Chapter 5

Molly’s POV

Eva is still nestled in my arms when we arrive home. Fear makes her tremble with each sound, and she shivers like she has been kept in a cold room for way too long. 

“Turn the heater up,” I yell to the housekeepers as I race into the living room, placing her gingerly on the couch. Her little hands hold on to me, not wanting to let go.

“Shhhh,” I whisper, patting her damp hair gently. “You are safe, baby. Thank God.”

Jason walks inside, carrying Lila in his arms. “How is she doing?”

At first, I ignore the man I have called husband for more than five years, singing a soft lullaby to Eva. She is still in shock, and falling asleep will be hard. But I have to try. For her sake, I have to. 

“Molly, how is she doing?” This time, it is Amanda who asks, her tone sharper. Something snaps in me as I whip my head around, my eyes falling on them. It is so ironic that they look like the perfect family, while I, the one trying to ruin them.

"In shock," I reply, getting on my feet. "What were you two thinking? I left a child in your care, and you let her drown. Jason, I asked you to watch over her. Eva is your daughter, for crying out loud. But you were hovering over another."

“Oh, don’t bring Lila into this,” Jason snaps back harshly, his hands going to her hair as he tries to soothe her when she winces. “She had a crisis. Should I have let her die because I was trying to keep an eye on Eva?”

His words slap me hard on the face that I am stunned for seconds. 

"And besides, you caused this, Molly. Not Lila or Amanda. You. You have never been the best mother for Eva, and the fact that I have not said anything for so long doesn't mean I haven't been seeing it."

“What?”

“You go out every day, prioritizing whatever you are doing out there over our own daughter.”

I shake my head disbelievingly. "Jason, we have a schedule. I pick her up and take her to school when it is my turn. When have you ever forgotten to get her? We fight about this a hundred times, yet you keep doing the same thing over and over again."

“Can you listen to yourself? Schedule? I guess you will never know what it means to be a real mother. Maybe you should learn from Amanda.”

I think I am about to lose it. 

“Her entire world revolves around the kid. She never misses any of her appointments at the hospital and is always there each time Lila needs her. Where were you when Eva was drowning?”

It feels like a movie scene is playing out before me, while I am a spectator, seated in the middle of a crowd. 

"She is your daughter, too!" I yell, and suddenly, Lila starts crying. 

“Look what you’ve done,” Amanda wails. “The doctor said excessive emotions can trigger another episode. If anything happens to my daughter, Molly…”

"Please save it!" I hold out a hand in the air, silencing her. "I have spoken to Olivia today. Your child has no heart condition. I don't know the silly game you and your lousy child are playing, but…"

The slap came from nowhere, landing on my face. My neck hurts from the impact, and my eyes burn from unshed tears. When I look up, I meet Jason staring down at me, anger in his gaze. 

“Shut your mouth!”’

“Jason!” I cry, holding on to my cheek. “She is lying to you! Why can’t you see it?”

Amanda shakes her head exasperatedly. "Molly, I will let you do and say anything to me, because Jason is your husband, and even though you think something is happening between us, he is only being kind. I'll take it because you have the right to your husband."

Tears start falling from her eyes, and Jason glares at me. "But what I won't accept is you telling me that all my efforts for my daughter to keep her alive have been a lie. I know how many sleepless nights I have had trying to ensure that she doesn't die in the middle of the night, and now, you…"

Jason pulls her into his arms, her face buried in the crook of his neck. 

“That is it,” Jason says, his anger spilling out of the brim. “Get out of my house, Molly.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “Jason! I am your wife! Are you going to choose them over me?”

“You are not my wife, Molly. No wife of mine will act so evil and unconcerned. And you say you are a medical doctor? Is this the meaning of the oath you took?”

I shake my head once. "I am not going to let you throw me out of my own home."

“I built this house,” he mutters in an eerie calm. “So only I can decide who stays and who leaves. And Molly, I have decided that I never want to see you. Take your child and get out.”

“My child?” I whisper, tears blinding my vision.

“How can I be sure she is mine, Molly? Amanda has told me all about the places she has bumped into you. The only reason I didn’t act out all this while is because she begged me not to. You don’t know how much help Amanda has been. I would have divorced you a long time ago.”

Amanda clutches on to his hand and shakes her head. “No, Jason. You can’t send them out. It is raining. Where will they go?”

He takes her face in his hand. "I know you have the kindest heart in the world, Amanda. But Molly doesn't deserve it, and I'm sorry, but nothing you say can make me change my mind."

Jason calls his men to toss me out into the night, along with Eva, who is still shivering from the cold. The rain hits our bodies as we trudge blindly on the streets. My tears make it difficult to see.

I don’t know where to go. Everything I have is in that house, including my car. 

“Don’t worry, baby,” I whisper to Eva as she cries along with me. “We are going to be fine.”

As I make to cross the road, blinding lights suddenly come out of nowhere with so much speed that my running does nothing to save me.

I feel the impact on my side, screaming as Eva falls from my hand, when the tires hit my feet. The last thing I see before the darkness swallows me is the car pulling away.

It looks so much like the one I got for Jason for his last birthday.