Family dinner. My widowed sister-in-law — the one who never said a word — suddenly turned to me：“Constance, yesterday was your tenth abortion, right?”
“And the man who slipped into your room last night — that wasn't the same one from a few days ago, was it?”
“You didn't even throw away the condom wrapper this morning. I had to pick it up myself and toss it for you.”
While every relative at the table cursed me out, she brought in her new boyfriend.
And I finally understood what this was all for. Because the man was Mark Henson. My boyfriend of seven years.
My parents were still screaming at me as I fled the table. Mark cornered me in the restroom, smiling：
“Chloe was just messing with you. Don't take it so seriously.”
“Your brother's been dead for years. Your sister-in-law needs someone too.”
“Today was my idea. If everyone thinks you're the one sleeping around, Chloe looks obedient and pitiful next to you — and your family won't have any reason to turn on her.”
I stared at him in disbelief.“Then what were we? All these years, what was I to you?”
He smiled, soft as always, his fingers stroking the back of my head.“We're real, of course we are. I love you, baby.”
“You'll just have to rough it for a while — step aside and be the mistress.
“Honestly, Chloe and I were already sleeping together before you and I even started. And getting back together this time, it actually feels even better than before……”
My blood ran cold. I couldn't listen to another word. I looked down at my phone, at the blind date profile I'd scrolled through a hundred times,
and finally typed back,"Yes. I'll meet him."
——
Mark's tone stayed the same. Gentle. Always gentle.
“Constance, I'll be honest. Chloe and I never really ended.”
“These seven years, the way I treated you — I meant every bit of it. But I can't just abandon her. You understand, right?”
Every muscle in my body locked up, and I couldn't even draw a full breath.
I lifted my head, not quite believing what I was seeing, and looked at this man who had been tender with me for seven years.
“What did you just say? My voice shook no matter how hard I tried to hold it steady, and tears hit the floor before I could stop them.”
“Mark Henson, say that again. Seven years together, and in your eyes it was all just — making me the mistress for you and my widowed sister-in-law? A tool to make her look good?”
He kept smiling, that same soft expression, his fingertips still tracing the back of my head.
“Baby, don't get so worked up. It's only for a little while.”
He leaned closer, his warm breath against my ear.“Besides, what do you have without me? I'm the only person who's ever been good to you. You can't do without me — you know that, right?”
“Think of it as doing me a favor. Once I get tired of Chloe, I'll come back to you. Okay?”
I shoved him away hard, tears blurring everything.“Can't do without you? Mark Henson, you think way too highly of yourself!"
But the words had barely left my mouth before the despair came flooding in.
Because I had to admit he was right.
My mother had never truly trusted me. Not once, not ever.
After she had my brother Adrian, she got pregnant again with me.
The early scans had shown twins. But in the end, only I survived.
So my mother had always believed I was rotten from the start — that I'd devoured the other baby inside her just to stay alive.
She'd despised me from the day I was born.
For all these years, Mark was the only one who'd given me anything resembling warmth — seven years of a gentle illusion that made me think I finally had someone to lean on.
Chloe's voice drifted through the restroom door, sweet and careful,"Connie, are you okay in there? Mark, are you in there too? Your mother's been looking for you both — don't keep everyone waiting."
She didn't bother hiding the triumph in her voice. Not one bit.
Mark's expression reset in an instant, every trace of softness gone,"]Be right there. Chloe, go on back first — let me calm Constance down."
