Carrie's teasing voice forced me to glance at the pregnancy test. They were all negative.
I smiled bitterly. When I saw my disheveled reflection in the mirror, I was unsure whether I felt relieved or disappointed.
Since the test results proved that it was a joke, everyone looked at me.
Before Mark could say anything, Cassie said, "Alright, everyone… stop looking at Jane like that. She knows she messed up and I don't need her apology. This whole thing is my fault for taking the joke too far.”
She waved to the waiter to clean up the mess in the private room and ordered another case of liquor to keep the games going.
Suddenly, Mark grabbed a bottle and slammed it hard against my arm.
"Just because Carrie doesn't blame you doesn't mean you can act however you please. Consider this as a lesson."
“If you can’t handle it, then go home. Stop embarrassing yourself here!"
I bit my lip hard, watching blood drip from my fingertips as if it were my heart bleeding. It wasn’t that I couldn’t handle it; I just didn’t want to be the fool in love.
Looking briefly at the wine glass before Carrie, I suddenly understood why the pregnancy test hadn't shown two lines.
Mark, if you want to play this way … I won't hold back.
I grabbed my bag and left decisively for the hospital.
The wound needed eight stitches, but I did not even flinch. Because compared to this superficial pain, the ripped-open wound in my heart sent a chill through my entire body.
After getting the wound treated, my screen lit up. It was not from missed calls or messages from Mark. Instead, their little group chat was buzzing with activity as new messages kept popping up constantly.
They were all photos and videos from David and the others, documenting their continued drinking and frolicking.
In the pictures, Cassie held up her bandaged arm, beaming with joy, while Mark smiled as he wiped cream from her cheek.
With my absence, the tenderness in his eyes was clear as the day.
As the group chat continued buzzing with activities, a sixty-second voice message popped up.
"Cassie, you always love to drink, but tonight, you didn't touch a drop … you're not actually pregnant, are you?"
Suddenly, Mark chimed in, "What nonsense! She's been single her whole life—how could she possibly be pregnant?"
The group erupted in laughter as the mood reached a fever pitch.
"Oh my, oh my, oh my! Your tiger wife isn't even here and you're still keeping her secrets? We all know about you and Carrie …"
"But to be fair, it's all David's fault for running his mouth and causing Cassie to get hurt for nothing! Thank goodness the baby in her belly is as resilient as she is!"
Cassie hurriedly defended herself, “I really am not pregnant! Stop talking about it, or Jane will kill me."
"She would not dare!"
Mark's roar reverberated through the phone, making my eardrums ache.
After a moment of silence, someone else stepped in to smooth things over. “Your tiger wife may look fierce, but she's actually dumb as a rock. How dare she try to go toe-to-toe with Mark! Just that one punch from him would probably leave her needing several stitches.”
Just as I finished recording the voice note, the message, which was likely sent by accident, got recalled. No one knew I was in that group. But their cautiousness only makes them look guilty as hell.
The next second, Cassie tagged me in the main group. [Jane, is your wound serious? Did you get it checked at the hospital? I gave Mark a harsh beating for you. He knows his mistakes. He'll go back home tonight to kneel on a wheel of blue cheese to beg for forgiveness. Don't be mad with him, okay? Sticking out tongue emoji]
She attached a photo of the blue cheese that she had just bought. Then she tagged Mark.
[Hurry up and apologize to Jane! Or me and you are done!]
