It had been two days since Dylan last visited me, no word and no message. Only loneliness kept me company.
This hospital room felt increasingly cramped, as if it were swallowing me alive. I missed his embrace and his voice.
As I cried silently, the nurse came in with surprising news. "You can go home," she said.
I was stunned. "Why? Isn't my condition getting worse?" I asked.
"It's your husband's order," she replied hesitantly.
With a heart full of questions, I went home. However, at home, another surprise awaited me.
Alexa, the woman, stood in the living room with a sweet smile.
"Why are you here, Alexa?" I asked, trying to remain calm.
"I'm working with Mr. Dylan," Alexa replied, smiling confidently.
Just then, Dylan appeared."Yes, l was at work. I'm sorry I couldn't pick you up. My infection is getting worse," he said quietly.
I tried to contain my anger.
"Then how are you?" I asked, pretending to be oblivious.
"I'm fine," he said as usual.
As if everything was fine. As if I never existed.
Then, he uttered the words that crushed me. "From now on, Alexa will take care of you."
"No need, Dylan. I can take care of myself," I refused.
However, Dylan snapped at me. "You refuse my orders? You need to wake up, Gisella. You're already weak and can't do anything else!"
My hands were shaking. My eyes were hot.
"Dylan, I became weak because I gave you my kidney," my voice was almost inaudible.
Dylan chuckled sarcastically. "Why are you bringing it up? Forgot the favor I did for your family?"
I swallowed my bitterness. I hadn't forgotten. But did he forget that I gave him a piece of my life?
"I remember your help, so you should remember mine," I said irritably.
"Sorry to interrupt, can any of you take me to the bathroom?" Alexa said suddenly.
Dylan immediately turned his head. "I'll walk you."
Without hesitation, without turning to me. He walked away.
I froze, suspicion burning in my chest. I followed them. At that moment, I realized that something was even more painful than losing my kidney—losing my husband, who was still alive right in front of me.
The two of them walked into the bathroom together, and the voice rang out.
"Dylan, don't be so hasty!" said Alexa.
"I've been looking forward to today, honey," Dylan replied.
"Don't you ever get it from Gisella?" asked Alexa.
"She's boring, her body isn't as beautiful as yours," replied Dylan.
I gripped my clothes tightly, my mind wondering what they were doing inside.
I climbed onto the chair, my hands shaking as I held my cell phone. I recorded everything from the small vent above the door.
My world had collapsed watching their warm warfare.
"What an asshole! I'm going to destroy us, Dylan!" I muttered.
When I was done, I backed away. Then he walked away.
In my room, I cried my eyes out. I had lost everything.
However, before my grief could subside, the door opened roughly. My mother-in-law stood there, her face full of anger.
"Bitch, so it turns out you're really barren?" My mother-in-law sneered.
I looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
She threw a scrap of paper in my face. I picked it up with trembling hands.
"Patient diagnosed with permanent sterility." My body stiffened as I read it.
I looked up. "It's not mine!"
But my mother-in-law had already grabbed my hair. "Don't lie! In this house only you check your uterus!"
I winced in pain with every pull of my mother-in-law on my hair.
"I'm telling the truth, ma'am, that paper is not mine. And what's the proof that it's mine? Does it have my name on it?" I replied, trying to fight back.
But a hard slap landed on my cheek.
"Son-in-law doesn't know himself. I'm going to tell Dylan that you lied to him!" Said my mother-in-law.
Suddenly, I was surprised when my mother tied my wrists with rope.
"Mom, what are you doing?" my voice trembled.
She dragged me out of the room like an animal. I struggled and cried.
"Mom, please let me go!"
But I knew that no one would help me.
