CHAPTER FOUR — The Happy Couple

When I met Malcolm, he was a poor, struggling teaching assistant at the university.

I was just a freshman, still learning the cruel difference between Rosie and me in this wicked world.

If life were a novel, Rosie would be the heroine. She’d be the one blessed with a lucky halo that made everyone adore her effortlessly.

And me? I wouldn’t even be the villain. I’d be the faceless side character who blended into the background, the one no reader ever remembered.

It had been that way since we were kids. Rosie took after our mother with her bright green eyes, and soft red hair. She was a beauty that made every eyes turn to her the moment she walked into a room.

I didn’t even look like my father. In fact, I didn’t look like anyone in our family. I was plain with an ordinary face, ordinary body, ordinary everything.

Our parents adored Rosie from the very beginning. She was their pride, their miracle child. I was simply the reminder that they had another daughter. Still, Rosie was never cruel or spoiled. She was kind and that made it even harder to resent her.

So when Malcolm looked at me instead of her… when he smiled at me… it was the first time in my life someone had ever wanted me.

I thought that made me special.

That at least in his life, I was important enough to mean something and little by little, he started to mean something to me too.

My love for him gave me courage. It was because of Malcolm that I started my business after university. I ignored my mother when she tried to push me to marry one of her older, wealthy friends. I chose Malcolm instead. I held his hand and worked hard, dreaming of a life where we’d never have to worry again.

But what did that get me?

A loveless marriage.

An empty home.

And now… a dying body lying on the same bed we use to share.

Cancer ate away at me slowly, but the truth was worse. To know that even from the very beginning, it was all a lie. That it wasn’t that he fell out of love with me… he was never in love at all.

Ah… what a cold, lonely world.

What sin did I commit in my past life to deserve this kind of punishment?

And if it is so, how can this pain stop? Do I really need to die?

My hand clenched the sheets as the pain returned in waves. I cried until I could barely breathe. The ache in my chest wasn’t just from the sickness… it was from being unwanted.

“Hel… help,” I whispered, forcing my voice out even though every word hurt.

“R… Rosie… M… mom…”

I laid there for what felt like forever, calling out, but no one came. It was like the whole world had forgotten me.

I don’t know where the strength came from, but I gripped the sheets and pushed myself up. I groaned as pain rushed up my body and I suddenly felt the urge to cough and vomit as blood splattered across my shaking hands.

It was gut wrenching to look at.

I sniffled as my feet touched the cold floor, but my knees buckled, sending me crashing down hard. The pain was so sharp, but I bit down on my lip and pushed myself up again, gritting my teeth until I was sure I’d steadied myself before taking a step.

It was so hard to see, it was like every passing day, I was getting even more blind.

Step by step, I made my way to the door. My fingers shook as I turned the handle and pushed it open. The sudden light hit me and I winced, my eyes turning to look away.

That was when I heard what sounded like laughter coming from downstairs.

I moved to take a look but I accidentally saw myself in the tall mirror by the hallway. You could have said the person staring back at me was a stranger and I would have believed you.

My skin was as pale as paper, my cheeks sunken and empty. My hair was almost gone and the little I had left clung to my skull in a lifeless and thin way. My eyes were soulless.

I looked like a ghost that hadn’t realized it was already dead.

“Oh my gosh, Mom, stop it!” Rosie’s laughter rang out from downstairs.

I froze.

That sound of her laughter caused a sudden rush of rage in my veins.

I forced myself to move, dragging my weak body toward the staircase. Every step felt like it would break me, but I had to see what was happening.

When I reached the end of the railing and looked down, I gasped.

They were having a party.

With balloons, decorations and music.

My father. My mother. My sister, Rosie.

And Malcolm, my husband.

They were all smiling and laughing, clicking their wine glasses like it was the happiest day of their lives.

For a moment, I couldn’t move. I just stood there, gripping the railing, trembling.

A party.

For what?!

Their eldest daughter, sister, wife was dying right in front of them and they were celebrating?

“Congratulations on becoming Acting CEO, my son-in-law!” my father said proudly, shaking Malcolm’s hand. “I knew you could do it. It’s been a long time coming.”

My mother laughed, raising her glass to toast.

“Why call him son-in-law? He’s our son, through and through! He’s never given us a reason to be disappointed… right, Rosie?”

Rosie smiled… that same sweet, gentle smile that once filled me with warmth and safety. She smiled up at Malcolm… he smiled back and right in front of our parents, right in front of me. They kissed.

My sister kissed my husband.

Right there, in front of my parents.

“Aww! What an adorable couple!” my mother sang out, clapping her hands.

Malcolm and Rosie laughed, and he…he wrapped his arm around her waist.

They all cheered.

It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. My world shattering, piece by piece, and I couldn’t even look away.

As if dying wasn’t enough… I had to watch the last good thing I ever believed in turn to nothing.

My brain turned. I thought of the day I met Malcolm…the shy smile he gave me when he helped me pick up my books. Rosie had been standing behind me that day.

Was he smiling at her?

Then our wedding day when he said his vows, the promise to love me in sickness and in health. Rosie was right behind me then too as my maid of honor.

Was he looking at her when he said those words?

I turned to my parents, to my father, who had always been indifferent towards me, and my mother, who never once tried to hide her disappointment in me.

Why?

Why was I never enough?

What did I ever do wrong?

And then my eyes found Rosie… my sister, my cheerleader, the person I trusted most.

Something inside me broke.

It felt like falling off a bridge, like the ground had disappeared under my feet.

I laughed.

I laughed so hard it hurt, like I was going insane.

They all turned toward me in shock. My mother’s hand froze mid-clap and Rosie’s smile faded, Malcolm’s face went pale.

I stood there at the edge of the stairs, laughing like a madwoman, tears running down my face.

Because what else could I do?

Kill them?!

Oh I wish.