Chapter 3

"Lucas! Is that how you talk to your mother!" Derek slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"Dad! Look at what she's become! In front of Megan—how am I supposed to face anyone!"

Megan's face went pale too:

"Mr. Thompson, Lucas, I'm full. I should go."

That night, I couldn't sleep.

I heard Lucas's hushed voice coming from the balcony.

"Megan, I'm sorry, my mom didn't mean to..."

"Please don't be mad. I promise it won't happen again..."

His tone was humble, like dust on the ground.

I buried my head in my blanket, and tears flowed silently.

The next day, Lucas's eyes were swollen.

He blocked my doorway, warning me with an expression of seriousness I had never seen before.

"Mom, Megan's parents are coming over today to discuss our engagement."

"You are not to leave this room all day."

"Did you hear me?"

I looked at him and nodded, half understanding.

He seemed unsure, so he found a lock and locked my door from the outside.

"Be a good girl." I hugged my worn stuffed doll with threads coming loose at the armpit, curled up in the corner of my bedroom, and said to myself.

Soon, laughter and cheerful voices came from the living room.

I heard words like "wedding" and "ring."

I didn't understand them, but I knew these things would make my Lucas happy.

As long as Lucas was happy, I was happy.

The sun slowly moved across the sky, and my stomach started growling.

I needed to use the bathroom.

I ran to the door and pounded on it.

"Bathroom... need bathroom..."

The laughter and conversation in the living room were too loud, drowning out my voice.

No one heard me.

My lower belly grew more and more swollen, more and more painful.

I pressed my legs together and paced anxiously around the room, like a trapped ant.

"Open door... please... bathroom..."

My voice took on a crying tone.

But the people outside seemed to be making a toast. The voices got even louder.

I couldn't hold it anymore.

A warm liquid flowed down my thighs, soaking my pants and pooling at my feet.

The smell of urine instantly filled the entire room.

I stared at the puddle on the floor, frozen.

Then I burst into tears, sitting on the ground and wailing like a real three-year-old child.

My crying finally alarmed the people outside.

The laughter in the living room stopped abruptly.

The sound of a key turning in the lock, and the door was yanked open.

Lucas, Derek, two middle-aged strangers, and a pale-faced Megan all stood at the doorway.

They saw the room reeking of urine, and me—sitting on the ground, soaked through, utterly pathetic.

Megan's mother's expression changed on the spot.

She pointed at me and shrieked at Lucas:

"This is what you call 'getting better'? This is a bottomless pit!"

"Let me tell you, I do not approve of this marriage! I will never let my daughter jump into this kind of hellhole!"

Lucas's face turned red, then white. He tried to explain:

"Mrs. Carter, my mom will get better. The doctor said..."

"The doctor said? You believe whatever the doctor says?" Megan's father sneered. "With a burden like this, your whole life is ruined! Don't even think about dragging our Megan down with you!"

Megan was crying. She held onto her parents' hands, apologizing over and over.

Before leaving, she looked back at Lucas. In her eyes was despair and finality.

The door slammed shut.

Dead silence in the living room.

Lucas collapsed onto the sofa as if all his strength had been drained.

He buried his head in his hands, his fingernails digging deep into his scalp, his shoulders shaking violently.

I timidly walked out of the room and stood in front of him.

I pulled a piece of candy from my pocket—candy I had hidden for a long time, too precious to eat myself.

I wanted to make him happy.

"Lucas... candy... sweet..."