Chapter 3
Liam's eyes were bloodshot, reeking of alcohol.
He walked over to Lily, carefully blowing on her swollen cheek again and again, his eyes filled with undisguised heartache.
As if trying to spite me, Liam hooked his arm around Lily's shoulder and said loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Lily, you wanted to know which doctor made Melody feel the best?"
"I'll tell you—it was the one today."
"Because Melody only had one proper abortion procedure. She aborted the first two children with her own hands!"
The room erupted.
Lily covered her mouth in shock, her smile stretching practically to her neck.
"You're not kidding, are you? Damn, Melody, you actually gave yourself abortions!"
"You're so rich—why would she do that herself? Is she psychologically twisted, or was she chasing some kind of thrill? That's pretty kinky~"
Eyes fell on me from all directions—shocked, contemptuous.
"Three abortions—her uterus must be wrecked. Think she can still have kids?"
"If she can't, there's always our Lily. Liam can have kids with Lily. Lily's probably still a virgin. How could that damaged goods compare?"
Lily jumped in front of the man who'd spoken, playfully punching him twice.
"Stop it! He and I are just friends!"
"But you're right about one thing—I am clean..."
Lily showed a rare hint of shyness.
Liam ruffled her hair with an indulgent smile. The others roared with laughter.
Looking at those disgusting, laughing faces, I almost vomited.
Tears stung my swollen skin, sending waves of piercing pain. I shook my head desperately, trying to shake off those painful memories.
But the memories flooded over me like a tide.
When I was eighteen, I got into Columbia University.
The orphanage couldn't pay my tuition, so I had to work at an auto repair shop.
But my meager wages couldn't cover tuition and living expenses. I considered dropping out.
Liam, a fellow apprentice at the shop, cornered me against a wall, eyes red as he made me a promise.
"Keep studying. I'll support you."
From then on, Liam worked at the shop during the day, did construction at night, and took on handicraft work in the dead of night.
At the prime of his youth, he nearly burned himself out for my sake.
Every time we met, he'd give me money and tell me to study hard. He never complained once.
When he learned I was being bullied by classmates, Liam charged into the school with a fruit knife and stabbed himself three times in front of everyone. Blood splattered everywhere.
He said, "If anyone dares bully Melody again, this is what they'll get. I dare to stab myself—what wouldn't I dare to do?"
From then on, even the flies at school avoided me.
I grew up in an orphanage. I'd always lacked love.
Meeting a man like that, it was really hard not to fall in love.
To hold onto that bit of warmth, I was willing to give everything.
In that thirty-dollar fleabag motel, I confessed to Liam and begged him to try again and again.
Later, that place became our regular haunt.
He was like a wild wolf, always so intense that he'd break the cheap condoms.
Because of that, I got pregnant twice.
Without money for a proper hospital, I had to find my own way to abort.
I swallowed expired abortion pills at random, then threw myself down the stairs.
If once didn't work, I'd do it twice, three times.
This method was incredibly cruel—to me, and to the babies.
Liam hated himself for it. To avoid hurting me again, he went to a back-alley clinic for a vasectomy and nearly lost his fertility permanently.
He said he owed me for the rest of his life.
He said he'd work himself to death.
He said he'd make me happier than anyone, that I'd never have to suffer like that again.
Things really did get better. But Liam's heart changed.
The deepest pain I couldn't bear to touch had become his conversation piece.
As long as it made Lily laugh, he didn't mind stabbing me in my most painful places again and again.
Like a madwoman, I grabbed a bottle and smashed it over Liam's head.
"Game over."
"Get out. All of you, get out!"
Liam's friends wisely scattered. Lily was dragged away as well.