As I sat there, struggling to breathe through the pain, Oscar continued rummaging through the room like a thief in his own house. He eventually spotted my designer bag—one I had bought for myself as a reward for a hard-earned work bonus.
“Perfect,” he said with a triumphant smirk.
“Madeline’s going to a party tomorrow, and she needs a bag. Your Chanel will do just fine.”
I froze. That bag wasn’t his to give. I shot to my feet, wobbling slightly as I snatched it out of his hands.
“No! I bought this with my own money. If she needs a bag, she can buy one herself!”
At that moment, Madeline came downstairs, her sweet voice grating on my nerves. She clung to Oscar’s arm, her doe eyes wide with fake innocence.
“Oscar, it’s fine. If Evelyn doesn’t want to share, let’s forget about it,” she cooed, her voice dripping with syrupy manipulation.
Oscar’s face darkened, and he turned on me, his voice rising as he shouted at me, “Don’t be so stingy, Evelyn! You’re just making a big deal out of nothing. I’ll give it back to you after she uses it.”
He grabbed the bag, tugging it hard enough to rip the strap. The sound of tearing leather echoed through the room, and Oscar shot me a look of pure disdain.
“See what you’ve done? Now it’s ruined. Don’t expect me to replace it.”
I stumbled backward, the sharp corner of the table catching my head. Pain exploded in my skull as blood trickled down my face. My vision blurred, and my body trembled as I tried to steady myself.
Oscar’s bravado crumbled in an instant. Panic overtook him as he scooped me up in his arms and rushed out the door, running all the way to the hospital.
“Baby, don’t scare me. Be careful … for the child’s sake,” he pleaded, his voice shaking.
I let out a bitter laugh, my lips trembling.
“Oscar... there is no child. It’s gone. And it’s all your fault.”
His steps faltered, and I felt his body tense beneath me. His face turned ghostly pale as my words sank in.
“The child... is gone?” he whispered, his voice barely audible.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Tears streamed down my face as I stared up at him and responded, “You didn’t care enough to notice. You were too busy running errands for Madeline to realize I was suffering.”