Chapter 5

Mira’s POV

I wondered if I had made the right decision as I held the divorce papers in my hands.

The living room was empty. It’s been two weeks and no one came to visit me at the hospital. Thanks to Ann who brought me food daily and took care of me.

I took the same stairs I was pushed down from towards Joseph’s room, ready to face what I had already made up my mind to do. But just as I touched the door knob, I hesitated.

Was this the right decision?

Fiona’s smiling face came to mind and I couldn't shrug it off.

And Joseph… I had left everything for him.

Now, everything was extremely bleak.

The divorce papers felt heavier than they should. Ann and the man at the elevator had made it seemed easy but it wasn't.

Not a bit.

Yet, I took a deep breath and reached for the handle. Then I heard her.

My sister.

“You're taking too long, Joseph.” she said, grumbling about something he had apparently done.

“You don't rush things like this, Julie. It takes time.” Joseph replied and I paused.

I leaned in, curious to hear what they were talking about, gripping the papers tightly in my hands.

“Leave her already.”

My eyes widened at her words. Were they talking about me?

“You know I can't leave her now, Julie. She's still of use. How do you expect us to get blood for Fiona if I divorce her? She's the only match aside from you and till Fiona gets a clear from the doctor that she's healthy, there's nothing much I can do but tolerate her wretched presence.”

My heart felt like it was tightening with each word that left his mouth leaving me unable to breathe. Was that all I was to him?

A blood bank? Was that all he ever saw me as?

“And who says if you divorce her now she would stop transfusing blood to our girl?” Julie asked.

“Trust me, Julie. I know what I am doing.” Joseph replied.

“You’ve been saying that for years now, Joseph. I am tired of watching my daughter call another woman mother.”

My heart stopped.

What?!

“Don’t talk like this isn’t your idea.” I heard Joseph murmuring. And then silence.

My mind continued to race. What does Julie mean by Fiona calling another woman her mother?

“I know… I just love my daughter too much and I feel suffocated anytime I hear Mira call her her daughter.”

My mind went blank.

Her daughter?

How?

I froze, my hand still gripping the doorknob. My head started ringing like someone had just hit me hard. Her words repeated over and over again until they were all jumbled up in my head.

Her daughter.

“You promised me,” Julie added. “You told me she was just for the company, that once you got what you wanted, you’d get rid of her.”

“I did get what I wanted,” he said, his tone shifting, almost bored. “But Fiona… you know how complicated it is. Until the doctors from Japan come, I can’t let Mira go. Fiona needs her blood. She’s the only match.”

“Or would you rather give your blood?” Joseph asked.

“And grow old and weak like that old hag?” She asked, “Joseph, do you hate me that much?”

Joseph chuckled, “Of course not. I love you…” he replied.

“Come here…” he whispered in a seductive voice and my heart dropped.

I choked back tears, making me let out a small gasp but my hand quickly flew to my mouth, silencing myself.

The next I heard were giggling, chuckling, smooching.

They had been having sex. Under my nose.

I remained there, pressed against the wall, afraid that even my breathing would give me away.

My mind was in turmoil.

What about my baby?

I went into labor and gave birth.

I carried my baby. I had given birth. I had—

The hospital. The emergency. I had passed out. They said it was mine. Joseph said it was mine. He… lied?

I felt my throat burn, my eyes blur, but I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

When the hell did Julie get pregnant? She has been out of the country. How is Fiona hers?

What happened to my baby?

I stood there, every muscle in my body shaking. The edges of my vision blurred. I wanted to scream, to burst in and throw the paper in his face, but I couldn’t even move. My body refused. I could only listen as my world quietly collapsed.

He chuckled, that same laugh that used to make me blush… Now, it made me sick.

I didn’t even realize I was crying until I felt the tears slide down to my neck.

Served her purpose.

That’s all I was to him. To them.

I loved him. I had loved that child, bled for her, lived for her, and all along—

She wasn’t mine. None of them were.

I pressed my forehead against the wall, the cool paint doing nothing to stop the shaking in my hands.

The thought of Fiona’s laughter slipped into my head without permission. The first time she called me “Mama.”

The thought of how Joseph used to look at me, eyes soft, voice warm. All lies. All of it. Every smile, every kiss, every whispered promise… were all for the company.

The low sounds from inside the room got a little louder, a mix of laughter and muffled voices— moans

I didn’t want to hear anymore so I staggered away in pain.

I didn’t know how long I sat on my bed crying, but the notification from my phone pulled me back to reality.

It was a text message from grandfather.

Grandfather: 'My Mira, how are you? Come home. Grandfather misses you.'

My heart ached when I read grandfather's message. He had warned me concerning Julie all these years. He said he didn't trust Joseph, but I refuse to listen. I mean, Julie was my only sister. And Joseph. I had loved him. Adored him.

But not anymore.

The next time I stood up, I was determined to do what I have been planning with Ann for weeks.

Divorce Joseph.

“The best way to handle people like that is to leave them. There is nothing left to fix." The words of the man from the elevator resounded.

"For people like that, revenge is best served cold…”

My jaws clenched. What was I holding back for?

Fiona wasn’t mine after all.

And that hurt like hell. “The only thing holding me back isn’t even mine.” I chuckled to myself.

Even with this knowledge that Fiona wasn’t mine by blood, she was still my daughter. I had raised her. I had held her through every fever, every nightmare, and every cry.

I couldn’t leave without seeing her one last time. It's not like any of these were her fault.

I stepped out of my room towards hers. My hand hovered over the knob for a while before I pushed it open.

She was there, sitting on her small couch, laughing with two of her friends. For a second, I saw her as I always did, bright, beautiful, my little girl. But when her eyes met mine, that light vanished.

The laughter stopped. Her friends turned to look at me.

Fiona sighed, crossing her arms.

“What do you want?” she asked flatly. “Didn’t I tell you not to come in without knocking?”

I forced a smile, even though my lips were trembling. “I just… wanted to see you.” I whispered.

'One last time' I thought

My heart was aching as I took steps into the room and closer to her. She was just an innocent little girl entangled in the midst of all these.

But she rolled her eyes, turning to her friends. “Just ignore her. She’s not important.”

My eyes sting with tears at her words. My heart shattered to pieces.

I tried to laugh it off, to pretend it didn’t hurt, but my gentle voice cracked. “Fiona baby, please—”

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “You make me sick.”

I took a small step forward, my eyes burning. “I just want to hug you. Just once.”

She moved back like I was some kind of disease. “Don’t touch me! You’re disgusting!”

“What?” My voice broke.

“You stink. You look like a dead woman. Thin. Old. You dress like daddy don't buy you good clothes. And look at your lips, they are breaking. Can’t you be beautiful for once?”

The silence after that was louder than her voice. Her friends looked away, uncomfortable, but no one said a word.

I stood there, staring at her, my chest caving in slowly. The tears fell freely this time.

I whispered, barely audible, “I am like this for you; because I love you, Fiona”

“Be a little bit beautiful like Aunty Julie and maybe I’d hug you.”

I froze.

“She is more fit to be my mother.” She added and a sad smile spread across my lips.

And just like that, I knew. Julie had always been the one. I was just too blind and stupid to see it.

I turned around, wiped my tears and walked out of the room without looking back.

Pulling out my phone, I replied Grandfather's message.

"Okay Grandfather. I am on my way".

It was time to leave.