After You Hurt Me 99 Times

"The groom is leaving with another woman. Anybody in their right mind wouldn't be able to accept it. Is she really going to let them have their way?"

Someone else sniggered. "She and her mother are a curse to men. They can't even keep a man by their sides. How embarrassing!"

Beneath the altar, the guests criticized me. Mom was so mad at Isaac Pudley that she passed out and toppled on the floor.

"Mom!" I shrieked and repositioned her before applying first aid on her by doing chest compressions.

The crowd was startled, but nobody stepped forward to give me a hand.

Flustered, I turned to Isaac and begged, "Isaac, will you please take my mom to the hospital first?"

Isaac watched everything while holding Megan Ericsson. He swept his cold gaze over Mom and said impatiently, "Every day, you said your mother was dying. How much longer are you going to keep pulling this act?

"Megan's depression could cost her life, and she'll be triggered again if another person sits in the car. Are you trying to kill her?"

All he had on his mind was Megan. Even when my mother had passed out, he couldn't care less about it.

He had completely forgotten that it was all thanks to my mother's retirement fund that he could start his business and build his wealth.

How could anyone be this heartless?

Mom didn't recover consciousness even after I applied CPR on her for a while. Seeing this, the crowd slipped into chaos, and someone called emergency services.

The scene was abuzz. When Isaac wanted to leave, Megan stopped him hesitantly.

After he coaxed her several times, she said in a pretentiously soft voice, "Isaac, I feel weak. Since Mrs. Steiner doesn't need her wheelchair, may I use it instead?"

Instantly, everyone turned to me with complicated looks in their eyes, while I stared unblinkingly at Isaac.

Mom and I were utterly embarrassed that the wedding was interrupted. Was he even going to snatch Mom's wheelchair for Megan?

When Isaac felt Megan trembling in his arms because she was too weak, guilt washed over his eyes, and he looked at me.

"Emily Steiner, your mother doesn't need the wheelchair now anyway. You won't mind letting Megan use it for a while, will you?"

I felt bitter. How could I have forgotten that Megan was his childhood sweetheart? For her sake, he could abandon me time and again during my birthdays, sick days, and when Mom was in critical condition.

Megan was a person who could ruin my wedding with Isaac eight times. How could I compete with her?

Still, I didn't want to let them have it.

Perhaps Isaac already knew my answer. He said again, "A few years ago, you promised me you'd grant me 99 favors. Let's take this as one of the favors, okay? There are still more than dozens to go, aren't there?"

Tears welled up in my eyes at his statement. Once, when Mom was critically ill, he was the one who begged for my hand in marriage from her.

He sold all of his assets and raised money for Mom's treatment. Out of gratitude, Mom agreed to his request, and I asked him how I could repay him.

Scratching his head, he answered nonchalantly, "Mrs. Steiner already gave me your hand in marriage."

I was persistent. "My mother doesn't speak for me."

He felt my sincerity. "Well… Do me 99 favors with no questions asked, or after I've hurt you 99 times, we can write off this gratitude."

During the four years when we were engaged, Isaac never asked any favor from me. But within the one year after Megan showed up, he used up 96 favors.

This time, he was wrong. Firstly, there weren't dozens more favors. Secondly, I wouldn't agree because this concerned Mom's life and death.

To my surprise and before I could reply, Isaac snatched the wheelchair and placed Megan on it. "Remember to keep this in the tab."

Seeing the way he acted, I didn't want to waste my time arguing with him and carried Mom on my back. As I brushed past Megan, I caught a glimpse of the eerie smirk on her face.

The next second, she put out her foot and tripped me. I fell heavily on the floor, and my chin hit a tile. Pain traveled to every part of my body, and Mom flung off from me.

The crowd gasped in shock, and I hurriedly protected Mom.

Next to us, Megan chirped annoyingly, "Emily, even if you want to get Isaac's pity by faking a fall on a flat surface, you shouldn't have used your mother in the act. Mrs. Steiner is still pretending to be unconscious."

One of the guests echoed along, "She's not a good daughter. Mrs. Steiner has already passed out, but she's still jealous over a man. What a tramp!"

Isaac couldn't bear to see me in such a pathetic state and wanted to help me up. But he put down his hand when he heard that. "Emily, hurry and get your mother up. This is embarrassing."

Megan tugged his sleeve. "Alright, Isaac. Don't be mad over such a small issue. Accompany me to the hospital to get my prescription."

Seeing that I didn't argue and limped while carrying Mom on my back, Isaac pushed the wheelchair and caught up to me.

"Should I get someone to help you carry Mrs. Steiner?" he asked in concern.

Megan chuckled softly. "You're as strong as a bull, Emily. Why can't you carry a person today? You're not trying to get in my way on purpose, are you?"

Isaac drew a distance from me upon hearing this, disgust flickering in his eyes. "Emily, why did you turn into such a petty person? You know that Megan's condition is acting up, but you're walking so slowly on purpose.

"Get out of the way if you can't walk anymore. Don't block the path!"

Was I being petty? He once praised me for being understanding, as I never suspected anything despite the concern he showered on Megan. He even treated me well because of this.

Afterward, he abandoned me countless times because of Megan. When I merely asked about it, he called me petty and said I was being inconsiderate to a patient.

Until now, our relationship had gradually changed because of Megan, and his heart was no longer the same.

It took a long while before the ambulance finally arrived, and I placed Mom on the stretcher. When I wanted to hop into the ambulance, Megan stopped me again.

"Emily, I need to go to the hospital, too. Let me have your spot."

Gritting my teeth, I turned to Isaac, who looked awkward.

To my surprise, he stopped her. "We don't need them. I'll send you to the hospital, okay?"

Only then did the car door close.

…

An hour later, I sat outside of the emergency room, crying. Alas, Mom didn't make it through and had passed away during resuscitation.

The doctor said the ambulance had arrived too late. If it had been ten minutes faster, the situation wouldn't have ended this way.

While I sat outside of the ER in a daze, Isaac showed up. I was filled with sadness.

At the thought that Mom would have survived if it wasn't because of him and Megan, I wanted to slap him across the face.

Unexpectedly, I had just raised my hand when he grabbed it in excitement.

With a delighted face, he said, "Emily, thankfully, you were kind enough to stop the wedding and let us leave. Meg's condition was severe earlier. But thanks to your consideration, she's saved."

As he spoke, he saw that the light above the ER door was turned off. Hence, he said lightheartedly, "Looks like Mrs. Steiner is fine as well. Take care of her for now, and I'll visit her once I'm free.

"I promise you that our wedding will proceed smoothly next time. Mrs. Steiner will witness our wedding, my bride."

After speaking, he trotted off, not knowing that I'd be leaving after repaying him the favors.

Also, Mom would never see the day when I get married.