After my sister returned to the
country, she pushed me into the abyss
I married the man my sister didn’t want, and
surprisingly, I was happy.
Until she came back from overseas.
She looked at my baby bump, smiled, and
pushed me down the stairs.
John arrived to find me covered in blood.
He rushed me to the hospital, but the baby
was gone.
I wanted my sister to pay, but John said, “We
can have another baby, but there’s only one
Lily.”
“Let’s get a divorce.”
I stared numbly at the hospital ceiling.
My heart felt like it was being stabbed.
The pain from last night was still fresh.
When I was pushed, John’s first reaction was
to check if Lily was okay.
I missed the critical time for treatment, lost
the baby, and can never have children again.
John was indifferent: “Don’t be dramatic, we
can have another baby.”
I stared at him in disbelief, gripping the white
sheets.
“John, this was our baby!”
John’s face was cold and silent.
I thought I had married the right person.
Now, I was completely disillusioned.
Months ago, John and I were intimate.
He held me tight and called me Lily.
Lily.
That’s my sister’s name.
My parents said I was always a bit slow, so
they named me Emily, hoping I’d get smarter.
Г
They said my sister was like the moon, bright
and pure.
“Emily, she’s your sister, why can’t you just let
it go?”
“John, are you out of your mind?! She pushed
me down the stairs! Are you blind?!”
“It wasn’t her fault, she was scared!”
John yelled at me.
My heart ached sharply.
“Yeah, yeah, your sister would never do such
a thing.”
My parents chimed in.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
I looked at them in disbelief, suddenly
understanding.
I was a stand–in bride for Lily.
She didn’t want to get married, so my parents
sent her abroad.
But John was so good to me, so attentive.
I even forgot that Lily was his true love.
And my parents, they were never on my side.
I was an outsider.
A nurse came to check on me, asking if I
<
needed to use the restroom.
Before I was pregnant, even when I was just
sick, John would carry me.
“Is this your husband?” the nurse asked
tentatively.
“Then let him help you.”
John’s eyes held no sympathy, only disgust
and reluctance.
I gave a bitter smile and lied: “No, he cheated.
He’s not my husband anymore. Oh, and that
woman over there is my sister, the other
woman.”
“Emily, what are you talking about?! Are you
crazy?!”
John looked shocked and frowned.
I weakly grabbed the wall and limped to the
bathroom.
I turned on the faucet and the toilet to cover
my sobs.
No one in this family wanted to pretend
anymore.
Lily was clinging to John, crying dramatically.
Seeing me come out, she slowly detached
herself from him.
She hid behind John, completely shielded.
When I was brought to the hospital, I was in
But John got a call saying Lily was scared.
He left me alone and rushed out.
The doctors even thought he was a hit–and-
run driver.
“Do you really want a divorce?”
John seemed to not believe me.
“It’s my right.”
I replied coldly.
John didn’t answer.
He just pressed his lips together and frowned.
He always frowned and for years I smoothed
He always frowned, and for years, I smoothed
them out when he slept.
He probably didn’t believe I’d actually let him
- go.
I almost forgot, John used to be a doctor.
I spent all my savings to help him get
promoted.
I was half the reason he became chief of
surgery.
I helped him maintain his “family man” image,
even campaigning for him.
That’s when I got pregnant.
It was all so convenient, wasn’t it?
“I’ll apologize for her, is that enough?” John
asked.
A life, reduced to an apology.
A wave of dizziness and heartache washed
over me, almost making me fall.
Lily suddenly coughed.
He immediately turned to her, full of concern.
My parents came back with groceries, smiling
at me, which was rare.
My mom bragged loudly, “We got you all
these goodies from the fancy market! Look,
they’re all really good supplements! Whose
parents are this good to their married
daughter?!”
く
I was touched, for a moment.
“Smash!”
I threw the bags on the floor.
My misery couldn’t be hidden any longer.
John immediately shielded Lily.
He glared at me and warned, “Emily, stop
throwing a tantrum! What more do you want?
If you don’t like these, I’ll buy you more! Don’t
hurt anyone.”
“Hurt?” I scoffed, pointing at the groceries.
“Milk, mangoes, bird’s nest, bone broth. I’m
allergic to half of these things. John, let’s test
you. Which two am I allergic to? If you can tell
Г
John froze, his face pale.
“Tell me!”
“You were so picky as a child! Who would
remember that?!” My mom snapped.
She couldn’t keep up the loving mother act
anymore.
“We bought you all these supplements, things
we couldn’t afford as kids, and you’re
complaining? You’re so ungrateful! Do you
know how much these cost?!” My dad yelled.
When Lily was little, even a sneeze warranted
a hospital visit.
I was afraid of poisoning myself, and now I
The commotion attracted attention.
Lily, as expected, sweetly smiled and started
picking up the groceries.
“Oh Emily, John’s just busy, and Mom and
Dad are getting old, their memory isn’t what it
used to be. You can’t have mangoes, I won’t
let them buy them for you anymore.”
“See, how thoughtful Lily is.”
My mom said approvingly.
“Then why did you give me mango milk during
my SATS?”
Lily’s hand froze.
She thought I’d forgotten
Г
“Lily, don’t pick that up!” John pulled Lily up,
looking at me with disgust, frowning, “She’s
not like that, the stairs were an accident, we
can have another baby…”
“It’s okay, there’s a security camera.” I
interrupted.
I installed it for the baby.
It would be easy to prove whether it was an
accident.
A crack finally appeared in Lily’s facade.
John stared at me in silence, a malicious glint
in his eyes, finally saying, “I’ll agree to a
divorce, but you can’t bother Lily.”
Г