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"Chris, you heartless jerk! I fell, and you didn't even help me up. I lost the baby…" She cried and hit him.
"Stop hitting me! This was your stupid idea—when things went wrong, you just played dead and foamed at the mouth. You're something else. We're already done—why are you here?"
"I wasn't pretending—I was too scared, I passed out." Lily sounded guilty. "You lost your job—I had to keep mine! How else will we survive?"
Lily sighed and comforted him, "Don't be too sad, honey—we can try for another baby. Shirley thet barren hen couldn't give you children after all these years."
"Besides, this isn't the time for that. Shirley just asked for a divorce, right? You'll get half the assets—just the lottery money is $5 million!"
"That's millions! You lost your job because of that bitch—and my job doesn't pay much. Once you're out, I'll quit too. Let's go enjoy life first, okay?"
Chris got lost in Lily's daydream, completely forgetting she'd abandoned him.
Instead, he said bitterly,
"If the chief had been any later, the villagers might've beaten her to death. Then all the money would've been mine. Why is that bitch so lucky?"
So Chris and Lily had planned the whole thing—to blame me for misreporting the fire.
Chris accidentally bumped his arm and yelled in pain. Lily comforted him softly,
"Honey, you have to believe me—I've always loved you. We're meant to be together."
Outside the door, I gripped the handle tightly.
Alex said angrily beside me,
"I can't believe that scumbag is still so evil! Just watch—I'm going to teach him a lesson!"
He rolled up his sleeves, ready to charge in.
I quickly pulled his arm back, "Don't! We're in a hospital—he'll blame you for breaking his arm."
"Forget the bag—I won $10 million. I can buy a new one."
"Come on, let's get something to eat."
Alex and I ate some burgers and had a few drinks, then he took me home.
Before I could enter, he suddenly pulled me into a hug,
"Shirley, I've been single all these years—you know how I feel."
"I've liked you since college, but you always ignored me. Now Chris is treating you like this! Give me a chance—let me take care of you from now on."
I patted his back quickly, "Let me go—I can't breathe!"
Alex immediately released me, "You okay?"
I coughed, "What's wrong with you? If you can't have me, you'll kill me?"
Alex awkwardly rubbed his head.
I'd always noticed how good Alex was to me in college.
But I was so in love with Chris then that I ignored Alex's kindness, afraid to send the wrong signals.
Every year on holidays and my birthday, he'd send blessings and gifts.
But afraid Chris would misunderstand, I'd destroy them before getting home.
I picked up a water glass and drank, "Why the rush? You've waited this long—what's a few more months?"
"I asked Chris for a divorce today, but I won't let him off easy—he'll leave with nothing. Once he's out of the hospital, just watch!"
He grinned, "How are you going to do it?"
I poured him water and smiled mysteriously, "I've got my ways."
