Chapter 4

My main job was a nurse; the restaurant work was a side hustle, from 10 PM to 11 PM, for $10 an hour for the graveyard shift.

The icy water was brutal, making my chapped hands ache and turn a painful red, constantly splashing onto my belly.

My baby seemed to protest too, a few sharp kicks against my ribs.

Dirt and grime clung to my fingers, and I saw what looked like a customer's vomit. My hand trembled.

"Crack!" The plate slipped from my grasp and shattered on the floor.

Mr. Henderson, the manager, stood with his hands on his hips, jabbing his finger hard into my temple, his voice booming.

"What do you think you're doing?! Get out! You're not working today!"

I sharply raised my head, tears blurring my vision. "Please, no! You know my situation…"

Mr. Henderson glanced at the leftovers on a nearby plate, grabbed a random plastic bag from the floor, and started dumping the food in.

Greens, roasted chicken, sweet soup… all mixed together, it looked like pig slop.

The tied-up plastic bag was unceremoniously tossed to the floor.

"Take this and get out! Aren't you always pulling these little stunts?!" Mr. Henderson sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm, intentionally raising his voice to mock me.

I walked home like a zombie, my stomach aching with hunger.

Clutching my lower back, I went to the kitchen and found the noodle bowl and forks still sitting in the sink, unwashed.

I headed straight to the bedroom. What greeted me was a room in utter disarray: clothes, shoes, instant noodle cups… everywhere.

Liam was sprawled on the bed, sleeping soundly, snoring like a freight train.

Was he that tired? I was exhausted too…

Enduring the aches, I washed the dishes in the kitchen. When I went to throw out the trash, I saw two eggshells at the bottom of the bin.

The tears I'd held back for so long burst forth when I saw those two eggshells.

He'd put two eggs in his noodles earlier—but hadn't spared a single one for me.

Hadn't he always sworn he'd suffer before he'd let me suffer?

My heart ached with sharp, pulling pains.

I placed a hand on my belly and took deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

After washing up, I curled into a small corner of the bed. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I remembered my anomaly scan appointment for tomorrow.

I pushed Liam hard twice, but he didn't react, only mumbled something, rolled over, and continued sleeping.

Unable to take it anymore, I slapped him across the face.

"Liam! You used my card to pay that tramp, what about my prenatal checkup tomorrow?!"

He suddenly threw off the covers and sat up, glaring at me and roaring.

"Figure it out yourself! All you ever talk about is money, money, money! If you need money, you figure it out!"

"You're just a gold-digger, and you're calling that hardworking woman names? You're the pathetic one!"

Me, a gold-digger? I broke ties with my family to be with him!

I gave up my career as a resident physician to become a registered nurse, and now I don't even have money for my prenatal checkup, and somehow it's my fault?

"Get out! I don't want to see you!" I screamed, my voice hoarse.

He only raised an eyebrow, a mocking look on his face. "If anyone's getting out, it's you. Don't you dare forget who actually paid the rent this month!"

"You…"

A sudden, intense pain shot through my stomach. I clutched my belly, gasping for air.

Instinctively reaching out for help, my hand trembled, but then I heard Liam scoff.

"Faking it again, huh? You loved playing the victim when we were dating. Looks like old habits die hard, even now."

Then he pulled the covers over his head and went back to sleep.