They Lost Me in the Fire

I spent an entire month in the hospital.I was trapped for too long–my lungs were damaged from inhalation, and they had to insert tubes to clear them.Every time they changed the dressings on my burns, it felt like a form of torture.That single month dragged on like an entire year.Yet for all that time, neither of them–the father nor the son–came to see me even once.I tried to convince myself it did not matter.However, whenever I saw families reunited, I could not help the quiet ache that crept into my chest.The day I was discharged, sunlight poured over me, and for a moment, I felt dazed.It reminded me of the first time I met Leo.The weather was just as beautiful as it was today.We met on a blind date–introduced through our parents' friends.He was a firefighter. I was an elementary school teacher.He was an only child. So was I.He liked quiet things, liked reading.I liked staying at home, watching movies, and tending to flowers.Everything seemed to fall into

Hearing the sarcasm in my voice, Dominic did not flare up like before. Instead, he stared at me, stunned, as if he could not process what just happened.After all, I never even laid a finger on him before. If he so much as bumped into something, I would fuss over him endlessly."You pushed me? How could you push me?"His face was filled with confusion and a hint of hurt.Maya quickly pulled out a packet of spicy snacks and waved it in front of him."Don't waste your energy on someone like her, Dominic. Here–have some spicy strips. Don't be upset.""Hmph, Aunt Maya treats me the best! I like Aunt Maya the most!"Dominic snatched the snack from her hand and started eating happily. But his eyes kept drifting toward me, as if he were waiting for my reaction.He had a weak stomach. I rarely ever let him eat junk like that.However, I did not care anymore. I only gave him a cold glance before turning and walking away.As I reached the door, I ran straight into Leo, who just came ba

Watching the two of them–one big, one small–cling to each other, Dominic looked at me like I was some unforgivable villain.A dull ache stirred in my chest.There was a time, when he was little, that he said he would protect his mother when he grew up.However, somewhere along the way, the so-called mother he wanted to protect became someone else.The thought made everything I'd ever done for him feel worthless."You've got something wrong," I said coldly, "Leo, I want a divorce. We won't be husband and wife much longer. And this is my house."Without my permission, none of you are staying here."I pulled out the divorce papers. My name was already signed at the bottom.Leo's expression shifted."You're really divorcing me over something this trivial?""Trivial?" I let out a faint, humorless laugh. "Maybe it's trivial to you."After all, you weren't the one left in that fire. Of course, you think it doesn't matter."I slammed my hand against the dining table."Now get out

I did not know how much he overheard, but his eyes widened as he stared at me in disbelief.He probably thought that without him and his father, I–the woman who once loved them more than life itself–would fall apart.Unfortunately for him, he greatly overestimated his place in my heart now.From that day on, no matter what I did, as long as I was at school, there was always a little shadow trailing behind me.I watched coldly as his condition worsened–his expression growing more listless, his face paler by the day, his clothes increasingly dirty and unkempt.Dominic used to be popular among his classmates. Like his father, he was blessed with a good-looking face. Kids these days matured early–he was handsome, so they admired him.However, now, with his filthy appearance, everyone avoided him.Someone as proud and self-assured as Dominic could never accept that kind of fall.One day during break, I saw him curled up in a corner, crying alone.When our eyes met, there was a flic

Leo's face went pale as he stared at me in disbelief.He was not like Dominic. After we separated, he did not stay in contact with me for long.This was the first time he was seeing just how sharp I became.My words were like a blade, ripping apart the fragile cover he was hiding behind."Leo, you don't love anyone. The only person you love is yourself."You should go check on your son. Goodbye."I went back to my own place.Looking at the familiar room–tidy, spotless, everything exactly where it belonged–I suddenly let out a long breath.Thank God. Thank God my parents loved me enough to give me a way out.Otherwise, I don't know how much courage it would have taken to start over from nothing.If I stayed in that house, with two people as selfish as them, sooner or later they would have drained me dry–every last drop of my blood, every ounce of my strength.Someone like Maya, just as selfish, was far better suited for them.Not long after, a colleague who worked in the sam