The Day He Vanished

On the day of the miscarriage, Evan vanished.

Lying in the hospital bed, wracked with pain, I suddenly heard Evan shouting.

Doctor! Get a doctor in here! She bruised her hand!

Evan burst into the ER, frantic, carrying his precious Olivia.

Ten minutes later, Olivia posted on Instagram.

You are heaven-sent, my belated salvation.

The picture showed Evan cradling her hand like fragile glass, his face etched with worry.

I chuckled darkly and left a comment:

"That's funny, you're hospitalized too?"

Three minutes later, Evan called.

His voice was pure annoyance.

"Emma, really? You know how to fake an illness now?"

"I won't feel sorry for you, only finding it pathetic!"

I hung up on him.

This time, Evan, I genuinely didn't care.

Evan came home a week after I was discharged.

He saw me and give me a bouquet of flowers.

I ignored him, focusing on texting my divorce lawyer.

"Seriously? You're still this petty?"

"I told you a hundred times, I was just helping Olivia get to the hospital!"

Olivia was Evan's childhood sweetheart.

They grew up together, sharing a deep bond.

Then Olivia's whole family emigrated overseas.

Until six months ago, when her family's company went bankrupt, she returned back home in disgrace.

Straight back to Evan, of course.

Evan, citing some bullshit about "not abandoning a friend," ignored the board and hired Olivia as his secretary.

He gave her 5% of the company stock too.

"These are for you," he said.

I looked up then glanced at the flowers calmly.

Roses.

I'm allergic to roses.

"Get those damn things away from me."

Annoyed by my attitude, Evan snapped,

"I'm giving you an out here. Take it!"

He shoved the roses into my arms.

In an instant, my face and body started breaking out in red rashes.

Patch after patch, it looked quite frightening.

I grabbed the bouquet, dumped it in the trash, and stomped on it hard.

I turned to get my allergy medicine.

Evan seemed to remember something, looking awkward and turning away.

"Uh... I forgot about the rose allergy."

I was focused on searching for allergy medicine, only to realize that the supply at home had already run out.

Right after the miscarriage, my body was already wrecked. The allergy hit me like a truck.

I crumpled to the floor, exhausted.

When I didn't respond, Evan turned back, ready to yell, but froze seeing me collapsed on the floor.

Shockingly, a flicker of panic crossed his face.

"It's this bad? We need to go to hospital."

Fresh out of the hospital, I don't wanna go again.

The hives usually fade in twelve hours anyway.

But Evan was too strong.

I couldn't fight him off.

He dragged me to the car.

Fate has a sick sense of humor.

While getting the IV drip, I ran into the doctor who handled my miscarriage.

"Emma? Again? Your body is still recovering from the miscarriage! What are you doing back here? Trying to kill yourself?"

Beside me, Evan stared, stunned.

"You... you lost the baby?"

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Oh, I called you. You didn't pick up."

No point explaining further.

"As a mother, you couldn't even protect your own child? Useless!"

Without knowing a damn thing, Evan dumped all the blame on me.

Before I could speak, his phone rang.

It was Olivia's special ringtone.

Evan glanced at me, then answered.

Olivia's sugary voice drifted through.

"Evan, honey? My hand, the bruise... it started hurting again. It hurts sooo bad."

Instantly concerned, Evan soothed her.

"Hold on, sweetie. I'm coming."

He hung up, his gaze icy as it landed on me, completely forgetting he was the reason why I was here.

"Think about what you've done!"

With that, Evan walked out without a backward glance.

"That your husband? What an asshole. Why haven't you dumped him yet?"

The doctor hadn't left.

When Evan kept questioning me, she wanted to speak up for me, but she simply couldn't get a word in.

"He's almost an ex-husband!"

I said it lightly, watching Evan's back calmly.

No sadness or hurt.

When Evan got home that night, I was already dead asleep.

He yanked the covers off me.

"Why didn't you wait up for me?"

Classic.

Once a habit forms, it becomes an expectation.

I pulled the covers back, ignoring him and trying to sleep.

This time, he hauled me upright, stopping me from lying down.

"I'm letting the miscarriage thing slide this time. But if anything like this happens again, I won't be so forgiving!"

Evan looked down at me condescendingly , as if he was doing me a favor.

My mind snapped clear.

Looking at this man, I couldn't believe how repulsive he was.

"Evan. We're getting a divorce."

The air froze. The room went so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.

Evan stared, disbelief written all over his face. His voice shook.

"What? Emma, you dare ask me for a divorce?"

"Are you seeing someone else? Is that it? It was you who lost the baby, and now you're pulling this crap?"

"Or are you still hanging up on me taking Olivia to the hospital? Can't you get over it? Would it kill you to be less petty?"

Evan had never expected me to ask for a divorce.

Before, every argument ended with him threatening divorce. Evan knew I loved him.

He had me under his control.

Every time he mentioned divorce, I'd beg on my knees, promise to be good just not to divorce.

Now?

All I wanted was to stay away from this man.

I didn't wanne be bothered, so I just scrolled mindlessly on my phone.

Olivia posted again.

My favorite roses from my favorite person[kiss]

A picture of a huge bouquet of blood-red roses.

It was identical to the one Evan gave me.

"Well, interesting."

"You belong in another era, buddy. Monogamy must be such a drag for you. It must be exhausting to seek balance between both sides?"

Hearing my sarcasm, Evan's face darkened.

"What now?"

"That huge bouquet must've made Olivia's day, huh?"

I said it lightly, tapping my phone idly.

Evan looked at me like I was nuts.

"I have a friend opened a flower shop! I was supporting her business, so I grabbed a bouquet for Olivia too!"

"Are you going through menopause or something? Why are you so suspicious all the time?"

"Olivia and I are just friends!"

You can't wake someone pretending to be asleep.

I gave up arguing, remaining silent.

Evan smoothly changed the subject.

"Anyway, tomorrow's your brother Ethan's 21st birthday. Get some rest. We need to be up early."

Right.

I promised Ethan I'd be there for his big day.

So I had to go.

Also, it was a perfect chance to tell the family about the divorce.

Next morning, Evan and I got ready to head to Mom's.

I opened the passenger door, ready to get in.

The seat was decked out with pink cushion, cup holder and trinkets.

Even a custom plaque on the dash with Olivia's selfie,

"Princess Olivia's Throne."

I hesitated. Evan suddenly remembered.

He lunged for the passenger seat, scrambling to gather the stuff, looking uncharacteristically flustered.

"You know Olivia, she's like a kid with this stuff. I'll get rid of it."

"Keep it. It looks cute."

I shut the passenger door and got in the back.

The back seat held two women's blouses, three pairs of pants and four pairs of shoes.

I sighed, rubbing my forehead, then shot Evan an icy look.

He hurried to the back, scooping up the clothes and shoes and dumped them in the trunk.

"Olivia just left some stuff here! Don't be so sensitive. Let's go, we're late!"

If I hadn't checked my phone and seen how impossible it was to get a cab, I wouldn't have gotten in Evan's car!

I reluctantly sat in the back, texting my divorce lawyer.

The voice of the car's navigation system chimed in.

"Hey Evan, honey! It's your sweet Olivia navigating! Drive safe, okay? Olivia cares!"

Olivia was quite somethingshe's gone to such lengths just to assert her claim, and doesn't even seem to mind the trouble.

I felt nothing.

Just mildly amused.

In the past, whenever I saw Olivia calling Evan, I would cautiously ask him about it.

Now?

All I could think was, For Evan?

Seriously?

Seeing my blank face, Evan gave me his patented 'here we go again' look.

"I knew it. Someone with a dirty mind sees dirt everywhere!"

"I repeat, Olivia and I are just friends!"

"Stop dicking around. Let's go."

My tone was pure annoyance.

I'd never spoken to him like that.