As she spoke, the pendant on her neck caught my attention—a red cinnabar talisman. My heart clenched. It was the same one my mother had painstakingly obtained for me, kneeling 81 times in prayer before she passed away.
When Zach was gravely ill, I had not only donated a kidney to save him but also gave him the talisman for protection. I never imagined he would give it to her.
My hand instinctively reached for the cinnabar. Zach suddenly grabbed my neck, his grip firm as he scolded me harshly.
"Yvette, haven’t you learned your lesson? How dare you try to fight with Vicky again?"
Tears streamed down my face, falling onto his hand. For a moment, there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but when he saw the talisman in my hand, his anger flared up again.
"It’s because of you!" he snapped. "You caused Vicky to sprain her foot last time. I gave it to her to keep her safe."
I stared at him, speechless, struggling to process his words. Summoning every ounce of humility, I pleaded softly,
"This is my mother’s keepsake. Please, can I have it back?"
Zach hesitated, seeming on the verge of agreeing, but Vicky interjected in a saccharine voice,
"But I like it too."
Zach froze, then softened his tone, patting my arm as if that would soothe me.
"Since Vicky likes it, let her wear it for a while, just for fun."
A bitter laugh escaped me as tears mixed with the sound of my voice. I laughed and cried until it hurt.
Zach pulled me into his arms.
"You’re pregnant," he said, almost chastising. "You shouldn’t get so worked up."
His words only fueled my anguish. Before anyone could react, I snatched the talisman and swallowed it whole.
Panic flashed across Zach’s face. He pried my mouth open in a frenzy before sweeping me into his arms and rushing me to the hospital.
As I underwent the stomach-pumping procedure, Zach hovered anxiously. When the cinnabar was finally expelled, he heaved a sigh of relief.
But before I could even reach for the soiled talisman, Vicky’s shoe came down on it with a deliberate stomp. The red beads shattered into countless fragments.
"Oops, sorry," she said, her voice dripping with mockery.
Zach’s indifferent response stung even more.
"It’s better this way. That thing was driving Yvette crazy."
I stared at the broken pieces on the floor, my heart breaking alongside them. They had trampled on the love and legacy my parents had left me.
As the doctor explained post-procedure instructions, Zach asked casually,
"By the way, Doctor, how’s the baby?"
But before the doctor could answer, Vicky tugged him away. He didn’t wait to hear the rest.
I returned home alone, my mind racing. Without a second thought, I arranged to relocate my parents’ graves. I needed to expedite my plans to leave. I couldn’t stay in this city any longer.
As I waited for the move, our wedding anniversary arrived.
Zach insisted on celebrating, refusing to take no for an answer. But just as we were about to leave, Vicky emerged from the neighboring villa and slid into the front seat without hesitation.
"She just got back from America and wanted to join us," Zach said lightly. "Don’t mind her."
I watched Vicky munching on potato chips, occasionally feeding Zach one.
My thoughts wandered back to the past. Zach used to hate anyone eating in his car. I once sipped water during a long ride, and he poured the rest over me in anger. Even when I was starving and in pain, he forbade anything that might leave a smell.
But now? Love had clearly redrawn his boundaries.
The anniversary dinner felt surreal. The waiter, confused by their overly familiar behavior, mistook them for a couple.
I ate the steak Zach had cut for me while watching him and Vicky share nostalgic laughter. Their closeness didn’t stir a single ripple in my heart anymore.
When the meal ended, I handed Zach a neatly sealed envelope.
"This is for you," I said. "Open it when you’re home."
His brows furrowed slightly as he accepted it.
Suddenly, the fire alarm blared, throwing the restaurant into chaos. People scrambled toward the exits, and I found myself caught in the crowd.
Zach, however, didn’t hesitate. He instinctively pulled Vicky into his arms and ran for the door.
I stood there, jostled by the panicked crowd, watching his retreating figure.
For a fleeting moment, I reached out, desperate to grab the edge of his coat, hoping he’d look back and take me with him.
But he never turned around.
I stood there alone, helpless as the panicked crowd pushed me forward. My feet were trampled multiple times, the sharp pain bringing tears to my eyes. I couldn't tell what hurt more—my feet or my heart.
Dragging my luggage, I finally made my way to the airport, still shaken. The images of people consumed by flames haunted me, as did Zach's cold indifference.
Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my phone and sent a single message to Zach:
[Goodbye.]
