Chapter 3

"Hotel." My reply was brief.

Shortly after, Zoe called.

"Jared, Benny got burned. He's in the hospital now. Go back to the house and pack some clothes for Liam and me. And cook a few simple dishes. Liam's been busy all day and hasn't had the time to eat. He doesn't like the hospital's food and can't eat it."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I rubbed my throbbing temples and calmly reminded her, "Zoe, I have a stomach tumor. The smell of cooking oil makes me sick."

There was a brief silence on the line. Then, I heard Liam's voice in the background, trembling with tears.

"Zoe, maybe we shouldn't trouble Jared. I'll hang in there. I'll rest for a while and go home to cook something myself…"

"As long as I'm here, you don't need to force yourself!"

Then, she hung up.

A moment later, a text message arrived.

"Please bear with it. The door code is 0718. We're in Hospital Room 1456. Bring Liam a blanket. The air conditioning in the hospital is cold. I'm worried he'll get chilly."

I stared at the familiar numbers of the door code. It was the date of our wedding anniversary. Looking at it now felt like a cruel joke.

I entered the code and let myself into Zoe's house. On the fridge was a sticky note with Zoe's handwriting that read, "Liam, I made lunch and left it in the fridge. You and Benny can heat it up later. I'm heading out. Make sure you get a good rest."

So, Zoe knew how to cook.

A sharp pain spread through my chest. I forced myself not to dwell on it.

Suppressing the nausea rolling through my stomach, I tied on an apron and turned on the stove. Halfway through cooking, I couldn't hold it in any longer. I bent over the sink, vomiting so violently that my vision went dark and there was nothing left in my stomach but bitter bile.

After splashing cold water on my pale face, I packed the food into containers.

Then, I forced myself toward Liam's wardrobe. When I opened the door, I saw that the bottom shelves were filled with gifts from Zoe. Each one was even labeled and organized by date. The gift boxes had been carefully preserved.

The oldest gift dated back seven years, on Zoe's second day after arriving here.

The newest one was from the day before. A handwritten note was attached to it. It read, "I saw this and thought it was perfect for you, so I bought it without asking."

I shut my eyes, carefully searching my memory. In the end, all I could do was laugh at myself bitterly.

After our wedding, Zoe had never given me a single gift. All I ever got from her was a phone call every five days, a video call once a month, and a week together each year if I was lucky.

A gift? That was a luxury I couldn't afford.

I packed the clothes and closed the wardrobe door. Before leaving, I picked up the divorce papers from the coffee table.

I wanted the papers signed today. Seven years was already too long. I didn't want to drag this out any further.

When I arrived at the hospital room, holding all the requested items, Liam was asleep against Zoe's shoulder.

I glanced at the empty bed beside them that had been provided for visitors, then lowered my eyes. I set the things down on the table, trying to make as little noise as possible.

But Liam still woke up. He shot upright and hurried to explain, "Jared, don't misunderstand. I was just scared and exhausted. That's why I leaned on Zoe's shoulder to rest for a little while."

I didn't answer him immediately. Instead, I turned toward Benjamin who was lying asleep in the hospital bed. Thick bandages covered his shoulder. He looked uncomfortable even in his sleep.

Only then did I reply, "It's fine. How's the kid doing?"

"The burn on his shoulder is severe. He may need skin grafts later. The doctor says he'll most likely be scarred for life. Jared, can I ask you a favor? Can you lend Zoe to us for a while? Otherwise, I really can't do this alone."

As he spoke, he began crying again.

Zoe pulled him into her arms and softly comforted him. Then, frowning, she turned to me, her expression conflicted.

"Jared, given Benny's condition, I can't just turn a blind eye. Just think of it as doing a good deed. Let me stay here with them for a while."