Lahat ng Kabanata ng Leaving The Guy Who Loved Only Himself: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Scott Kenta's eyes no longer held the warmth they once did—just a cold, restless impatience, like I was some persistent problem he had grown tired of dealing with.As I stood there, unmoving, he seemed to realize, if only briefly, that his words might have crossed a line. He cleared his throat and softened his tone slightly."You know how it is," he said. "If I don't have a stable career, how am I supposed to give you a good life? Be reasonable. We can't keep this child. And your health has always been fragile. A little jump, a cold shower, maybe the problem solves itself."I stood frozen, unable to believe what I was hearing.I always knew he could be cruel. But I never imagined he'd go this far. I really couldn't imagine if this were his child—his own flesh and blood. And yet he spoke as if it were trash, something to be thrown out without a second thought."Could you spare some time to come with me to the hospital?"The bitterness rising in my chest was nearly unbearable, but

How was I supposed to come up with a reasonable excuse to make Scott sign it?I racked my brain, pacing in circles in front of the office door, but still came up with nothing. The words, whatever they were supposed to be, simply refused to form.Then, just as I was about to give up, the office door swung open."It's all your fault. If you hadn't been so rough last night, why would my back be hurting now?"The voice drifted out, light and teasing—Chloe's voice, unmistakably.My whole body stiffened.I turned toward the sound.There he was—Scott, smiling, hand gently curled around her waist, kneading it in small, practiced motions. There was a softness in his eyes I'd never seen before, at least not directed at me.But the moment they saw me, the warmth in their expressions cracked. A flicker of alarm flashed through both their eyes, like caught actors in a poorly rehearsed play.Chloe cleared her throat awkwardly."Alyssa, don't misunderstand. We played a bit of badminton last

"Your child," I said, "is bound to look more like you."I smiled and leaned my head against his shoulder. He slipped a small pillow beneath my back. "Get some rest," he murmured. "You'll wake up and we'll already be there."Maybe I was just exhausted. Or maybe it was the last few days finally catching up with me—the packing, the decisions, the emotional cuts I hadn't noticed until they began to sting.But resting against him like this, I drifted off before I could even think of a reason not to.Meanwhile, across the ocean in a hospital room, Scott was living what some might call a good life. At least on the surface.Since I left, no one had asked when he was coming home. No one followed him around like a shadow, trailing behind him with questions or concern. No one nagged or waited.He said he still worried about me, but his body had other commitments. He stayed by Chloe's side with the loyalty of a man who'd forgotten how to hesitate.It wasn't until a call from the office br

After the umpteenth argument with Chloe, I couldn't take it anymore—the distorted three-way relationship that had festered between us.I drowned my frustration in the dim haze of the bar, drinking until I was a mess.Just as I was preparing to pay and leave, a group of men surrounded me, closing in like wolves sensing prey."Hey, beautiful, drinking all alone? Something on your mind? Come on, tell us. Maybe we can help you out," one of them said, his voice slick with intention.I was drunk, but not foolish. I knew exactly what they wanted.The problem was, they were too many, and I was just one girl.I tried to scream, but the noise in the bar swallowed my voice whole, leaving me with nothing but the hollow echo of my own panic.My struggle only seemed to excite them further, pushing me into a corner."Don't shout, sweetheart. We're more than enough to keep you entertained tonight," one of them sneered, reaching out with a hand that was far too eager.As his dirty fingers near

A few months later, my children were born—a healthy pair of twins, one boy, one girl.It was strangely symmetrical. The girl looked like me; the boy, like him.Inside the delivery room, my mother wept loudly. She said it was because her daughter, who had suffered for so many years, had finally found peace. A home.I lay weakly on the hospital bed, barely able to lift my hand to see the babies.Xavier, who had been hovering anxiously at my side all day, suddenly frowned and muttered,"What's so great about looking at them? If it weren't for those two, you wouldn't have had to suffer so much."I blinked, startled, then reached out and gave his shoulder a light punch. "You're being childish. Don't tell me you're jealous of your own kids."He didn't say a word. Just bowed his head and gently began wiping down my body with a warm towel."It's because he feels sorry for you," my mother said, sighing. She understood him better than he understood himself.Of course, I knew that already