One of the nurses, her eyes sparkling with admiration, said, “My New Year’s wish is to find a man like Mr. Ramirez.”
Yes, Leon loved me. He was undeniably good to me in ways that others could see. But his love wasn’t exclusive.
I lowered my head and let out a self-mocking laugh.
Just then, a notification popped up on my phone—it was a video.
I opened it, my hands trembling uncontrollably.
Inside a car with pink interiors, a woman dressed in a bunny costume was straddling a man. The sound of their gasps and moans rose and fell with their movements. Her coquettish voice was sickeningly sweet.
A second message followed. [Do you recognize this car? Leon said being with me feels so much better. Your child was your bargaining chip, but now it’s gone.]
[Just wait. Soon, I’ll take him away from you, old hag.]
Staring at the video, I felt my breath hitch. I never imagined that the woman Leon was fooling around with would be Zandra, the college student I had personally sponsored.
And the car—it was the birthday gift Leon had given me.
Because I loved pink, he had spent a fortune customizing the car, turning everything from the exterior to the interior into shades of pink, complete with vibrant rose embellishments.
Back then, he had held me close, looking into my eyes with sincerity. “Sharina, this car is yours and yours alone. Only you can sit in it.”
From that day forward, I used the pink car every time I went out. Except for New Year’s Eve, when Leon told me the car was in for maintenance, so I had taken another.
Now, as the video replayed on my phone again and again, I felt like my soul had been ripped apart.
Finally, I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. The tears came like a flood, impossible to stop.
When Leon opened the door and entered the room, I quickly closed the video and wiped my tears, forcing myself to appear composed.
Seeing my reddened eyes, he froze, then hurried to my side. “Sharina, why are you crying?”
His voice was filled with concern as he gently wiped away my tears. I turned my face away. “It’s nothing. I just... feel sorry for the baby.”
Relief swept across his face. “It’s alright. We’ll have another baby.”
—
During the three days I spent in the hospital, Leon stayed by my side, attending to my every need with the utmost care.
When it was time to leave, he pulled up in my pink car, the one that was supposed to be mine and mine alone.
He stepped out and opened the passenger door for me.
What greeted me was a pair of black high heels resting on the floor mat.
I stared at the shoes, my heart sinking.
They weren’t mine.
Leon’s face turned pale. In a panic, he grabbed the shoes and tossed them into a trash bin nearby.
“Honey, these... these were supposed to be a gift for you, but I noticed a flaw and was planning to exchange them. You don’t think I let another woman into the car, do you?”
The nausea in my stomach churned violently, but I managed to let out a faint chuckle. “No, of course not. I think I’ll just walk home.”
Closing the car door, I turned and started walking towards the direction of our house.
Leon scrambled out of the car and ran after me, grabbing my arm. “Sharina, are you mad?”
“That pair of shoes really was for you. Don’t you trust me?”
I forced a lighthearted smile. “What are you talking about? I just feel like stretching my legs after lying in bed for so long.”
He studied me intently, as if trying to determine whether I was upset.
After a moment, he finally sighed in relief. “Alright, I’ll walk with you.”
And so, hand in hand, we walked home.
I couldn’t help but think of how much Leon used to love taking walks.
After dinner, he would always grab my hand. “Honey, let’s go for a walk. Don’t you know that walking together strengthens a couple’s bond?”
I used to laugh and tease him, asking where he got such ideas.
But now, how long had it been since we last walked together?
