After I got pregnant, Oscar began to show his disdain for my body. The man constantly commented on how much weight I had gained. It really destroyed my confidence.
One day, he even took Madeline, our female neighbor, to his class reunion instead of me. He posted a picture with her on his social media, captioned [A beautiful female neighbor who truly understands my soul.]
After ten years of dating, I couldn't believe how little he cared about me or the life we had built together. It was painfully clear that the only thing I couldn’t let go of was the love and time I had invested in him.
It took Oscar over two weeks to realize I had been gone. On the day I was discharged from the hospital, he finally called me. His tone was annoyingly cheerful, as if everything was perfectly fine.
“Hey, baby! Have you been staying at your friend’s house these past few days? I’ve been so busy taking care of Angie, Madeline’s dog. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up,” he said, sounding as though he was doing me a favor.
“I’m at the hospital,” I replied, my voice shaky.
“I had surgery-”
Before I could finish my sentence, he hung up.
I stared at the phone in disbelief. When I tried calling him back, I was greeted by a familiar automated message: “The number you have dialed is busy. Please try again later.”
Hours later, Oscar finally called me back. This time, his tone was dismissive, as if he couldn’t care less.
“Sorry, my phone ran out of battery earlier,” he said.
“Anyway, Madeline’s dog vomited all over her apartment, so I need to rush over there to help. I can’t come pick you up.”
“I understand,” I replied quietly, swallowing my frustration.
Oscar hummed nonchalantly, then quickly hung up without offering any further explanation. I was left alone, standing in the cold wind outside the hospital, feeling more abandoned than ever.
That night, I made my way home alone and fell into bed, exhausted. The next morning, Oscar called again to tell me he wouldn’t be coming home because he was “working overtime.”
I sighed. In my haste to leave before, I had forgotten to bring my keys, but when I asked Oscar about it, he brushed me off.
“Didn’t I say I’d change the lock to a password system? That was months ago. Just figure it out,” he said dismissively.
Frustrated, I tried calling again. This time, a woman’s voice answered.
“Hello?” Madeline’s unmistakable voice said.
My heart sank.
“Is Oscar there? I need to talk to him,” I said firmly.
Madeline laughed softly before replying, “Oscar’s taking a shower at my place right now. It’s a bit inconvenient for him to talk.”
In the background, I heard Oscar’s voice, loud and clear.
“Madeline, I’m done with my shower. I really can’t stand Evelyn’s fat body anymore. She’s so unattractive. I’ve lost all interest in her.”
My stomach twisted as I heard him mock me so casually. I gritted my teeth and demanded, “Put Oscar on the phone right now!”
Oscar finally spoke, but his tone was full of irritation, “What do you want, Evelyn? I just got out of the shower and I don’t have time for this. Why don’t you call a locksmith and deal with it yourself?”
The words hit me like a slap.
My voice shook with anger as I responded, “Oscar, how dare you-”
But before I could finish, he hung up.
That night, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. My heart felt like it was being stabbed a thousand times. I finally realized that I meant nothing to him anymore if I ever had.
The next morning, I was jolted awake by loud, impatient knocking at the door.
“Evelyn, open the door!” Oscar shouted.
“Stop sleeping like a dead pig!”
Groggy and annoyed, I opened the door to find him standing there, looking annoyed. His eyes barely glanced at me, let alone my swollen belly, even though I was due to give birth soon. It was clear that all he cared about was getting what he came for.
Oscar brushed past me and began rummaging through my things.
“I’m taking your La Mer skincare products. Madeline’s run out, and these will do for her,” he said casually.
I stared at him in disbelief as I asked him, “She’s an internet celebrity, isn’t she? Can’t she afford her own skincare products?”
Oscar rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. Madeline deserves better. Besides, look at your skin. It’s full of acne. These products are wasted on you.”
That was indeed true. The skincare products she had posted were all luxurious items. So, why wouldn’t she buy it herself?
My boyfriend didn’t even wait for my response before grabbing the items and walking toward the door. His actions, his words, and his utter disregard for me shattered whatever hope I had left for our relationship.
