1-Repentance Tasted Bitter

Looking at the files spread out on the table, Maya tried to hold back the tears but only to wipe them over and over as they trail down her cheeks.

After 3 years of dating and 4 years of marriage, Maya found a side of the man she shared a bed with, a dark, dirty, hidden side that she never imagined existing…

Spread in front of her.

Aside from the thick pile listing his crimes – actual crimes that could one in prison, the few papers about his personal life said enough:

Over the years, he hid at least three million in income in more than a dozen accounts. This investigation alone found the record of nearly one million spent on different women, with one of the largest sums purchasing an apartment in the city center.

In that apartment lived a college girl…and her six-month-old son.

If Maya could still lie to herself in front of this "indirect" evidence, she could no longer when she saw those three photos shot in front of that very same apartment. 

In one photo Jason was side by side with the girl; in another, they were heading into the building holding hands; and the last one was in the middle of the night when Jason just came out of the building.

Jason didn't have his ring in any of these photos. 

He never took it off in front of Maya. 

What was even more ironic, was the diamond necklace on the girl. It looked too familiar…to not be the one Maya lost last year. If that girl bought that Cartier limited edition in the year Maya got married 4 years ago, she would not be living in a small apartment as a lawyer's mistress.

Maya remembered that night when she asked Jason if he had seen that necklace. What did he answer? He said: “Haven’t seen it. Did you lose it?”

And when she tried to search in her memories for that possibility, Jason even played the generous act and said: “It’s okay if you lost it. I’ll get you a new one.”

Now that half a year had passed. Maya didn’t get a new necklace, only a photo of the old one on another girl’s neck.

The girl’s smile in the photo burned Maya’s eyes. She put her hand over her chest, feeling the freezing ache in her heart, not sure what she was upset the most – his lies? His cheating? Or the fact that he cheated and lied, and then put the blame on her?!

She never expected the man she loved and sacrificed so much for seven years could do such a thing, but maybe she should have, because based on the thick pile of his crimes, he was far from the man she thought he was–

In his short career, he did countless dirty deals, helping clients for “extra bonuses”. She was a lawyer herself once – before she quit to be the housewife like he wanted. She knew lawyers sometimes use these grey deals as ladders up, but never did she imagine Jason to be so bold to get so many “ladders” that were so much dirtier than most!

No wonder he had the leisure of 3 million “extra bonuses” to keep women out there.

As a wife, she was sad about the betrayal;

As a former lawyer, she was angry at his immorality.

How did her life come to this point?!

A horn from the driveway pulled her back to reality, and to her difficultly made decision – to get everything out in the open with Jason.

She had prepared a month for today. She gathered all the evidence she could, made sure Jason would get home for dinner, and asked the friendly old lady in her neighborhood to take care of their daughter.

Even though she wasn’t sure what result she was looking for.

A divorce? How could she hurt their 3-year-old daughter with an ugly fall out of her parents? Not to mention the mess and tremendous pressure that would follow her even if she could get custody.

Or forgiveness? Could she really forgive him if he apologize with promises? Could she ever trust his words again? And even if he was willing, what about his mistress and their newborn baby?

Everything was such a mess. 

Maya used to look down on those housewives who couldn't break out of a rotten marriage. She thought they were just too cowardly to do the necessary, only now did she feel all the bitterness and hurt and bewilderment when it was HER rotten marriage that needs a decision.

Unfortunately, Maya decided to listen to what he had to say first.

“Where’s dinner?” Those were the first words out of Jason when he entered and frowned at the empty table.

"Madeline is at Mrs. Dylon's today," Not answering him directly, Maya clutched the materials in her hand to gather courage.

"Isn’t that more of a reason to get me something delicious? We haven't enjoyed dinner and after-dinner activities for a long time." Jason walked towards her with a charming smile. His bright eyes shone just like in the good old days when she was falling in love with him.

But everything changed, and she didn’t even know when.

  

Taking a deep breath, Maya walked past Jason and spread the materials on the coffee table for him. Jason followed her with a smile, then his face changed after taking a look and his tone turned cold: "Who gave you these things?"

"Damian," Maya blurted, only to realize what she said after. 

She frowned and asked: "Is that what matters, really? The point is what you did, isn't it?"

But Jason was caught up in his own anger: "Damian? We haven't spoken for ages! What's he doing these for?!" He grabbed the materials on the table and threw them out page by page as he glanced through, "With details no less. Spent a lot of effort, didn't he? What's the matter with him?!"

He got angrier as he shouted on to the point where he splashed everything in an outburst.

Papers scattered all over.

Scarlett had never seen so clearly how Jason would always throw a temper as a solution to everything that didn’t go as HIS plan.

And before today, Scarlett would always attend to his emotion first.

But not today.

She had backed down enough.

“Nothing is wrong with HIM,” Scarlett steadied her tone, trying to sound strict and serious, “he only gave me these because I went to him for help. I want to know what you have to say about these.”

“What I have to say?!” Jason snapped angrily, “I say he should have kept his fucking nose out of my fucking business! I was supposed to have dinner at MY home, with MY family if it weren’t for him! By the way, where is my loving wife? Have you seen her?!”

“How could you say these horrible things after what you have done?!” Maya rose her voice as tears burst out of her.

A bit surprised at her tears, Jason looked at her for a while, and…laughed.

“Isn’t it better when you knew none of these? Just stay at home with our daughter, and everything was fine.” His voice was tender, like the devil luring the innocent with poisonous sweets.

Maya was utterly stunned.

Her eyes open wide, filled with disbelief: “So…you still don’t think you did anything wrong?”

“Stop being a baby. These don’t change anything about us, our family.” Jason chuckled, “You need to calm down, forget about any of these, and our family would be back the way it was.”

“How?!” Maya retorted in shock, “If you can’t even see that you did anything wrong, then I think we do need a divorce.”

She expected Jason to have a lower moral line, considering his job. But it still shocked her that he had apparently no bottom line.

Was this the same man she married? The man she fell in love with? Was their marriage that change him so drastically, or he had always been like this, and she just had never seen that before?

“I’ve worked all day for us, and I’m tired. You pick up Madeline after you make dinner.” Jason said with an indifferent tone, heading upstairs, “I’ll get up for dinner later.”

Stunned for long before Maya realized Jason did not take her demand for divorce seriously.

She chased Jason and grabbed his wrist when he was already on the second floor, demanding: “I want a divorce. I’m serious!”

“Stop with the nonsense!” Jason swung her off impatiently, “You can divorce me when you die!”

Chasing him in a hurry, Maya didn’t stand stable, and his swing throw her off balance with so little difficulty.

All happened in a split second, and Maya was bumping her way down the staircase with the sharp corners hitting her on her head, her back…everything.

She felt the sharp pain in her chest long after her world stopped twirling. Something pierced into her.

She couldn’t move, or talk, or anything. She could only see…through the blood that filled her eye sockets.

She saw Jason rushing down and asking how she was doing.

She saw Jason pulling out his phone and pressing three buttons.

She saw Jason’s finger hovering above a button only to slowly put away his phone.

He bent down, looking at her closely, with his eyes colder and colder.

She couldn’t find her lips, but she begged at her best. She begged him to help her. She begged her long-time husband, the only man she had ever loved, to help her…for their daughter’s sake.

But he didn’t.

He stood up and left her sight. Then came the click of the door, and then the engine of his car.

He left.

He left her bleeding on the floor of their home, feeling life draining from her under tremendous pain.

Repentance tasted so bitter…

Breathing got so hard and painful, but Maya lingered on.

Die after she sacrificed her everything for “family” and let the cheating bastard get away with everything?!

Anguish fueled her on!

If she dies now, she dies a joke! Who’s gonna punish the devil who cheated, lied, committed countless crimes, and left her here to die?!

What on earth had she got out of this marriage except for the cute little daughter?

Her daughter! Maya drew a long, painful breath at that thought.

The thought of her angelic sweet baby daughter ached her deeper than her wounds. Who’s gonna take care of her? Maya dared not to rely on Jason for that anymore.

She can’t die! Ever for Madeline, she had got to live on!

But things aren’t always what you wish.

Blood loss dulled her will as time passed by. In the end, all Maya could do was lie there helplessly, feeling life draining from her in desperation, and even pain couldn’t slow down the time.

She could only wish that all evil would get its punishment, but now…

Now she was left with only darkness.

Maya died.