Chapter 56
Grace endured the abdominal pain as she returned home, took some pills, and fell into a drowsy sleep. By evening, some knocks on the door woke her up.
“Do you even care what time it is? Why aren’t you making dinner? Do you want to starve me?”
Laney barged in. Grace glanced outside, and it was already dark. Normally, she would have had dinner ready by now. In the past three years, she had never let Laney eat takeout, not even when she was sick. But today, for some reason, she had no desire to cook for Laney anymore.
“Go eat out. I’m not feeling well.”
She tossed Laney 30 dollars and turned to drink some water. Antonio hadn’t come home, probably still with Keyla. Lately, he rarely ate at home, yet Grace still cooked dinner for three every day, just in case he might come back to a warm meal. Sadly, her efforts never earned her even a shred of his affection.
“I’m sick of your cooking anyway. If my brother didn’t stop me from eating out, I’d be getting takeout every day.”
Laney shot her a glare before slamming the door on her way out. Grace shook her head. See, she had done so much for Laney, but Laney wasn’t grateful at all. The siblings truly were cut from the same cloth. She wrapped her arms around herself and stood by the window for a long time, not noticing Antonio had come home.
“Grace, where’s Laney?”
Startled, Grace quickly wiped away the dried tears from her face.
“She went out to cat. I’m not feeling well, so I’m heading to bed.”
Grace didn’t want to talk to Antonio, though she had so many questions. Did he ever love her even for a moment in these three years? Even just a little? Was he really going to marry Keyla? Did he not see everything she had done for him? She didn’t ask any of these questions, for she knew she might not like the answers she would get. That would only make her feel more humiliated.
Antonio, however, stopped her.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to let her eat outside food? Are you really sick, or are you just throwing a tantrum?
“It think I need to explain anything to you, but you can’t do this to
ney.
“She’s a senior at high school and needs healthy food. How could you let her eat the junk food out there?”
Grace stared at Antonio, stupefied.
This was the longest conversation they’d had in three years, yet every word out of his mouth was blame. He didn’t sound like a husband speaking to his wife, but more like an employer reprimanding his maid.
For the first time, Grace cried in front of him. She had been so good at dealing with his coldness with a smile, but now, she didn’t want to pretend anymore. She could feel sad. She could be jealous and angry. She could get sick and exhausted. Why would Antonio always take everything she did for granted?
Couldn’t he see how much she had endured and how deeply she loved him? Or did he think she simply deserved this?
“Antonio, I said I’m not feeling well. I’m sick. Is that not allowed?”
Tears streamed down her face, and Grace stared at Antonio, hoping to see some guilt on his face. But there was none.
“Grace, if you don’t want this anymore, just say it. We’re not –”
“We’re not legally married anyway, so you can kick me out whenever you want, right?”
Those words seemed to have hit a nerve, and Antonio’s face flushed. Grace waited for him to break up with her, but he just wiped away her tears with his hand.
“What nonsense are you talking about? What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”
Grace let out a bitter laugh. What was he doing? Did he want to keep both women, one taking care of his daily needs and one enjoying hist love?
But Grace didn’t want that. No matter how much she loved him, she still had her dignity. She couldn’t accept the filth in their relationship, nor could she tolerate his deception.
For the first time, Grace acted on her anger. She locked the door and started packing her things. Despite Antonio’s wealth, he had rarely ever bought her anything. He did give her a wedding ring, but that was something that Keyla had rejected. Grace had to buy everything for herself. So, naturally, she was taking it all with her.
Antonio didn’t come in to bother her. They had always slept in separate
rooms anyway, and for once, Grace was glad for the silence. She didn’t have much stuff, and she had one more day to settle things at school. By the day after tomorrow, Shane would come to pick her up.
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.