Chapter 3
Fiona started not bringing different men home so frequently and instead only brought Dashiell back every day.
It seemed they had developed feelings, and it wasn’t just about relieving loneliness anymore.
They often got intimate and flirted openly in front of me.
At first, I would break down and get angry.
But after many times, I gradually became numb.
Even when Dashiell mocked me repeatedly, I became indifferent.
There were only two weeks left until the three years were up.
I slowly counted the days, looking forward to getting out of this situation soon.
But in the end, I wavered again.
On Fiona’s 28th birthday, she brought Dashiell home again.
Dashiell personally cooked for her.
When he opened the fridge, he found a box of frozen meat.
This frozen meat was the three-month-old embryo of the child Fiona lost.
At that time, we couldn’t bear to part with it, so we carefully preserved it.
But now, Dashiell put that embryo into the frying pan.
By the time I sluggishly walked into the kitchen, the embryo had already been cooked into “spicy fried meat.”
I couldn’t accept it, I broke down completely, eyes red as I swung my fist, hysterically charging at him!
“Bast…ard!”
But I was slow, no match for Dashiell. Before my fist could reach him, he kicked me hard to the ground.
Fiona heard the commotion and ran into the kitchen.
“Dashiell, what’s wrong?”
Dashiell kicked me again, cursing, “Fiona, your husband is not just a fool, why does he keep going crazy for no reason!”
Fiona turned and scolded me, “Lachlan, if you keep this up, I won’t care for you anymore!”
I lay on the ground, eyes red, chest heaving with anger.
I glared at Dashiell, trembling as I pointed at the bowl of fried meat, struggling to speak, “Why… did you fry it! Do you know… do you know, this is my… child!”
Fiona couldn’t believe what I said, her pupils shook, “Lachlan, you…”
Her shock was interrupted by Dashiell.
“I know, so what? Fiona agreed to let me fry it, I heard it’s very nutritious!”
Dashiell looked proud, his tone full of mockery.
I looked at Fiona in disbelief, my heart felt like it was being torn apart, the piercing pain hit me.
Once, she shed many tears for this child, now, she could be so ruthless!
I opened my mouth in grief, using all my strength, but I couldn’t say another word, only making sobbing sounds.
Dashiell glanced at me mockingly, suddenly picked up the bowl of food from the stove, squatted down, and grabbed my hair.
“Fool, since you care so much about this dish, eat it all! Maybe after eating it, you won’t be a fool anymore!”
I looked at Fiona in disbelief, feeling as if my heart were being ripped apart, a sharp pain overwhelming me. She had once cried so much for this child, yet now she could be so heartless! I opened my mouth in despair, struggling to speak, but no words came out, only a pitiful “uh-uh” sound.
Dashiell glared at me with contempt, grabbed a bowl of food from the stove, squatted down, and yanked my hair. “You fool, if you care so much about this meat, then eat it all! Maybe it’ll make you smarter!” He shoved all the meat from the bowl into my mouth forcefully. Fiona just stood there, watching without intervening.
After he was done, Dashiell let go of me in disgust. “What a killjoy! Fiona, let’s go out to eat and leave this fool behind!” Fiona followed him without a second thought.
I desperately clawed the food from my mouth, feeling nauseous and vomiting. I lay on the ground in a mess, tears streaming down my face. Fiona’s coldness filled me with despair. I couldn’t go on.
Suddenly, the voice of the pawn shop owner echoed in my ears: “Lachlan, we’ve detected a shift in your mindset. Do you want to reclaim your pawned item?” I hesitated for a moment and replied hoarsely, “Yes, I want to reclaim it.” The pawn shop owner sighed, “You only have three days left. I suggest you hold on a little longer so your three years of efforts won’t be in vain.”
I clenched my fists tightly, biting my lip until it bled. The blood was bright red and stark against my skin. In the end, I chose to compromise.
That night, Fiona returned home satisfied after her meal. Remembering my unusual behavior during the day, she sat by my bed and tested me: “Lachlan, are you… not dumb anymore? Have you recovered?” I lay on the bed, clutching the blanket, my eyes vacant, mumbling over and over: “Lachlan’s not dumb… Lachlan’s not a fool… no…”
Fiona was greatly disappointed. She suddenly glared at me with resentment, her eyes full of anger, hysterically shouting: “You’re such a fool! Lachlan, you idiot, you’ve wasted my youth, ruined my life. How will you ever make it up to me?” I stared at her blankly, my heart aching immensely. I had saved her life, but in her eyes, I was the one who ruined it. How laughable.
Three years of self-sacrifice, and this is my reward.
The next morning, Fiona left early. After she left, the house felt empty and suffocating. Since becoming foolish, I’ve stayed home alone and never ventured out. But today, I suddenly wanted to take a walk.
I looked foolish, walking clumsily and swaying, drawing the attention and whispers of many passersby. But I ignored them. Passing by a secluded stream, I unexpectedly saw two familiar figures.
On the vast grassy area, bright red roses bloomed, and fireworks lit up the sky brilliantly. Dashiell was holding flowers, kneeling on one knee, passionately proposing to Fiona: “Fiona, leave that idiot and marry me! I’ll protect you forever!” Fiona, with tears in her eyes, nodded full of emotion: “Dashiell, I will!”
The scene pierced my heart fiercely. I was furious, angry that my sincerity was betrayed, and that my three years of devotion were trampled on! Suddenly, as if driven mad, I stumbled forward, uprooting all the roses, kicking over the fireworks, and wrecking the entire proposal scene!
Dashiell flew into a rage, grabbing my collar and hitting me. “Lachlan, you fool! How dare you ruin my carefully arranged proposal! Do you have a death wish!” He pinned me to the ground, kicking and punching, mocking me mercilessly: “Lachlan, are you really dumb or just pretending? Can a fool not accept being betrayed? But what good is your anger? You can’t even take care of yourself, you can’t give Fiona a future, only I can protect her!”
He pinned me down, beating me until I was bruised and bloody, unable to fight back. Fiona watched me being beaten, not stopping it, her eyes full of disdain.
Finally, Dashiell tied me up and threw me by the riverside. “Fiona, push this fool in.” Fiona was shocked, her eyes wide: “Dashiell, are you crazy?” Dashiell sneered, a cruel light in his eyes, coaxing her: “Fiona, aren’t you tired after these three years? If he dies, you can be completely free. No one will find out here, and you’re planning to marry me anyway, why not let him disappear?
“He can’t take care of himself, living is suffering, he’s better off dead.” Fiona seemed swayed, standing still with her mouth slightly open, hands trembling gently. After a while, she slowly walked towards me lying by the river. Her eyes were filled with hesitation and doubt. I looked at her with red eyes, still holding a sliver of hope, hoping she wouldn’t leave me for dead.
But in the end, she closed her eyes and reached out to me. “Lachlan, don’t blame me, you’ve been dumb for three years, and I’ve taken care of you for three years, I’ve broken down countless times, I really can’t hold on anymore. Maybe death is a relief for you too.” With that, she ruthlessly pushed me into the bottomless river.
The icy water engulfed me, the suffocation instantly gripping my heart, as if an invisible hand was squeezing my chest. An all-consuming pain overwhelmed me, filling me with despair.
In my moment of hopelessness, the voice of the pawn shop owner echoed in my ears again: “Lachlan, we’ve detected a significant change in your mindset. Do you want to reclaim your item?” I regretted it. She was no longer the woman who once loved me dearly. In just three years, I saw her true nature clearly. I had no reason to hold on anymore.
“Yes, I want to reclaim my item.” “Alright, redeeming your pawned item before three years means your wife’s breast cancer will relapse starting today…”
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