The Past Won't Let Go

Winston Lawson looked at me calmly, but his body shifted slightly, shielding the pregnant woman beside him. That woman was in an oversized dress, and she raised her head. It was Jessica Gold, the woman I thought was my best friend.

Five years ago, she squeezed me during the funeral as she cried until she fainted.

I felt my breathing stop, and I leaned on the doorframe, while my fingers clenched it tightly. My voice shook. "You're not dead."

Winston looked at me, amused. "You heard everything."

I stared at his face. It was the same face I had been seeing for five years. The portrait, my dreams, my hallucinations borne from severe depression.

For three whole years, I barely slept because I missed him so much. I could hardly eat under the weight of my guilt, and at one point, I became so thin I barely recognized myself.

I had truly believed my obsession killed him.

Now I raised my hand and slapped him with as much strength as I could muster. His head tilted away.

His lip split open, and blood trickled down his chin. "Done?" he said coldly.

"Why?" I glared. My tears spilled uncontrollably and seeped into the carpet. "Why did you lie to me? You gave up your life and faked your death for five years just for her?"

Winston stepped forward, closing the distance between us. "Because you're mad. You knew Jessica was in that bionic suit, but you still sent her off for disposal! You wanted to incinerate her!"

I froze, and my mind was blank. "I didn't know she was…" I shook my head fervently. "I thought that was a robot! I didn't know someone was in there!"

"You're lying," Winston interrupted. "The disposal team told me you told them to set the temperature to the maximum. You've always been jealous of Jessica, Wendy! You knew the robot was a fake! You wanted to burn her in the name of disposal!"

I did not. Five years ago, I had not even known Jessica had returned. I saw my husband jerking it to a butler made out of silicon. It disgusted and scared me, so I sent it away.

My eyes never left him, but I realized no explanation would suffice, not when he did not trust me. Not when he was so sure I was a murderer.

Jessica held Winston's sleeve, the edges of her eyes red. "It's not her fault. I was the one who wanted to see you. I couldn't hold back my feelings. I wore that bionic suit. Of course she wanted to see me burn. This is my sin."

Winston immediately turned back to her and held her carefully. "Get in. It's windy here, and you're pregnant." His voice was painfully gentle.

Five years ago, I was bleeding during my pregnancy, so I called him at midnight. He said he was busy and had me get a ride to the hospital myself. That night, I lost our child in the emergency room. And he had been at home, watching a movie with that so-called robot.

"Why did you lie to me? You watched me cry for you. For him! And you laughed at me from where I couldn't see you!" I looked at them slowly. "You disgust me."

Winston's face fell.

I took my phone out. "You're still alive. The police will want to hear about this. Getting a death certificate through deception is fraud."

Winston did not stop me. Instead, he smiled. Then, he walked to the couch, sat down, and crossed his legs. "Call them, and your father won't survive for long."