Leave Me to Fall Apart
Chapter 1 Winona Chapman and her husband, Joseph Lowe’s childhood sweetheart, Queenie Reed, were abducted on the same night. That night, in the warehouse, the sounds of moaning echoed until morning.
It was a month later when both women found out that they were pregnant. In order to protect Queenie’s reputation, Joseph unhesitatingly stepped forward and claimed paternity of the child.
Winona’s baby, on the other hand, was labeled the product of assault—a bastard left behind by the captor.
Winona shattered everything within reach, tears streaming as she broke down and screamed, “Why did you do this? You knew this baby was already conceived before the abduction. You know that they never laid a hand on me!”
Joseph’s gaze was filled with pain and guilt as he said, “Please just put up with it, Winnie. You see, Queenie has been sheltered all her life, so she won’t be able to bear the slander and the weight of the scandal.”
Upon hearing that, Winona stared at him dazedly. She then unexpectedly burst into laughter, tears rolling down her cheeks. “And I am supposed to bear all of it, then?”
In that moment, she was suddenly overcome with exhaustion. She was so weary that her love for him simply faded.
…
Having completed her signatures at the law firm, Winona’s gaze fell on the empty space where the husband’s signature was supposed to be. She then turned to her lawyer, Kenneth Lawson, and asked, “Can I sign on his behalf?”
Kenneth, looking slightly troubled, adjusted his glasses and replied, “You can’t do it unless he gives his explicit permission.”
There was a brief silence before Winona picked up her phone and dialed Joseph’s number. Yet, the moment the call connected, it was Queenie’s fawning voice that she heard on the other end, saying, “I’m really craving that dessert from the western part of the city, Joseph.”
Although Winona felt a sharp pang pierce her heart, she forced herself to remain calm. She said, “I have something I’d like to talk to you about.”
Joseph’s subdued voice soon followed, asking, “What’s the matter, Winnie? You can simply decide whatever needs to be done since I’m pretty swamped at the moment.”
Winona asked again, seeking absolute certainty, “Are you saying that I can make any and all decisions on your behalf?”
Joseph chuckled and softly said, “Of course, Winnie. Haven’t you always been the one who made all the decisions in the household after all these years of marriage?”
“I’ll decide this matter myself, then,” Winona said before ending the call. She then lowered her gaze and signed Joseph’s name in the designated space.
Upon seeing Winona off, Kenneth offered a reminder, saying, “I’d like to remind you that the divorce agreement will be enacted in a month, Mrs. Lowe. You retain the right to rescind it at any point during that interim, should you experience a change of heart.”
“It’s alright. I’ll never have a change of heart,” Winona said. She gave a small chuckle, having made up her mind that she would go through with the divorce.
Having left the law firm, she hailed a cab and headed directly to the hospital.
“Hello. I’m here for an abortion,” Winona stated.
The doctor briefly checked the report before asking, “Are you certain you want to proceed with the abortion? It appears to me that your baby is perfectly healthy.”
“Yes, I’m certain,” Winona replied.
She lay on the operating table as the clatter of the surgical tools sent shivers down her spine. She closed her eyes, suddenly recalling how Joseph had pursued her back then.
He was the student union president, delivering a speech at the university’s freshman orientation, only to forget every word the moment he laid eyes on her.
It was later widely reported that the finance department’s campus heartthrob had finally fallen in love. Joseph, the seemingly unapproachable man who had never shown any interest in women, spent a whole year pursuing Winona.
He had laid out 999 roses beneath the women’s dormitory on the first snowfall and stood in the snow, waiting the entire night.
He had also driven halfway across the city during a stormy night just because she casually mentioned wanting to eat the cake from the western part of the city.
Yet, what truly made her fall for him happened during the university’s anniversary celebration. She was performing a piano piece when, mid-song, a key malfunctioned, causing an awkward silence to fall over the entire hall.
In the next instant, Joseph strode onto the stage and took a seat beside her, saying, “I’ll be here with you.”
Having said that, his slender fingers gracefully found the keys, and he joined her to complete the rendition of “Wedding in a Dream”. Although the cacophony of cheers from the audience below the stage was deafening, his gaze remained fixed solely upon her as he said softly, “You’re the only one for me in this life, Winona.”
It was at that very moment that Winona fell for Joseph.
Joseph kept his promise, lavishing her with affection and care from the start of their relationship into their married life. Her sole reservation, however, was Queenie, his childhood sweetheart, who persistently clung to him.
Joseph had always said, “Queenie is just like a sister to me. You know, her grandfather saved my grandfather’s life. Now that the Reed family has fallen on hard times, I couldn’t possibly neglect her.”
Winona had believed him. Yet, Queenie gradually became the wedge between them. She found herself stepping aside for Queenie countless times.
Joseph had promised to take Winona to see the northern lights during her birthday last year, only to cancel at the last minute because Queenie had a fever. Winona had prepared numerous surprises for him during their wedding anniversary, only for Joseph to be called away by Queenie’s fearful call about a thunderstorm.
Moreover, even though Winona was burning up with a 102.2-degree fever, he accompanied Queenie on the Ferris wheel and even posed for a photo with her for her Instagram.
After enduring countless times as a second choice, Winona’s breaking point came when Joseph refused to acknowledge their own child for Queenie’s sake. It was at this point that she decided that she no longer wanted the child, nor did she want Joseph in her life.
The moment the operating room lights went dark, Winona felt a profound sense of emptiness, as if her very essence had been pulled right out of her. She steadied herself against the wall and slowly walked out, her legs trembling slightly as a dull pain lingered in her lower abdomen.
It wasn’t until she rounded the corner that she saw the scene before her, which plunged her into a state of profound shock, making her blood run cold. There, on the bench, Joseph was on one knee with his ear tenderly pressed against Queenie’s barely swollen belly.
Queenie’s face lit up with a wide smile as she exclaimed, “The baby just kicked me, Joseph! You know, they say babies who kick a lot end up being really smart!”
Joseph gently stroked Queenie’s belly, his voice overflowing with tenderness as he whispered, “I just hope the baby is safe and healthy.”
Winona’s grip tightened on the medical file when she heard that. The pages in her grasp gave a distressed rustle, a sound that echoed the very breaking of her heart.
She should have stormed over and confronted Joseph right there and then. She wanted to ask if he knew that as he celebrated another’s impending birth, their own child had been surgically extracted. She wanted to know if he remembered how, when she first told him that she was pregnant, he had embraced and twirled her around with such unbridled joy.
However, she took no action. She simply stood still, observing the harmonious couple bathed in the sunlight. She eventually felt all her anger, pain, and bitter resentment fade slowly into nothing but a deep, crushing fatigue.
She had just turned to leave the scene when Joseph’s voice abruptly resonated behind her. His tone was laced with surprise as he asked, “What are you doing here at the hospital, Winnie?”
Chapter 2 “I…” Winona started to say, a wry smile playing on her lips. She was just about to declare her reason for being there—to have an abortion—when Queenie quickly came over and linked arms with her.
“I bet that Winona is here for a prenatal check-up since she’s pregnant too!” Queenie exclaimed before turning to Winona with a feigned look of guilt.
She continued, “I’m really sorry, Winona, for keeping Joseph to myself lately. It’s just that, given my recent ordeal and fragile state, if word got out that this baby belonged to one of the abductors, I genuinely wouldn’t be able to handle it…”
Her eyes then welled up with tears as she added, “I have no choice but to let Joseph be this baby’s father. If you really hate me, then go ahead and strike me!”
Before Winona could respond, Joseph cut in, his voice full of concern as he said, “You shouldn’t say such things, Queenie. I’ve already assured Winona that those rumors won’t last. And besides, I’m sure that she’s magnanimous enough not to hold this against you.”
Having heard that, Winona briefly closed her eyes, finding herself truly magnanimous. It was so much so that she was willing to divorce Joseph and relinquish him to Queenie, facilitating the reunification of their so-called “family of three”.
“Yes, I don’t mind at all,” Winona replied calmly, going along with what Joseph said.
“That’s a relief, then. Otherwise, I would be consumed by guilt!” Queenie beamed, her crying ceasing. She then linked arms with Winona again, asking, “How about having lunch together, given our fortuitous encounter?”
Although she had initially wanted to refuse the invitation, Winona, having just undergone surgery, lacked the strength to resist and was consequently dragged along by Queenie.
Throughout their meal at the restaurant, Queenie was an absolute handful.
“I can’t stand this smell, Joseph. It’s making me feel a bit nauseous.
“I’m craving something sour, but this is way too spicy.”
Joseph remained tender and attentive throughout, offering her water and gently patting her back.
Winona watched the entire scene in silence, feeling a suffocating pain in every fiber of her being. She was uncertain if it was the lingering effects of the operation or the profound impact of the sight before her.
They were halfway through their meal when the crystal chandelier above them emitted a loud snap. In an instant, it came crashing down, plummeting straight toward where Joseph sat.
“Watch out, Joseph!” Queenie yelled, throwing herself at Joseph. The chandelier then struck her back, exploding into a cascade of glittering fragments.
“Queenie!” Joseph’s countenance immediately shifted, his voice trembling slightly.
“You’re… alright… That’s what matters…” Queenie whispered, her frail body resting in Joseph’s arms as she raised a hand slick with blood. “It was my grandfather who saved your grandfather’s life… and now I’ve saved yours. I suppose… it all comes back around…”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Queenie. Not on my watch!” Joseph roared, his vision blurring with tears as he swept her into his arms and bolted out.
He had been in such a rush that he failed to see Winona in the aisle. His shoulder plowed right into her with a loud thud.
Winona was knocked to the ground, causing her forehead to strike the corner of a table, which instantly drew blood. Yet, she seemed oblivious to the pain, her eyes simply transfixed on Joseph’s receding figure.
In that hazy moment, she found herself drifting back to the day they made their relationship official. Joseph, his eyes glistening with tears of happiness, had embraced her tightly as he repeatedly murmured, “You’ll always be the only one I see—in all the world, in every sea of faces.”
It all seemed utterly absurd in retrospect. Winona then raised her hand to wipe her face, only to realize that she was laughing and that the laughter had brought tears to her eyes. She braced herself against the wall and slowly got to her feet. Then, she began to shuffle, alone and unsteady, in the direction of the hospital.
Chapter 3 After her injury was dressed, Winona was about to leave the hospital when she bumped into Joseph by the entrance to the operating room.
It was then that a nurse rushed out, exclaiming, “Ms. Reed is experiencing a major hemorrhage and her blood type is Rh-negative—a rare blood type! Is there any immediate family who could serve as a donor, Mr. Lowe?”
Upon hearing that, Joseph’s face turned ashen instantly. He scanned his surroundings until his gaze landed on Winona. His eyes ignited with desperate hope, and he strode over, seizing her wrist. “You’re Rh-negative, aren’t you, Winnie? Queenie got hurt saving me. You have to help her!”
Winona’s blood ran cold. Joseph clearly knew about her anemia. She had collapsed from it the year before, and he had been so distressed that he nearly caused a scene at the hospital. Yet here he was, asking her, despite her anemia, to donate her blood to save Queenie.
“It’ll only be just a small amount, Winnie,” Joseph said quickly. His voice was laced with urgency, and his grip on her wrist tightened further as he exclaimed, “Queenie’s running out of time!”
Joseph didn’t wait for Winona’s reply, though. He forcefully pushed her into the blood donation room. The instant the needle punctured her vein, Winona’s eyes fluttered shut. Her blood, a full 600cc, was rapidly siphoned away, leaving her face progressively more ashen.
Joseph remained rooted to the spot, his eyes intently fixed on the direction of the operating room. He didn’t so much as look at her.
Having just had her blood drawn, Winona’s legs buckled beneath her, causing her to nearly crumple to the floor. It was only then that Joseph returned to himself and rushed to support her, saying, “I’m so sorry, Winnie. I know you’re concerned about the baby, but rest assured, the nurses are very precise with blood draws. If you’re still uneasy, I’ll have a doctor check on you immediately.”
He then ushered her into the examination room, leaving no room for argument. It wasn’t long before a doctor came out, holding her medical report.
Joseph rushed over, asking, “How’s the baby?”
The doctor was taken aback when he heard that. “Huh? There’s no—”
It was then that the nurse suddenly hurried out, exclaiming, “Ms. Reed’s been calling your name throughout the entire surgery, Mr. Lowe! Is it possible for you to come in and accompany her? Your presence could make all the difference, giving her the will to survive.”
Joseph, without a moment’s hesitation, turned and hurried into the operating room.
Then, the doctor’s gaze lingered uncertainly on Winona as he asked, “Is Mr. Lowe unaware that you underwent an abortion, Mrs. Lowe?”
Winona smiled faintly, shaking her head as she replied, “He doesn’t know, and there’s no need for him to ever find out.”
As she stepped out of the hospital, Winona noticed the sunset bathing the sky in gold.
Her complexion was completely ashen as she gazed at the evening sky ablaze with color. She was suddenly transported back to her university days as she remembered Joseph’s earnest pledge to take her to see the most stunning sunset on Earth. At that moment, the sun continued its daily descent, brilliant as ever, yet their shared journey had reached an irreversible end.
…
In the aftermath, Winona recuperated at home for an entire week. That blood donation had taken a heavy toll on her health, leaving her constantly dizzy. She could barely rise from her bed. Her concerned household staff wanted to contact Joseph, but she stopped them, saying, “You don’t have to do that. He’s currently busy.”
Winona knew exactly what occupied Joseph’s time. He was busy tending to Queenie.
Queenie’s social media was filled with daily posts detailing Joseph’s devotion toward her. He’d personally spoon-feed her soup, accompany her to prenatal check-ups, and drive out in the dead of night for her pickled fruit cravings. He was so utterly devoted to Queenie that he seemed to have forgotten who his actual wife was.
It was on this day that Joseph finally returned home. He stood in the walk-in closet, meticulously selecting a tie as he said, “You see, a buddy of mine is throwing a one-month-old celebration for his kid tonight. You should come along with me, Winnie.”
However, Winona remained silent. She simply changed her clothes and trailed after him out the door. But as she opened the front passenger door, her eyes landed on Queenie, who was already seated inside.
Queenie smiled sheepishly, saying, “I felt quite confined in the hospital, so I requested Joseph to bring me along, Winona. I get carsick easily, so I had to sit in the front. I hope that’s alright with you.”
Winona’s hand remained suspended for a moment before she finally retracted it. “I’m alright with it.”
She then silently settled into the back seat, her gaze fixed on the intimate silhouettes of the pair seated in front.
Joseph considerately lowered the air conditioning for Queenie and then handed her a cushion. His gentleness, once exclusively hers, was now bestowed upon another.
During the party, Joseph attended solely to Queenie, oblivious to the glances people were casting at Winona.
Winona kept hearing hushed conversations around her.
“How unfortunate for Mr. Lowe. He loved his wife so dearly, only for her to bear her abductor’s child.”
“Didn’t they say that Mrs. Lowe was assaulted?”
“What do you mean by ‘assaulted’? You ought to know that Ms. Reed was abducted alongside her. Why wasn’t she assaulted, then? It was clear that Winona was just being promiscuous.”
“I always thought she was trouble. I bet she used her wiles on the perpetrator to survive, causing Mr. Lowe untold misery. I’m also certain that’s why he had that drunken night with Ms. Reed, which, of course, led to her pregnancy.”
Chapter 4 Winona’s complexion was deathly pale, and her fingernails dug deep crescents into her clenched palms. It hadn’t occurred to her that the whispers could have escalated to such an outrageous degree, nor that she would become such an utterly contemptible character in their version of events.
She had just turned to leave, only to find her path abruptly cut off by a cluster of prominent socialites.
“Where do you think you’re going, Mrs. Lowe? You know, the party has only just begun.”
“Why don’t you come have some fun with us, Mrs. Lowe?”
Their idea of “fun” involved someone throwing red wine on her dress, another “accidentally” bumping into her, and finally, someone explicitly shoving her into the swimming pool.
In an instant, the frigid pool water enveloped her. The biting sensation of the water invading her nose made her instinctively fight, and her fingers clawed frantically at the side to try to pull herself up. Yet, just as she was about to grasp the edge, a hand adorned with vivid red nail polish pressed firmly down on her head.
Winona gasped, “P-Please save me!”
“You should stop it with the begging! You ought to know that no one is coming for you! Do you know how many socialites and heiresses in our circle yearn for Joseph? He adored you, held you dearer than life itself, and this is how you repay him! You’re so utterly shameless! You ought to perish right here!”
In that instant, water rushed into Winona’s nose, and the suffocating sensation made her vision blur. Yet, what truly choked her was their vile accusations. How dare they accuse her of being promiscuous and disgraceful! How dare they assume that Joseph loved her more than life itself! It was nothing more than a joke—an absolute travesty of a joke!
“What in the world are you guys doing?”
It was then that a thunderous shout rang out, and the crushing weight on her head abruptly vanished.
In her obscured sight, Winona saw Joseph rushing toward her with wild abandon. It was then that a sudden urge to laugh out loud overcame her. She didn’t know what he was so frantic about. After all, it was all because of him that she was stuck in this predicament.
Joseph hauled her from the water before unleashing his fury on the crowd. “Have you all gone mad? How dare you lay a hand on my wife!”
“It was simply unbearable for us to witness her treachery against you, Mr. Lowe.”
Joseph, not bothering to correct their assumptions, coldly declared, “That’s enough! I’ll only ever love Winnie, and that’ll never change in this lifetime—even if she’s carrying a child belonging to the abductor!”
Amidst gasps praising Joseph’s unwavering devotion, he lifted the drenched Winona into his arms and carried her away from the crowd.
In the lounge, Joseph carefully dried Winona’s hair with a towel, gently saying, “I know you’ve had to put up with a lot because of me, Winnie. I’m really sorry about that.
“I can assure you that nothing like this will ever happen again. I hope you can bear with it until Queenie’s baby is born. I’ll immediately send her abroad after that, and then everything will go back to the way it used to be. How does that sound?”
It didn’t really matter to Winona, as she was well aware that they couldn’t possibly return to how things were in the past. She felt completely drained as she stated, “I’d like to return home now.”
Joseph was momentarily taken aback. “You see, the party hasn’t ended yet, so it wouldn’t be good for us to leave together. I’ll arrange for the chauffeur to take you home first. I’ll come back to be with you later, alright?”
When she heard that, she couldn’t help but question if it was genuinely bad for them to leave together or if it was because he simply couldn’t bear to leave Queenie alone at the party. She merely chuckled wryly, no longer having the energy to call out his pretense. She then got up to leave the party.
…
Having returned to the villa, Winona immediately set about packing her belongings, carefully clearing away every single trace of her life in that place. She had no idea how long she had been at it, but as soon as she closed the last suitcase, the front door swung open.
Joseph stood at the doorway, his eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of the packed suitcases strewn across the floor. He suddenly felt a wave of apprehension wash over him as he asked, “Why are you suddenly packing your things, Winnie? Where are you going?”
Chapter 5 Winona, though caught in the act of packing her belongings, remained completely unfazed. She continued to fold the garments in her hands with meticulous care. She calmly said, “I can’t wear these clothes anymore since I’m pregnant. I plan to donate them.”
Joseph’s strained demeanor finally eased. He inwardly chided himself for his unnecessary worry. How could Winona possibly leave, given how much she loved him? Even if she tried, he would never permit it, nor would he ever sign any divorce agreement.
Thus, with that thought in mind, he simply handed her a black card. With a voice laced with indulgence, he said, “You should buy an entirely new wardrobe, then. You can buy as much as you want.”
Winona merely hummed in acknowledgment and reached for the card. Yet, at the very moment their fingers met, she quickly withdrew her hand, as if she had come into contact with something repulsive.
Joseph didn’t seem to notice her strange behavior. He hesitated briefly before adding, “Queenie has been experiencing severe morning sickness these days and needs constant care, so I’m planning to stay with her for a few days to look after her.”
Then, as if an afterthought had just struck him, he hesitatingly added, “I’ve noticed that you haven’t been experiencing much morning sickness lately. So please try to be understanding of her, okay?”
Upon hearing that, Winona’s hands trembled slightly, thinking that she had no morning sickness because the baby was no longer there. She merely smiled faintly in response, ultimately choosing to remain silent.
In the subsequent days, Winona almost consistently saw headlines detailing Joseph’s preferential treatment of Queenie online, with various trending searches such as #CEOofLoweGroupSpendsaFortuneforHisBelovedWoman, #JosephsMidnightRunforQueeniesPickledFruitCraving, and #ThisisWhatTrueLoveLooksLike.
The online users repeatedly dragged Winona’s name through the mud in the comments, mercilessly lashing her with vile remarks.
“How does Winona—that bitch—still have the nerve to show her face?”
“I heard that the abductor had his way with her all night. How disgusting!
“I feel so bad for Mr. Lowe! He was cuckolded and yet he still had to act magnanimously!”
Although their comments felt like a direct assault on her very core, Winona ultimately switched off her phone and quietly reassured herself that her suffering would soon end.
Having packed all her belongings, she met up with a few of her best friends to bid them farewell. These friends, knowing the full truth of the situation, were instantly furious and visibly upset upon seeing her.
“Joseph pursued you with such grandeur back then, yet now he treats you in such a manner…”
“I know, right? What’s this ‘just put up with the rumors for a bit’ nonsense? He’s clearly oblivious to how rumors can destroy a person!”
Winona merely smiled faintly and shook her head, saying, “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’ll be over soon.”
It was only then that everyone felt at ease and took her hand with heartfelt sympathy.
“Exactly! I mean, you’re so wonderful. You deserve nothing less than perfection. Joseph, having taken you for granted, deserves to suffer the agony of losing what he never truly appreciated!”
It was a farewell meal steeped in melancholy, with everyone sharing a round of tearful hugs at the end of it. It was only after seeing each of her friends off that Winona finally stepped out of the restaurant.
Just as she was about to get in the car, two figures abruptly burst from the crowd, falling to their knees before her with a resounding thud.
“Please just step aside and let Queenie and Joseph be together, Ms. Chapman!”
It turned out that the two figures were none other than Queenie’s parents, Kingston Reed and Jackie Walker. They were both groveling before her feet, saying, “Queenie has harbored feelings for Joseph since she was young. Yet, after knowing that Joseph’s affections were only for you, she had no choice but to keep her feelings hidden.
“You’ve betrayed and broken Joseph’s heart, though, and Queenie’s currently carrying Joseph’s child. In that case, can you please just step aside and let them be happy as a family of three?”
Winona’s face drained of all color when she heard that. She attempted to walk away, but Jackie clung fiercely to the hem of her dress, preventing her from leaving.
At that moment, the number of onlookers steadily increased, and soon, people began to openly point and make hushed comments.
“Isn’t that Mrs. Lowe, the one who seduced her abductor?”
“How brazen! How does she still have the gall to appear in public after all that?”
Someone instantly threw an egg in Winona’s direction, hitting her on the shoulder and causing its yolk to run down her pristine white dress. In quick succession, a barrage of rotten tomatoes, half-empty coffee cups, and even stones rained down upon her.
Winona tried to pull away, but Jackie held fast to the hem of her dress. She had just used some force to pull away when Kingston and Jackie suddenly lost balance and fell backward, their foreheads “accidentally” hitting the curb and causing an immediate gush of blood.
The crowd erupted in a frenzy, their screams tearing through the air as they yelled, “Oh my God! Winona has committed murder!”
Chapter 6 Seeing more and more people throwing things at her, Winona, feeling overwhelmed and trapped, told the chauffeur to quickly put Kingston and Jackie in the car and take them to the hospital.
No sooner had the two entered the emergency room than Queenie stormed over and slapped Winona hard across the face. Her face was awash with tears as she bellowed, “You said you didn’t hate me, but you plotted to kill my parents behind my back! How could you be so cruel, Winona?”
Just as Winona was about to say something, she caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette from the corner of her eye.
Joseph rushed forward, his arms instantly steadying Queenie, who was trembling in distress. “You should calm down, Queenie. It’s bad for the baby’s health if you get so worked up.”
He held Queenie up, then glanced at Winona. His brows furrowed, and his eyes betrayed obvious disappointment.
In that instant, Winona felt a chill run through her whole body. She wondered if Joseph really didn’t notice how badly battered she was at that moment. It turned out that he actually doubted her involvement in the situation as well.
He muttered, “I’m so—”
Yet, before he could even utter the sentence “disappointed in you”, Winona suddenly burst out laughing. Her body shook with the force of her laughter, her tears spilling into the cut at the corner of her mouth. She found it ridiculous how he wouldn’t even grant her the courtesy of an explanation before condemning her.
Then, her voice echoed through the corridor of the hospital as she bellowed, “I’m the vicious one! I’m the promiscuous one! I’m the cruel one! I’m beyond redemption, so I should just drop dead instead! Is that what you want to hear?”
Joseph was visibly taken aback, a hint of alarm flickering in his gaze. “Winnie, I—”
It was then that Queenie suddenly went limp and fell into Joseph’s embrace, saying, “I feel dizzy, Joseph…”
Joseph instinctively supported her. He then glanced up and noticed Winona’s resolute figure departing. She walked with considerable speed, causing the hem of her white dress to flare behind her like a butterfly struggling with a broken wing.
Joseph’s heart suddenly lurched with alarm. He was just about to go after Winona when Queenie, who was still in his embrace, let out another pained groan as she feebly gripped his collar. “P-Please don’t go, Joseph. O-Our baby…”
Even though she heard the commotion coming from behind her, Winona never once glanced back. The instant the elevator doors slid shut, she finally permitted herself to collapse onto the floor and bury her face in her hands. She realized then that true despair could silence everything—even tears.
When Winona returned home, she buried herself deep within her blankets. That evening, she drifted into a lengthy dream, populated entirely by recollections of Joseph’s past devotion. There was a scene under a magnolia tree back in their university, where Joseph held her hands and proclaimed, “You are the only one for me in this lifetime.”
There was another scene where his eyes were glistening with unshed tears as he tremblingly placed the ring on her finger at their wedding. Then, there was a scene of his boundless delight upon hearing of her pregnancy, when he embraced her and twirled her thrice in the living room.
Yet, the dream suddenly soured, morphing into endless visions of him doting on Queenie. He intercepted drinks meant for her, acquired medicine on her behalf, and stated unequivocally to everyone there that the child in Queenie’s belly belonged to him.
It was then that a resounding crash jolted Winona from her sleep. Her eyes flew open, only to see that the world outside her window had already fallen into night.
Bustling footsteps could be heard from downstairs, followed by Queenie’s deliberately sweet, yet undeniably commanding, voice. “I’d like you to move that couch into the sunroom. I want to soak up some rays.
“I’m not keen on this potted plant, so please remove it this instant.
“I want these curtains replaced in my favorite shade of blue.”
Winona, feeling utterly drained, stepped out of her bedroom door, only to see Joseph coming up the stairs, carrying Queenie’s pillow.
Their gazes met, and he noticeably stiffened. He then awkwardly explained, “Your actions have caused Queenie’s parents to be hospitalized. They’re uneasy about Queenie staying by herself, so I’ve had her move in until the baby’s delivery.”
Winona wordlessly listened, her face utterly devoid of expression. She didn’t even look at Joseph, her gaze passing through him as if he were an irrelevant stranger. It was then that she realized what it felt like when pain reached its zenith. It left her numb, hollow, and too exhausted to summon even a hint of anger.
She was just about to walk away when Joseph called her name. His voice contained a familiar note of uncertainty. It mirrored the way he sounded after every quarrel, when he wanted to express his apology, but didn’t because of his pride.
It was then that Queenie’s saccharine voice rang out, exclaiming, “I can feel the baby kicking me, Joseph! You should come over to feel it now!”
Joseph’s fo
