Chapter 3

[There’s one spot left. We leave in seven days. Can you make it?]

I was about to reply when Jared suddenly knocked the phone out of my hand.

“Kaitlyn, do you have any idea what your life is actually like? You’re disabled. So what if you can hear a little now? You still can’t speak.

“Do you really think you could make it without me? I’m the only person who doesn’t disdain your defects. Anyone else would find being with you too much trouble.

“Just because I’ve put up with everything doesn’t mean you get to push me as far as you want. Without me, no one’s going to stand up for you when people treat you any less because of your disability.”

His face was dark with anger. He did not even bother signing anymore.

My hearing was still recovering. I could only hear relentless ringing.

I struggled to read his lips. Every word I managed to make out cut into me all over again.

For years, I had refused surgery that could restore some of my hearing because I never wanted to hear that kind of cruelty coming straight from someone’s mouth.

When I had slipped his engagement ring onto my finger, he had been the last person I expected to hear such words from.

“Stand up for me? You were the one who said having a kid like me would be a nightmare. You were the one mocking me with your friends. Jared, do you really love me?”

When he loved me, even on a packed subway, he would sign to me about every funny little thing that had happened that day without a care of who was watching.

He had only just started learning sign language back then. His movements had been slow and clumsy, but he would deliberately exaggerate every expression on his face, just to make me smile.

Back then, I thought I finally understood how love could make itself heard even in a world without sound.

However, at that moment, he was using the trust I had given him to hurt me in ways no one else could.

Something seemed to occur to Jared. He froze for a moment.

He quickly composed himself again and looked at me as though I were a child throwing a tantrum over nothing.

“Kaitlyn, can you stop making such a big deal out of this? It was just a couple of stupid jokes. Everyone else says things like that, but it’s unforgivable when I do?

“You’ve been unable to speak for years. You can’t be this sensitive every time someone jokes about it. Naomi’s pregnancy was an accident. We were drunk that night.

“She’s allergic to latex, so we couldn’t use condoms, and afterward she forgot to take the morning-after pill. That’s all it was. Naomi’s health is fragile, so ending the pregnancy isn’t an option.

“When I said I would make it legal with her, I only meant so the baby would have two legal parents. It won’t change anything between us.

“As for you, I’ve been making sure you take birth control this whole time. How could you possibly be pregnant? Even if an accident happened, something would probably go wrong with the baby.

“Add your disability into the mix, would you really want to keep it?”

My hand froze where it rested over my stomach.

“You’ve been giving me birth control?”

Jared avoided my gaze. “I’ve been mixing it in with your daily supplements.”

Ever since we first slept together, he had always prepared my pills for me.

Each little pill box was decorated with silly cartoons and labeled with the names of different vitamins and supplements.

The pills tasted bitter, but I never questioned them because I thought he was taking care of me.

I finally realized that all that supposed care had been nothing but control.

“This was the only way I could make marrying you work, Kaitlyn. I did it for us.”

He reached out to pull me into his arms, but I stepped away.

“Given your situation, I’m as good as you’re ever going to get. Stop being difficult, Kaitlyn. You don’t have other options. Go home and get some rest. I’ll come get you in a week for our wedding.”

After Jared left, I picked up my phone from the floor.

The screen was cracked, but it was still on.

I tapped out the words with steady hands.

[Yes, Professor.]

Then, I hit send.

Who said I could not make it without him?

I had the whole world ahead of me.