The baby in my belly couldn’t be saved either. It had been a test-tube baby, one I had begged Max for, after enduring hundreds of injections, and because of his indifference, it was gone forever.
On the third day of my hospital stay, Max finally came. He sat in the chair with his legs crossed, his face showing not a hint of concern, and began to criticize me.
“Why didn’t you wear gloves that day? You know I’m allergic to women. Good intentions that cause harm are just foolishness.”
His eyes shifted to the miscarriage report beside me, calm and distant.
“If the child was that weak, it only means he wasn’t fit to survive in this world. It’s better that he’s gone.”
My hands gripped the white bedsheet so tightly that it wrinkled beneath my fingers. He had never looked forward to this child; the only one who truly cared was me.
I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and asked quietly, “Why did you hold that sign language interpreter? Weren’t you afraid of being allergic?”
For a moment, Max froze, and a flicker of emotion passed through his usually calm eyes.
“She was really scared at the time. I forgot.”
“She was on her period and couldn’t stand the cold. She was helping me, so I couldn’t just let her fall.”
A wave of irony filled my chest. During our second year of marriage, I had severe cramps and a high fever.
The housekeeper reminded Max to use a wet towel to help me cool down. But when my hand accidentally brushed his, he poured the entire basin of cold water over me, and then rushed to the bathroom to wash his hands and vomit.
“But Max, you clearly knew I couldn’t swim. Weren’t you afraid I would die?” In the end, I couldn’t hold it back and asked anyway.
“I calculated it. The rescue team at the base would arrive within ten minutes. You might suffer a little, but you wouldn’t die.”
“Lila Chase, I’ve already told you about my condition. You were the one who insisted on marrying me, so what are you complaining about now?”
His eyes showed nothing but impatience, as if everything had always been my fault. But he wasn’t wrong; I had chosen this path myself.
Max glanced at his watch and stood up. “All right, the doctor said you can be discharged. Let the driver take you home. I have work to do.”
A few minutes later, the sound of high heels and a girl’s surprised cry came from downstairs.