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Semua Bab The Birthday That Buried Us: Bab 1 - Bab 8

8 Bab

Chapter 1

Cathy Miller deleted her Instagram post not long after.I let out a cold laugh and sent Mike Tyler a message.[Let me know when you're free so we can get a divorce.]He didn't reply.I handled my mom's funeral alone.Three days later, at the crematorium, the staff placed a small urn of ashes into my hands. It was only then that Mike finally called."What the hell do you mean by this?" he demanded.My voice was calm. "Exactly what it sounds like."He let out a tired sigh. "It was just a birthday. Stop making a scene. Wait at home—I'll be back soon."I had just returned with my mom's ashes when Mike walked through the door.The marks on his neck were fresh—Cathy's kisses still clinging to his skin.How obvious.It must have been intense.My mom had died from sheer fury, and while I was arranging her funeral, Mike had been in bed with another woman. He hadn't even bothered to show up.How disgusting.Noticing my gaze locked onto his neck, he quickly pulled up his collar to

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Chapter 2

Mike kept his word. He hadn't come home in a week.It was as if he had forgotten my existence.Meanwhile, Cathy's Instagram was constantly updated, each post a deliberate display of her life with Mike—photos scattered across the timeline, desperate to be seen.I ignored them. Instead, I blocked her.The only reason I had ever added her in the first place was because, three years ago, Mike had worked late one night and still wasn't home by two in the morning. His phone was off.Panic gripped me.I called every mutual friend we had, my fingers shaking as I dialed, my stomach twisting with dread.Finally, someone hesitantly admitted they had seen him at the airport—his arms around his ex.And then, they sent me Cathy's contact information.The first message I sent her was short.Jess: [Is Mike with you?]Cathy: [Yes.]The moment I read her reply, the panic inside me evaporated. In its place, a quiet, crushing ache settled deep in my heart.I had spent years swallowing my prid

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Chapter 3

Mike's expression darkened the moment he saw the divorce papers in my hands. "Enough, Jess. There's a limit to this nonsense. Do you really think threatening me will work?"His voice was sharp, laced with irritation. Then he scoffed, shaking his head. "I never thought you'd be this petty—counting every little thing like some miserable wretch. You're just like your mother." His lips curled in disdain. "Not only poor, but small-minded."I hadn't expected that. Not after five years of marriage.His words sliced through me, cold and merciless, leaving a sharp, stinging pain in their wake. Tears welled up before I could stop them."You hate my mom, don't you?" My voice trembled, but I forced myself to hold his gaze. "Don't worry, Mike. You'll never have to see her again."He frowned, glancing around. "What? Did she run away because I brought Cathy back?"My breath caught in my throat, and when I finally spoke, it came out as a scream—raw, broken. "No! She's dead! She died because of y

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Chapter 4

Everyone in the hospital knew about Mike's connection to my mom.That day, when she was brought in, she still had a breath left in her.Doctors are supposed to be compassionate. They knew I couldn't reach Mike, so they tried to save her. But without the medicine he had personally formulated, there was nothing they could do.During the resuscitation, they tried calling him. I was standing right there when his irritated voice came through the phone."I have patients here waiting for me to save them. Stop bothering me."The "patient" he was talking about, of course, was Cathy—drugged with an aphrodisiac.The moment he hung up, the doctor turned to me and pronounced my mom dead.As I stared at her cold, lifeless body, whatever love I had left for Mike curdled into hate.Now, hearing about my mom again, the pain in my chest cut so deep that my knees nearly gave out.Mike's phone slipped from his hand, clattering onto the floor. He didn't even pick it up.Instead, he turned to me,

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Chapter 5

Cathy looked heartbroken. "Mikey, you were the one who said I could stay here. Did you forget? You're telling me to leave, but where am I supposed to go? I have no home…"Mike let out a cold laugh. "And what does that have to do with me? Go wherever you want—just don't stay here. You disgust me. Besides, you caused my mother-in-law's death. How do you even have the nerve to stay here? Aren't you afraid her ghost will come looking for you in the middle of the night?"The color drained from Cathy's face. Still, she refused to move."No, I won't leave," she said stubbornly. "Now that you and Jess have fallen out, I want to stay with you."Mike's patience snapped. "Won't leave, huh? Fine. Then I'll call the cops."Cathy's expression shifted in an instant. "Mike! We were together for four years! I loved you so much—how can you treat me like this?"He ignored her.I watched the scene unfold like a spectator at a play, and when I heard those words, I couldn't help but let out a mocking

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Chapter 6

My mom never asked Mike for anything.Wasn't she good enough to him?His heart must be made of stone.It hit me then—some people are just ungrateful, no matter how much you give them. And the thought that I had loved him for more than ten years filled me with nothing but sorrow.Mike didn't love me from the start.We grew up together. When he was in college, he fell for Cathy, and I buried my feelings deep, watching over him from a distance.After graduation, he and Cathy ended up in different cities for work. The distance led to endless fights, and eventually, they broke up.That was when Mike spiraled into depression. He drank himself senseless every night, talked about ending his life. I was the one who stayed by his side.One night, after too much to drink, he clung to me and wouldn't let go. "Jess, you like me, don't you?"My ears burned, but I didn't deny it.He kissed me. "Then let's be together."That night, my heart pounded harder than it ever had before.We marrie

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Chapter 7

Mike could see I was determined to divorce him. His gaze darkened."Jess, can't you give me one more chance?" he pleaded. "I'll make it up to Mom. I swear."I looked at him with nothing but disgust. "What's the point of saying that now, after she's already gone? If you really feel remorse, then sign the papers. Let's end this cleanly and never see each other again."His face filled with despair, and he forced a smile—one that looked even worse than crying."I understand."His hands trembled as he picked up the pen. Just a signature, and yet it took him half an hour to write them down. When he finally handed me the papers, he collapsed against the table, motionless, as if all the strength had drained from his body.I took the document and, without hesitation, signed my name."You should leave." My voice was cold, devoid of emotion.Mike slowly got up and walked toward the door, reluctant with every step. Pausing at the entrance, he turned back with a bitter smile."Jess… where

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Chapter 8

As the crowd dispersed, I made my way home.I knew why Mike owed so much money.The day Cathy returned from another city, I hired a private investigator to look into her past. What I found was startling—she had once attacked someone with a knife and served several years in prison. It was only after her release that she sought out Mike.The person she had nearly killed was a loan shark.After graduating from college, Cathy had borrowed a large sum from him to invest in something, but she lacked both talent and experience. She quickly lost everything and had no means to repay the debt. With the interest compounding, the loan shark frequently harassed her, threatened her, and tried to force her into selling herself.One day, overwhelmed by pressure, she lost control. When he came knocking again, their argument escalated, and she grabbed a knife, lashing out wildly. The man managed to call the police in time. Cathy was arrested.And yet, the moment she got out, she went straight to M

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