Chapter 6

“I lost control and slapped her,” Vanessa sobbed. “Then she got angry and shoved me.”

“You know I’m pregnant. You know I’m not strong. I can’t handle even the smallest fall.”

I sat there frozen, staring at her.

My lips moved several times before I finally managed to speak.

“Liam, listen to me. That’s not what happened.

“I really didn’t do that.”

But Liam exploded.

“Claire, how can you be this vicious?”

His eyes were red with fury.

“Eight years ago, you cheated on me without a shred of shame. Now, eight years later, the second I’m about to get married, you decide you want me back and attack my fiancée?”

He stepped toward me.

“You laid a hand on my woman, didn’t you? Then today, you can find out what it feels like when someone lays a hand on mine.”

With that, he kicked my wheelchair hard.

Once.

Twice.

Again and again.

Then he grabbed the handles and shoved it backward with brutal force.

The wheelchair slammed into the dining table. Bowls crashed to the floor and shattered. The table tipped over.

So did I.

My head struck the corner of the table.

For a moment, the whole world went white.

Then blood ran down my face.

My ears rang. My body began to shake uncontrollably, but Liam did not look at me once.

He only rushed back to Vanessa and gathered her into his arms. As she cried against him, he kissed the corner of her mouth again and again, frantic and gentle.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. Don’t cry. I’m taking you to the hospital now.”

Then, without sparing me another glance, he carried Vanessa toward the door.

I watched Vanessa’s triumphant smile over his shoulder.

I watched Liam walk away.

And suddenly, I laughed.

I laughed until tears blurred everything.

It made me think of the year we were eighteen, when a man on the bus groped me.

Back then, Liam was still reckless, fierce, and impossible to stop once anger took hold of him. He grabbed that man, who was a full head taller and much stronger than him, and hit him like a wild thing.

Punch after punch landed on the man’s face.

“You piece of garbage. You dare touch my girl? I’ll kill you.”

Everyone on the bus was terrified.

Only I was crying as I clung to Liam’s arm, begging him to stop. Only then did he finally let go.

Back then, I was Liam’s girl.

So he protected me with everything he had.

Now, the person in his heart was someone else.

So he protected her with everything he had, even if the person he hurt was me.

The servers gathered around in a nervous circle.

Then the police arrived.

The moment I saw them, the last of my strength seemed to leave me.

I clutched one officer’s hand and said, “Please tell my mother not to pursue this.”

“Tell her this was my choice.

“Tell her I’m sorry. I… I don’t think I can stay with her anymore.”

My chest felt tight and hollow.

But strangely, I no longer felt regret.

I had fought cancer for eight years.

I had waited for Liam for eight years.

My greatest wish had only been to see him one more time.

Now I had.

That was enough.

Goodbye, Liam.

I love you.