It wasn't the first time I'd been mistreated, but it was the first time I'd chosen to accept it without a fight. "Fine, I'll head home on my own."
I shut the car door and walked off ahead of them. It was rush hour, so I couldn't even catch a cab. As someone who had recently had an abortion, I wandered for an hour in the searing heat to come home.
I was greeted by harsh complaints when I pushed the door open.
"Scarlett, why are you so slow? We've been home for ages."
"We haven't eaten all night. Come on, let's taste your cooking again."
I turned my gaze to Julian and Anne. It was a sweltering summer day and the air conditioning was off because they didn't want the fragile Anne to catch a cold. Julian sat beside her, fanning her with a paper fan.
Despite breaking into a sweat himself, he ignored it entirely and kept fawning over Anne. Sam shouted after seeing I was quiet, "Julian, we're all starving! Tell your wife to cook us something to eat!"
Julian finally looked up. He casually ordered without noticing how pale I was, "Scarlett, go make us something simple to eat and make some soup for Anne. It'll help her recover."
A sharp pain stabbed at my heart, making it hard to breathe. I turned and walked into the kitchen, trying to block out their happy voices. I felt like a stranger in my own home.
I used to argue with them hysterically as if it could restore my dignity. Still, I didn't realize that my outbursts only fueled their arrogance.
Anne was always patient and different from my childish nature, but I've had enough. These people, this relationship—it's not worth the energy.
I was exhausted by the time I brought out the food. Anne offered to help but flinched away as I handed her the soup. The chicken soup spilled all over the floor and the bowl shattered into countless pieces.
"Watch out!" Julian quickly shielded Anne, but a large patch of my bare calf turned red from the scalding liquid.
"Scarlett, I know you don't like me, but you didn’t have to drop the bowl on purpose!" Even though not a single drop of soup splashed on her, Anne threw herself into Julian's arms and acted like she had been wronged.
"That's right. What are you doing, Scarlett?"
"You've been targeting Anne for so long. We're all just friends—why are you acting like this?"
"She let go of the bowl first."