chapter 3
585 Words
Three in the morning. I sat vigil by Stanley’s bedside.
His fever raged, his face scorching hot. All night, I dared not close my eyes, terrified of missing a single dose of medicine.
My phone flashed. A message from Simon: [Let Alice take over. In your state, you’ll only harm the boy.]
Before I could reply, Stanley stirred.
"Auntie Alice is here!" Stanley suddenly sat up in bed.
Alice entered in high heels, carrying a bowl of congee. "Darling, I made your favourite congee."
Stanley snuggled into Alice's embrace. "You’re the best. Mom stayed up all night but forgot my medicine. My throat’s killing me."
I stood frozen, a chill running through me.
"Go rest," Alice said, her smile fading as she looked down at me. "I'll take care of him."
In a daze, I wandered into the storage room to find some spare cold medicine, only to see our wedding photo discarded in the corner.
Dust covered the frame, the photo itself yellowed with age.
On the living room wall hung a photograph of Simon and Alice—taken last month when I’d spotted them at the shopping centre entrance while out for groceries.
A vibration broke the silence. His phone, facedown on the counter, buzzed twice before slipping to the floor.
The screen lit up.
[Once the divorce is final, we’ll go to the Maldives. You and our boy deserve it.]
[Once she’s gone, everything will be fine.]
For a long moment, I couldn’t move. My breath came shallow and uneven.
When I finally opened Stanley’s door again, his diary lay open on the desk.
Why is Mom so useless?
Auntie Alice is way better—she should be my real mom.
Got laughed at again today. All Mom’s fault. I hate her.
I called Alice “Mom” for the first time. It felt right. I wish my real mom would just disappear.
Stanley's furious voice snapped from behind me: "What are you doing in my room?"
"Get out!" He snatched the diary. "All you do is sneak around, leaving me no privacy at all!"
I spotted a stack of photographs in the drawer—all of him and Alice together.
While I’d been burning the midnight oil over reports, they’d long since become a family of three.
"How long do you intend to cling to us?!" Stanley roared, eyes red.
"Auntie Alice is ten thousand times better than you! You’re not fit to be a mother!"
Enough.
I straightened up and headed back to the bedroom to pack my bags.
Simon blocked my way: "Where could you possibly go? You can't do anything for yourself. Do you really think you could manage on your own?"
He eyed me with a cold sneer: "Don't be ridiculous. All you've learned over the years is how to shop for groceries and cook a meal. Do you honestly believe you could survive? Think carefully. Without me, you're nothing!"
I paused packing, turned, and met his gaze directly:
"We shall see."
Alice stood in the doorway too, watching me with scorn. "Don't go. You won't survive on your own."
"I hear you're a top student in finance?" I looked at her properly for the first time. "I hope your expertise isn't just for charming men."
I dragged my suitcase towards the door.
Simon’s furious shout echoed behind me: "Lily! Get back here! Without me, you’re nothing!"
The lift doors closed slowly.
This time, I finally saw everything clearly.
This home was no longer worth staying in.
- Writer
