Chapter 3

A strange feeling surged through Lester, and he reflexively started to follow her upstairs. Suddenly, Letitia beside him cried out in pain. “Lester, my stomach hurts so much. I wonder if the baby got scared by Lorraine.” Lester's steps halted instantly. With a look of concern, he helped Letitia sit up and immediately called the doctor on his phone. Letitia feigned concern again. “Lester, you should check on Lorraine first. I'm afraid she's upset.” Lester frowned. “Don't worry about her. She's probably just throwing another tantrum. She'll calm down on her own.” With that, he picked up the soup from the table and carefully fed it to Letitia. “Have some soup to nourish yourself. You're pregnant now.” Only then did Letitia begin drinking the soup with satisfaction. Standing at the doorway, I heard every word Lester said. Lester, who worried so much about Letitia's pregnancy, had likely forgotten his own wife was also expecting. My heart felt like ashes as I walked into the room and took down the wedding photos. I surrendered this home to Letitia. And I no longer wanted Lester either. The cheerful chatter downstairs lasted all afternoon. It wasn't until nightfall that Lester returned to the room. Facing the empty space, Lester visibly froze. “Why are so many things gone?” “Just throw the unnecessary things,” I replied flatly. Apparently not expecting my departure, Lester quickly changed the subject. He frowned and said, “Lorraine, you really went too far just now. Mom only invited Letitia and the kid to stay because she misses the baby. For your baby's sake, you shouldn't have thrown a tantrum.” I looked at Lester with disappointment. Even now, he was still using our dead daughter as an excuse. He didn't notice my expression and continued. “Besides, Letitia is carrying a child now, and you are pregnant either. Can't you show some understanding?” Bitterness rose on my tongue. I clenched my teeth tightly, forcing myself not to voice my questions. In all the time since I'd returned home, not a single person had noticed my belly had flattened. Perhaps in this household, no one truly cared about me or the child inside me. “I refuse to let her move in.” I growled, my voice low and furious. Lester paused. Just then, Letitia appeared in the doorway. Tears streaming down her face, she touched her own belly and moaned, “Lester, if Lorraine opposes it so strongly, I'll just move out.” With that, she turned and walked away, stumbling violently at the end of the hallway and crashing to the floor. Lester, already agitated, shot me a furious glare after seeing her fall. “Are you satisfied now? If anything happens to Letitia's baby, I won't let you off the hook!” His voice was icy, yet his movements as he helped Letitia up were painstakingly careful. He picked her up and turned to leave. “Lester! If you insist on bringing her in, I'm leaving!” I couldn't help but shout. Lester carried Letitia without looking back, his voice cold and distant. “You won't, Lorraine. You have nowhere to go.” Watching his indifferent back, I laughed until tears streamed down my face. Lester was certain I'd fallen out with my father and had nowhere to go but the Turner Family. But he didn't know that before returning home, I'd already applied for my immigration papers. In six days, I'd be gone for good. I began packing my belongings and documents. Before Lester returned, I finalized the agreements once more. “What do you have in your hands?” Lester effortlessly snatched the divorce and resignation agreements from my grasp. My heart skipped a beat, unsure of his intentions. My voice cracked as I said, “Just sign it.” Lester paused, preparing to open the documents while continuing to placate me: “I know what I said earlier was harsh, but I was panicking. If something happened to Letitia at our place, it’d make you look even worse to Mom. Think of it as a blessing for our daughter.” As he spoke, his hand reached for my belly. I stiffened and sidestepped him without showing it. Lester frowned deeply, apparently thinking I was still sulking. Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang in his pocket. He answered quickly. Through the crack, I saw Letitia’s name. Letitia cried out something on the other end, and Lester’s expression darkened instantly. “I’ll be right there.” He turned to look at me. “I won't be back tonight. The scare you gave Letitia earlier has caused signs of miscarriage.” His gaze was filled with blame as he turned to leave. I grabbed his sleeve without hesitation. “The documents... aren't signed yet.” Lester accused, “Don't you care about Letitia at all?” I remained silent, urging him only to sign quickly. The phone rang again. Lester finally signed the contract in a fluster. He slammed it into my face as if venting his frustration, snarling, “Is that enough?” I nodded silently. Watching his retreating figure, I felt the thread connecting Lester and me had been severed completely.