Chapter 3

A wave of overwhelming rage and betrayal washed over me.

I pulled up his real-time location on my phone.

Because of Marcus’s supposed face blindness, I had installed a GPS tracker on his phone, terrified he would get lost.

The Uber sped down the road, getting closer and closer to the pinpoint on the map.

My nails dug so deep into my palms that they bled.

I stared at the screen, putting myself through torture, yet a small, pathetic part of me still hoped this was all a giant mistake.

Until the Uber pulled up near the amusement park downtown.

Amidst the crowded streets, I spotted Marcus instantly.

He wasn’t at the office. He was holding a glowing wand in his right hand, while his left hand was wrapped tightly around Scarlett’s slender wrist. His face wore a look of pure adoration I had never seen before.

"Marcus, I want to go to the movies later," Scarlett whined, tugging at his arm like a spoiled teenager.

"Today is your birthday, babe. I’ll give you whatever you want," Marcus smiled, tapping her nose playfully. He pinched her youthful, collagen-filled cheek and kissed her deeply. "You’re a mother now, and you still act like a little girl."

Behind them, fireworks exploded in the night sky.

I stared at them, my tears finally spilling over.

Today was also my twenty-fifth birthday.

This morning, I had asked Marcus if we could go watch a movie together after his therapy session.

Marcus had merely given me a cold, dismissive glance.

He said, "You’re twenty-five, Hathaway, not fifteen. Can you stop being so childish? I’m too busy with work for that."

In our eight years of marriage, he had only taken me to the movies once, and that was after I begged him for weeks.

Every time I wanted him to spend time with me, he always used the "busy with work" excuse.

But then I thought of those nine hundred and ninety-nine movie tickets in his drawer.

No matter the weather, no matter how busy he was, he always had time for Scarlett.

Watching them kiss under the fireworks, I felt my heart being ripped to pieces.

I thought of my unborn baby, who had been discarded like trash before even having a chance to live.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed the car door open and charged toward them.

I wanted to scream at Marcus and demand to know why!

For all these years, I had been his perfect little housewife, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of his demanding parents. Why did he do this to me?

But before I could reach them, a loud fire alarm echoed through the entire park.

Someone screamed, "Fire! There’s a fire!"

The amusement park was surrounded by dense woods, and the dry brush ignited instantly. The flames spread rapidly, heading right toward my direction.

The moment I saw the roaring fire, the dark memories of my childhood broke through my mind, suffocating me.

I gasped for air, my knees buckling.

I tried to turn around and run, but the panicked crowd shoved me to the ground. My ankle twisted with a sickening pop, and the sharp pain kept me from standing up.

The fire grew larger, thick black smoke filling the air. People were screaming and running in all directions.

I choked on the smoke, coughing violently.

Through my tear-filled eyes, I saw Marcus running desperately in my direction.

I coughed up tears, thinking he had finally spotted me. I reached my hand out to him in desperation.

"Marcus... help me..."

But he didn't even look at me. He ran straight past me, as if I were a complete stranger, and grabbed Scarlett, who was right behind me, pulling her tightly into his arms.

"Scarlett, don't be afraid. I’m here."

Scarlett clung to his chest, sobbing loudly. "You scared me to death! I was so worried your face blindness would make you mistake someone else for me..."

Marcus held her as if she were his entire world. "Silly girl. I could fail to recognize anyone else, but never you. Your face is carved into my heart. How could I ever forget?"

He lifted her up, and the two of them ran out of the park, leaving me behind.

Memories of our teenage years flashed before my eyes.

When my stepmother had locked me in a burning shed, trying to cremate me alive, it was Marcus who had kicked the door open and pulled me out of the flames.

He had put ointment on my burns and sworn to protect me forever, promising he would never let me be scared again.

Ten years of knowing each other, eight years of marriage, and in the end, he left me to burn while carrying another woman.

The fire crept closer. I stared at Marcus’s disappearing back, choking on the thick smoke until darkness finally claimed me.