It was Nielson. He had drunk a little; his voice was rough and low, with a forceful tone. “Heather, be good and listen to me. Isn’t being Mrs. Sanchez good?”
Without thinking, I fought with all my strength. “Let go of me.”
My struggle seemed to make him angry. His arms tightened and his hot lips pressed close to my ear.
“Why are you hiding? Isn’t this what you always wanted?”
“It’s just too bad you don’t have Katniss’s scent. You’re too thin, not like Katniss’s body, soft and warm…”
The deep shame made my body shake. I grabbed a glass of cold water from the table and threw it in his face without thinking.
Nielson froze, the cold water clearing the effects of the alcohol. Anger slowly rose in his eyes.
He looked at me without speaking, then, like he remembered something, he laughed.
Then he pulled a black bank card from his suit pocket and tossed it onto the floor in front of me.
“Heather, I spoke incorrectly earlier. This card has five million. Buy whatever you want.” Nielson stepped closer, his voice softer.
“Heather, I have something else to talk to you about. Katniss’s birthday party is in two days. It’s her first birthday since she came back and she must not be treated badly.”
He looked at me closely. “You are Mrs. Sanchez. You need to be patient. As long as you behave, the place of Mrs. Sanchez will always be yours. From now on, let’s live well together, okay?”
I listened quietly, watching his awkward act, looking at the black card that stood for the so-called payback.
Then I slowly lifted my head, a very soft smile spreading on my face. “Okay.”
Nielson seemed surprised by my “understanding,” stopping for a moment before a look of pleasure showed on his face.
I kept smiling, but my eyes were cold.
“Since it’s such an important day for my sister, why don’t we stream the whole thing live? Let the whole city see this feeling. That’s the best way, right?”
Nielson’s eyes brightened and he tapped my shoulder with approval. “Let’s do it this way, Heather. You’ve finally grown up.”
He was in a good mood and couldn’t wait to leave, calling Katniss as he walked.
“Katniss, I want the birthday party streamed live, so everyone can send you their good wishes...”
I stood there, watching Nielson walk away. Let the whole city watch how this carefully planned birthday party finally turned into a full joke.
This would be my last gift to them.
The next day, early in the morning, Nielson and Katniss took me to the city’s most expensive custom dress shop, using the excuse of picking a dress.
Katniss, like a real wife, warmly hooked her arm around Nielson’s. “Nielson, do you think this looks nice?”
“You look nice in anything, but I think the champagne color fits you better. You wore this color on our first date.”
Nielson looked down at Katniss, gently moving a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his action easy and close.
So Nielson remembered so many small things, yet he never seemed to care which color truly fit me.
Katniss laughed softly as she changed into the champagne dress and Nielson personally fixed the edge of her skirt.
“You need to make your waist a bit looser. You’ve gotten thinner lately. I’ll cook you something healthy tonight.”
At that moment, I remembered the doctor’s words when I was lying on the surgery bed.
“Too thin, the womb wall is thin. You need to take good care of your body.”
Both were thin, but the difference was clear.
The shop staff all gathered around them, calling out “Mr. Sanchez, Mrs. Sanchez,” as if I were the extra person who didn’t belong.
I quietly watched everything. There were only a few days left anyway.
