Chapter 14 You Make Me Sick

The following day, Phyllis told me that she'd taken care of all the arrangements. That was when I realized she was supposed to leave much sooner than I'd thought. "Summer, I'd been meaning to talk to you about this earlier, but I was worried it might affect your recovery. I kept going back and forth about whether to take Duffy along. "I kept wondering what would happen if you really weren't able to take care of him. That's also why I've only just finalized the arrangements now." Her son had been urging her to go to Melyria for some time, but she hadn't been able to leave Duffy and I behind. Her family had even spent extra money to make sure she could leave quickly. I insisted on reimbursing her, but she simply shook her head. "Summer, I know things have been hard for you. Who else in our neighborhood struggles with money like you do?" Many people in our neighborhood had witnessed my embarrassment and financial struggles. It was no secret that Calvin brought other women home. In many people's eyes, I was just a pitiful, pathetic person. I never hid my hardships, but I hardly ever talked about them. Perhaps only Calvin believed he was being incredibly kind to me. After all, the money he gave me was more than most people could afford in a lifetime. After leaving the airport, I gazed up at the planes soaring overhead, my thoughts drifting to Duffy. I wondered where he might be, but I comforted myself with the belief that he would live a full, long life. Back home, a deep chill settled over me as I stared at the empty house. Though it was summer, the place felt as cold as winter. Ralph's words echoed in my mind—I needed to boost my nutrition, take my medication, and prepare for the upcoming chemotherapy sessions. I managed to cook myself a plate of pasta, but it was so bland that I left it untouched on the table. Returning to my room, I lay quietly on the bed, clinging to the hope that starting work tomorrow might help chase away this overwhelming loneliness. Before I knew it, I'd drifted off to sleep. I was jolted awake when Calvin collapsed on top of me, reeking of alcohol. "Darling, why didn't you wait for me?" he slurred, sounding utterly inebriated as he nuzzled my shoulder, sounding almost hurt. I tried to push him off, but his weight pressed painfully against my wounds, making them throb. He wouldn't budge. "Darling, why have you lost so much weight? Why aren't you eating? I saw the pasta you made for me and ate it all. It was really good." He chuckled. "I brought you some custard tarts and a milkshake. Come on, get up, and have something. You'll put on some weight if you eat more." Calvin desperately pulled me up, and the sharp pain from my wounds made me gasp. He stumbled to the door, returning with a bag in hand. My tears began to flow uncontrollably the moment I recognized the packaging. It was from that shop at the entrance of our college, the one where we used to stand in line forever. The food wasn't great, but it was cheap. I'd always ordered the cheapest item just to save him a little money. As I watched him carefully insert the straw and hold the milkshake to my lips, I couldn't resist taking a sip. The taste was awful and overly artificial, but it still brought a genuine smile to my face. Calvin set the milkshake down on the table and gently wiped away my tears. "Anyone who drinks my milkshake belongs to me. No more talk of divorce, understand? Who else is going to buy you custard tarts and milkshakes if you leave me, you idiot?" I stared at him, stunned for a moment. I wondered if he'd gone drinking because I'd mentioned getting a divorce from him at the police station. His soft, tender kisses rained down on me. I was unresponsive at first but soon found myself eagerly returning his affection. A rush of emotion flooded my heart. He gently laid me down on the bed and slipped his hand beneath my clothes. "No, Calvin. No!" I couldn't let him see my wounds, nor could I risk ending up back in the hospital. Calvin looked at me with a puzzled expression, then his gaze shifted to the spot beside the pillow. His brow furrowed slightly as he carefully picked up a stray dog hair, narrowing his eyes as he turned back to me. "Babe, have you recovered from your allergy? I'll get rid of the dog soon, and we won't be disturbed anymore." Something inside me snapped, and my whole body went rigid. The one allergic to dog hair wasn't me—it was Emily. As Calvin inched closer, I mustered all my strength and shoved him away. I slapped him hard across the face, the sting of the impact biting into my palm. It was then that he fully came to his senses and fixed me with a steely gaze. I pointed toward the door, my breath coming in sharp, angry bursts. "Get out! You jerk, get out!" Calvin licked his lips, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. Then, he stood up and smoothed out his shirt. "Did you really think I was interested in you? I just mistook you for someone else. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror? You make me sick." He grabbed his coat, glanced at the milkshake on the table, and tossed it into the trash without a second thought. The door slammed shut behind him. It was only then that the tears I'd been holding back finally broke free. He was such a bastard! … The next morning at the office, everyone stared at me in shock. After a sleepless night and shedding even more weight recently, I must've looked like death warmed over. But I had to keep working. Ghost or not, I was still alive. Emily walked in as I was briefing the others on the meeting's important points. "Summer, Cal—uh, Mr. Pierce asked me to manage your work." "You're going to manage us?" I asked, throwing her a sideways glance. Emily ran her fingers through her hair with a hint of arrogance and said, "Yes, as Mr. Pierce's assistant, I naturally have the authority to step in on all company matters. Now, let's cut the nonsense. "The representatives from Lumenix Group will be here any minute. Summer, take out your previous creative proposal. I'll be leading this meeting."