you do me a ‘quick favor’ and text me back?” Silenced by my question, he resorted to the same excuse he had used for the last seven years. “Ashley’s parents passed away early. Before her father died, he trusted me to look after her. I promised them I would.” “So, your promise to them means you can delay my father’s bankruptcy case, even when his entire life’s work is on the line?” My knuckles turned white as I gripped the table. A look of exhaustion crossed Austin’s eyes. “I told you, this lawsuit isn’t that easy to lose.” “Then tell me, what is?” He slammed the documents onto the table. The sound was deafening. “Ashley’s case is about helping a depressed woman escape her trauma and start over! Your father’s company is just a commercial dispute!” Suddenly, a violent spasm ripped through my lower abdomen. Cold sweat instantly drenched my back. I doubled over in pain, clutching the edge of the table. A flash of instinctual panic crossed Austin’s eyes. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something. But right then, his phone rang with that specific, custom ringtone reserved only for Ashley. He answered it instantly. “Hey, Ashley? Don’t be scared, I’m still here…” The harsh voice he had just used to yell at me instantly softened into a tenderness I had never heard before. Without giving me another glance, he walked straight into the study, gently whispering comforts to Ashley on the phone. “Hey, I’ll stay on the line with you. I’ll talk to you until you fall asleep…” Thud. The study door closed, shutting me out of his world entirely. Listening to the muffled, tender whispers from behind the door, the physical pain inside me suddenly felt numb. Slowly, I stood up and swept all the dishes I had painstakingly prepared straight into the trash.
The next day, I carried the heavy stack of evidence files to Austin’s law firm. The receptionist looked at me with an awkward, apologetic expression. “Mrs. Vance, I’m so sorry. Mr. Vance took an emergency leave of absence today.” “Where did he go?” “He… he took Ms. Miller to her therapy session.” My heart sank to the very bottom. Standing in the lobby, I felt like the biggest joke in the world. Not far away in the breakroom, two young associates were gossiping, their voices carrying over clearly. “Mr. Vance really goes above and beyond for his childhood friend, Ashley.” “Tell me about it. I heard he even canceled his settlement meeting with the opposing counsel this afternoon just to be with her.” I clutched the folder tighter, my nails digging into the cardboard. “Mrs. Vance, why don’t you wait for him in the VIP conference room?” the receptionist suggested, breaking the awkward silence. I nodded numbly. While waiting, my father called. His voice was laced with anxiety. “Clara, how is it going? Has Austin reviewed the final files?” “Dad, I’m still waiting.” The line went quiet for a moment. Then, my father tried to comfort me instead. “Don’t rush him. Austin carries a lot of pressure, too. Let him take his time.” My throat tightened. “How… how are you feeling after yesterday’s surgery?” my father asked softly. My fingers trembled. I lied. “I’m doing great, Dad. Don’t worry.” Hanging up, I felt a heavy weight pressing down on my chest. At four in the afternoon, Austin finally returned, accompanied by Ashley, whose eyes were red and puffy. When Ashley saw me, she flinched and looked down, playing the fragile victim. “Clara, I’m so sorry. I took up Austin’s time again.” I didn’t even look at her. I pushed the evidence files in front of Austin. “The submission deadline is in exactly one hour.” A flash of guilt appeared on Austin’s face. He explained, “Ashley saw her therapist today, and she had a bit of a breakdown.” Ashley immediately grabbed his sleeve, her voice dripping with artificial innocence. “It’s all my fault… Seeing all those legal files just reminds me of how my ex-husband manipulated me. It terrifies me…” Austin gently patted the back of her hand. “It’s okay. It’s all in the past.” Looking at those hands, hands that were supposed to defend justice in court, now being used to soothe another woman’s self-inflicted drama, I felt a wave of pure disgust. “Austin, review the files,” I urged. He picked up his pen. But before he could start, Ashley suddenly clutched her head and let out a painful groan. “Oh… I feel so dizzy…” Her face went pale, looking like a physical manifestation of a panic attack. Austin stopped instantly, turning to support her. “Ashley, what’s wrong?” Right then, my phone rang. It was my father calling again, anxious for an update. But Ashley chose that exact moment to sob softly, “Clara, I’m sorry… Whenever I see you, I’m reminded of my own failed marriage. It hurts so much… That’s why my symptoms are getting worse…” Austin slammed the files shut, abandoning the review entirely. “Clara, double-check them yourself. I have to take Ashley home to rest.” I stared at him in utter disbelief. “You promised me you would personally review every single document!” His expression hardened instantly, looking at me with deep disappointment and accusation. “You are one of the top conference interpreters in the country, Clara. Are you telling me you can’t even handle a simple document review?” With that, he supported the trembling Ashley and walked out. As Ashley passed by me, she paused. In a voice only I could hear, she whispered playfully: “You’re so lucky, Clara. You still have a dad to save.” “But me? I have absolutely nothing left.” I stood frozen, feeling all the strength drain from my body. I picked up the pen and signed my name heavily on the document submission sheet.
The night before the final trial, I received a call from Austin’s assistant, Zach. He told me that Austin had suddenly withdrawn our key anonymous witness from the court petition. I couldn’t believe my ears. To protect Ashley’s reputation, he was willing to sacrifice my father’s entire case! Clutching the witness files, I drove to Austin’s office like a madwoman. I threw the door open. Ashley was sitting peacefully on the couch. Under the desk lamp, Austin was leaning over, patiently explaining how the opposing counsel might attack her in court. The scene was so warm, yet so blindingly painful. “Austin!” I slammed the files onto his desk. “Why did you withdraw our witness?” He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and spoke nonchalantly. “That witness is too risky. His testimony could expose some of Ashley’s past financial disputes, which would hurt her case.” He sounded so incredibly justified. “But that witness is my dad’s only hope of winning!” I screamed. Austin looked at me with the smug confidence of a senior partner. “Clara, you need to trust my professional expertise. Even without one risky witness, I have other ways to win this case.” Ashley stood up from the couch, her eyes red, putting on her usual helpless act. “Clara, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt your father’s case…” She paused, then added, “But you have the money to hire a top lawyer like Austin. Me? I only have Austin.” I stared at her coldly. “Ashley, look me in the eye and tell me: who is hurting whom here?” Ashley froze. Austin immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her. He glared at me. “Clara, stop being so vicious!” “Ashley has severe depression. Any negative press could push her over the edge. Protecting her is a matter of basic humanity!” He used his grand moral high ground to justify his bias. “As a lawyer, I have to calculate all risks.” “Really?” I took a deep breath, forcing him to meet my gaze. “So my father’s risk of losing his company and reputation is less important than Ashley’s risk of facing public scrutiny?” Once again, faced with a choice between me and Ashley, he chose to protect her without a single doubt. Ashley stepped out from behind him, holding out a blessed guardian angel charm to me as a fake peace offering. “Clara, please don’t pressure Austin so much. He’s already exhausted. Take this, it will bring your father good luck.” I slapped the charm out of her hand. “Get lost!” Austin’s face turned ice-cold. “Ashley already apologized to you! What more do you want?” He announced authoritatively, “The witness decision is final! I am the lawyer here. Stop trying to micro-manage my case!” Looking at him, I suddenly lost all desire to fight. I simply nodded, turned around, and walked out. Behind me, I could hear Ashley’s soft, victimized whimpering, and Austin’s voice instantly switching back to that tender, comforting tone. I leaned against the wall at the end of the corridor. My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was my father. I answered it, blinking back my tears, trying to sound cheerful as I told him everything was going perfectly. At the other end of the hall, the elevator doors opened. I saw Austin personally escorting Ashley out. Through the car window, I saw the pendant around Ashley’s neck, the one that belonged to me, gleaming sharply under the garage lights.
The day of the final verdict. Before court convened, Austin gently reassured my nervous father. “Relax, Harold. I’ve got this.” He turned to me, placing his hand on my shoulder for a brief second. “Go sit in the gallery. Don’t be afraid.” That fleeting moment of tenderness made a tiny crack in my frozen heart. Maybe he really could win. Maybe there was still hope. But just as the bailiff announced for everyone to rise, Austin’s phone buzzed violently three times. He answered it, and his expression crumbled. It was Ashley. She said she was standing on the downtown bridge, ready to jump. Austin turned and made a dash for the exit. Instinctively, I grabbed his briefcase, holding on for dear life. “Austin! The court is about to start! This is the final trial!” My voice was shaking. “Ashley is on a bridge, Clara! A life is at stake!” He violently threw off my hand and barked at Zach. “Hold the fort! I’ll get her down and be back in thirty minutes max!” At the defense table, my frail father spoke up, his voice trembling. “Austin… go. Save her first. Don’t let anything happen to her.” Austin seized the excuse immediately, commanding me, “Did you hear that, Clara? Think of the bigger picture!” The bigger picture. I watched his retreating back, finding even disappointment to be a luxury. An hour and a half passed. Austin did not return. Without a lead attorney, our defense crumbled under the opposing counsel’s relentless attacks. My father’s face grew paler by the minute. Unable to sit still, I ran out of the courtroom and dialed Austin’s number repeatedly. First call, no answer. Second call, he finally picked up. Through the receiver, I could hear the howling wind and Ashley’s post-rescue whimpering. “Austin, I was so scared…” I pressed my back hard against the freezing wall, using every ounce of strength to keep my hands steady. “Austin, get back here right now! We have a crucial piece of supplemental evidence that only you can submit!” But on the other end, he was still whispering comforts to Ashley. “Ashley is too unstable right now. I can’t leave her.” He even turned it around on me. “If you had extra evidence, why didn’t you give it to me earlier?” At that moment, I laughed. I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face. He had never once realized that every minute I spent waiting here felt like sitting on a bed of nails. I silently hung up the phone. At five in the afternoon, the final verdict was delivered. My father lost. The company was ordered into immediate bankruptcy, and he was personally saddled with millions in debt. As the judge slammed the gavel, my father looked at me, his lips trembling. Before he could speak a word, he collapsed straight backward. “Dad!” He suffered an acute stroke right there. It was seven in the evening when Austin finally showed up at the hospital with Ashley. When he learned my father was in the ICU fighting for his life, his usually composed face finally lost all color. “Clara, I…” Without a word, I pulled the pre-signed divorce papers from my bag and slapped them hard against his chest. “We are done, Austin.” “As soon as my dad wakes up, I will sue you for malpractice and everything else you’ve done.” Ashley stood nearby, still trying to play the innocent party. “Clara, don’t blame Austin, it’s all my fault…” I didn’t even want to look at them. I turned toward the closed ICU doors. Just as Austin reached out to stop me, his phone rang on speaker. It was Zach. Zach’s voice came through, filled with shock and anger. “Mr. Vance, we have a major problem! I just heard that the opposing counsel got drunk at their victory dinner… They let it slip.” “They said they only won because Ashley Miller leaked our key defense strategy to them.”
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