Too Dense

VALENTINA

“OX-Tech faces a major setback tonight as rumors resurface that its computer system was hacked by an unidentified hacker known as White Phoenix.’”

“The company has not released an official statement, but online speculation continues to grow.”

The noise in my head drowns out the rest.

I don’t hear the television anymore.

“Doctor,” I said breathlessly, “was the operation successful?”

Smiling reassuringly, the doctor answered,

“Yes, everything went perfectly. You’re doing really well. Your kidney was donated safely.” He walked over to the patient monitor. “Your body handled the surgery beautifully. We’ll monitor you closely, but you’re in great shape.”

“Where is she?” I asked.

“She is in the next room.”

“Can I see her?” I said.

His mouth opened to speak, but he seemed to decide against it and smiled.

“I will get a nurse to assist you then.”

He exited the room, and a nurse walked in a few minutes later with a walker in hand.

I took a deep breath, trying not to wince as the nurse slipped an arm under mine and guided me to my feet.

My legs felt weak, unsteady, like they had forgotten how to hold me upright.

“Just take it slow,” she said, her voice calm and steady. “We’ll go step by step.”

I gripped the walker tightly, my knuckles white, and leaned slightly into her support.

The scar still itched under the thin hospital gown, a hot, angry line across my side where they had taken away my kidney and given it to my husband’s cousin.

A choice I made willingly, because she was dying and I was the only match—but mostly because I wanted him to love me again.

I was leaning against the wall outside the recovery room—his cousin’s room—trying to catch my breath after the nurse had finally let me stand, when I heard his voice through the half-open door. Low. Tender.

A tone I hadn’t heard in forever.

“I told you she’d do it, baby. She always does what I ask.”

A soft laugh answered him—hers. Weak from the anesthesia, but unmistakably hers.

“You’re a genius, love. Three years of playing the perfect husband, and now I get to keep living because of her.”

My fingers went numb around the IV pole I was gripping for balance. The hallway lights blurred.

Something colder than pain clicked into place behind my ribs, like a lock turning.

What? “Baby?” “Love?” I didn’t understand.

Was I overthinking this?

I blinked in disbelief.

My chest rose and fell rapidly. My thoughts were all over the place, unable to process what I had just heard.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” the nurse whispered.

Was she not his cousin? Did he deceive me all this while?

I let out a humorless laugh, and with that, the door swung open, and he was standing in front of me.

Startled, he stumbled slightly, stunned. Guilt and relief battled in his expression. He fumbled with his tie and cleared his throat.

He blinked, then said, “Valentina.”

“Save it,” I said.

Yet I still stood there, expecting an explanation, a story—an apology at least. Just anything, even if it was a lie to make me feel better at that moment.

That was how low my standards were for him.

Instead, he frowned, his eyes narrowing on me, evident that the words she had spoken were true.

He had only used me to get what he wanted.

For months, they played the siblings card. I saw the red flags. I noticed the way they acted around each other, the way he favored her over me, and still chose to ignore it.

I never stood up to him, never confronted him about their suspicious behavior, never tried to clear my doubts about their relationship. Finding out like this was humiliating.

How foolish of me.

“Is this what you do now?” he began, folding his arms. “You eavesdrop on private conversations?”

My jaw dropped lower than my standards ever had, and I felt a pang in my chest.

I laughed bitterly, in disbelief.

“Is this what you have to say to me?” I began. “You lied to me, Nate. You used me all this while?” I said.

“Used you?” he laughed. “You did everything on your own account. You slaved yourself for me willingly. I never forced you,” he spat venomously.

I gripped the walker like it was the only thing keeping me upright, my legs trembling beneath me. The nurse’s hand on my elbow did little to steady the chaos inside me.

My chest tightened, my lips pressing so hard I could taste blood. Shame, anger, and regret tangled together.

“How could you do this to me, Nate?” I said. “Three years. You made me believe I was the problem, that I needed to try harder. So I quit my job, cut ties with friends, ignored my dreams—all for you. And this is how you repay me?” I said, my fingers pulling through my hair in frustration.

He exhaled slowly, the faintest flicker of guilt in his eyes before it disappeared.

“I never loved you, Valentina,” he said evenly, “and if you weren’t so dense, you would have picked up on that three years ago.”

A whimper almost escaped my mouth, but I refused to cry in front of him.

I glanced into the room and saw her lying there, her eyes glistening with satisfaction, a mocking smile plastered on her face.

Her blonde hair was styled into a perfect ponytail, her lips painted bright red—too red.

“Sucks to be you,” she mouthed.

They knew exactly what they were doing. I was never in the big picture. I was just a pawn in their game.

All the dots began to connect—he let me use his last name, he didn’t touch me except when he was drunk, he pretended I was invisible, and he never spent time with me.

I always told myself that not all marriages were supposed to be rainbows and sunshine. That he would come around someday.

How pathetic of me. I let a man render me worthless.

I gave him my love. I gave him my loyalty. And God help me—I gave him my kidney.

Why didn’t I see him as the condescending bastard he had always been?

“Take me back,” I said to the nurse, my voice sharp and shaking at the same time, my arms trembling from more than just weakness. “Please. I don’t want to be here.”

The nurse hesitated, glancing between us, but I didn’t look at him again. I couldn’t. If I did, I would break completely.

My chest burned, my vision blurring as the nurse slowly turned the walker around.

“Stop!” he said, and I froze, but I didn’t look back.

I heard him sigh deeply, then light footsteps followed.

His hand landed on my shoulders. His fingers moved my hair away from my ear, and I felt his breath on my neck as he leaned down and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Then he spun me around to face him. He reached inside his suit casually and brought out a small envelope and a pen.

“I want a divorce,” he said flatly.