Four

“What?” She asked in disbelief.

Lilian thought she had some ear problems, maybe she misheard his words.

“You heard me. Apologize to Lily now!” Marcus demanded, lowering his voice to a stern tone.

“Why should I?” Lilian shook her head doubtfully.

“Just drop the act. You need to apologize for pushing her,” Marcus laughed scornfully.

“I did not push her. She fell down herself,” Lilian took a deep breath.

“Why are you still lying? Everyone witnessed it! How could you be so cruel to do that? ” Marcus looked at Lilian with an incredulous stare.

Lilian suddenly chuckled, “Is it because of her you wanted to divorce me? You cheated on me with her?”

"Is that why you push her? Because of some ridiculous jealousy?" Marcus snorted.

"Stop dodging my question. Answer it," Lilian said firmly.

"That's not important. I'm saying you need to apologize,” Marcus said in annoyance.

"Why did you marry me in the first place?" Lilian's voice cracked, her eyes searching Marcus's face for a glimmer of truth. The unspoken question - “Was I just a placeholder until you found someone better?' - hung in the air like a challenge.

Marcus didn't say anything for a while.

"If I were you, I wouldn't bother to ask this question. Why can't you just let it go? I thought we could split up nicely. " Marcus ran a hand through his hair, asking impatiently.

"Are you kidding? My husband asked for a divorce without any reason, and then he showed up with some random woman to humiliate me -" Lilian looked at him with tear-dimmed eyes.

"Don't you ever call her that! She's not just any random woman! I love her!" Marcus interrupted Lilian while pointing his finger at her.

"But what about me?" asked Lilian quietly as if she was questioning herself.

Lilian's voice barely rose above a whisper, her eyes downcast, but her words carried a weight of longing.

"Have you ever loved me?" Lilian's voice barely rose above a whisper, her eyes downcast and her voice was shaking. She already knew the answer from her heart and she just refused to believe it.

Lilian looked at him and said that she needed to hear the answer from his mouth.

"Never."

Lilian shuddered as if the word had physically struck her. She felt a wave of vulnerability wash over her, leaving her exposed and raw.

She really thought everything was going well, they were living fine. Even though Marcus did not really care that much, she thought they were both happy, she thought he would grow to love her and be there. She never expected that a day like this would come.

Her chest constricted, as if an invisible hand had reached in and squeezed her heart. The pain was a dull ache, like a wound that refused to scab over.

Lilian's lips pressed together, a faint tremor running along the edge of her mouth.

“But I lov-," Lilian whispered, her voice barely audible as Lily came out of the room.

Lily's pale skin and white clothes seemed to glow in the dim light.

“Marcus, I’m sorry. It was all my fault. I should have been more careful. Please don't have such a huge fight all because of me” Lily said weakly and bitterly.

“I’m really sorry Lilian,” She looked at Lilian and she bowed her head.

“It's not your fault. She should be the one apologizing instead. Not you,” Marcus immediately walked toward and held her.

Lily shook her head.

“If I had been more careful, all these wouldn't have happened. I should have been careful enough,” Lily's voice was laced with regret as she spoke, her words tumbling out in a rush of contrition but Lilian could catch the gloat flashing in her eyes.

“Let’s go back, you still need rest,” Marcus walked her back to the room, the worry in his eyes didn't need to pretend.

“Sign the paper,” He turned and reminded Lilian, there was a cold light in his eyes, and his voice dripping with ruthless before he turned on his heel and strode out of the room with Lily, shutting the door with a resounding crash that echoed through the silence.

Lilian's eyes stung, her eyelids swollen and tender to the touch. She blinked hard, but no tears came, as if her body had exhausted its supply.

Lilian's feet felt like lead, refusing to move. Yet, she stumbled forward, out of the hospital room and into the rain.

Water pounded against her skin, a relentless drumbeat that echoed her racing heart.

She gasped and laughed at herself in the heavy rain.

Her feet felt rooted to the spot, Lilian’s legs trembling with each step. She couldn't remember how many blocks she'd walked, but her body screamed exhaustion, her muscles protesting with every movement.

Tremors wracked Lilian's hands, her arms shaking like fragile twigs. She reached out, desperate for support, but her fingers slid off her elbow like wet soap on a slick surface.

She felt so dizzy that her head was so heavy and her sight was blurred.

Lilian's vision tunneled, the edges dissolving into a dark haze. Her legs buckled, and she felt the ground rush up to meet her. Everything went dark, like a curtain dropping on a stage.

She blacked out.