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Chapter 3
I looked at the diagnosis notice in my hand, a pained expression on my face.
Stomach cancer. I had never had much in life, and now that I finally had some money, it seemed I wouldn’t get to enjoy it.
Lost and dejected, I walked home, only to be met with a barrage of harsh words from my mother the moment I stepped inside.
“Look at what you’ve done! We’re about to get married, and your fiancé has left you at home
while he’s off on vacation.
What am I supposed to do with my dignity? If you can’t even keep a man, what good are
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you?”
I weakly opened my mouth.
“The wedding has been postponed, no need to panic. He’s not on vacation; he’s working.”
Facing my mother’s reproach, I ended up lying to cover the truth, unsure whether it was to protect my own pride or to deceive myself.
My mother cast a disdainful glance at me.
“Hmph, you always have an excuse. Since you’re back, get to the kitchen and cook. Can’t you have a bit of responsibility?”
Before she could finish, a sudden wave of
nausea hit me.
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In the next moment, I rushed to the bathroom and began retching uncontrollably at the sink.
At first, my mother seemed disgusted, but then, as if realizing something, she approached me with a change in tone.
“Lia… are you pregnant?
Oh, you should have said it earlier. Hurry, go sit on the couch and rest. I’ll make you something
nice to eat.
Our future grandchild will need to eat well.”
I couldn’t muster the energy to argue with her; the pain in my abdomen had drained me of the will to fight.
Silently, I retreated to my room, lying on the old
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wooden bed that had been my companion for
so long.
Since starting work, I had been living in the company–provided dormitory. Over ti ne, my former room had become a storage space.
I glanced at my old, battered desk, cluttered with various robot and airplane models-
leftovers from my younger brother.
I suddenly remembered a Barbie doll I had once wanted so much. My mother had promised to buy it for me if I got first place.
When I did achieve first place, however, the doll had already been sold to someone else.
Instead, she had readily used the money to buy my brother the latest robot model, even though
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he had come in last.
“You, Lydia, should be more accommodating to your brother. We’re all family, and if he’s happy, you should be happy too. It’s only fair that he gets some extra attention sometimes, understand?”
The robot that had been the latest model is now discarded by my brother, but the sadness and injustice of that time still linger in my heart.
“Dinner’s ready.”
My mother brought out dish after dish, all of which were heavy and favored by my brother, none of which I could eat.
As soon as I sat down, my mother piled a helping of chicken on my plate.
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“Lia, you’re so thin now. You need to eat more and build up your strength, okay?”
Before she could finish, a loud, unreasonable
voice cut in.
“Why is she taking that? Give it back, I want it!”
Before the chicken could even reach my mouth, my brother Bronson, sitting next to me, snatched it away while cursing at me.
“You’re still coming home for dinner even though your husband doesn’t want you anymore? You really have no shame,”
Bronson sneered at me and took a big bite.
My mother’s face turned awkward. She gave
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Bronson a pointed look and turned to me with a forced smile.
“Bron’s just been spoiled by me, haha, it’s just childish talk. Don’t take it too seriously.
“Bron, apologize to your sister. We’ll still be relying on your brother–in–law in the future.”
Oh, childish talk? Is that what you call a twenty–something man–child?
“I don’t care. Ryan doesn’t even like her. Otherwise, why would he be out with another woman? Lydia’s just someone no one wants.”
“Enough!”
I could no longer contain my anger and slammed my fork on the table.
