Chapter 3

After Tiffany finished a few bags of IV, her fever finally subsided. However, the doctor said she had a bacterial infection with internal inflammation. Although the fever was temporarily gone, she needed to come to the hospital for two more days to get treated with an antibiotic infusion. In the evening, Teresa Lloyd, Tiffany's sister, hurriedly burst into the hospital room. "Tiffany, are you okay?" As she saw Teresa, Tiffany's eyes welled up. "I'm fine, Teri." "How did this happen? You were perfectly healthy." Teresa looked at Tiffany, her face etched with concern. They had lost their parents when they were young. Teresa was seven years older than Tiffany and had played the roles of both a mother and a sister in Tiffany's life. She had raised Tiffany, and their bond was deep. Not wanting to worry Teresa, Tiffany blinked back tears. "I caught a cold last night and got a fever. But I'm much better now." Seeing that Tiffany looked better, Teresa relaxed slightly. She then turned to Kelly, who was standing beside her. "And you are?" "Hello, I'm Kelly Harrison, Tiffany's colleague." Kelly politely extended her hand and shook hands with Teresa. "Oh, are you the one who brought Tiffany to the hospital?" "No." Kelly shook her head. "Our boss did. I just stayed with her for the day." "Well, thank you. Tiffany is quite reserved; she's lucky to have a good colleague like you." "You're too kind." Glancing at the time, Kelly guessed Vincent wouldn't visit again today. So, she grabbed her purse. "Since you're here, I'll leave Tiffany to you and head back." Teresa escorted Kelly out. When she returned, she remarked, "She seems nice. Is she a new friend?" Tiffany shook her head. "We hardly talk at the office." Kelly had been usually friendly earlier, but in the office, she was closest to Ivy. Tiffany was shy and rarely socialized, choosing to keep her head down and work instead. She did find it odd that Kelly had been so attentive today. "Still, it's nice she stayed with you the whole day." "Yes." Tiffany decided she would return the favor to Kelly when she had the chance. She disliked owing others. Teresa said the hospital was too noisy and suggested they go back home. Tiffany didn't mind the noise, but she felt unsettled without Teresa around, so she agreed. As they left the hospital, a gust of cold wind blew by them. Teresa draped her coat over Tiffany's shoulders. Though Teresa was dressed lightly, she prioritized keeping Tiffany warm. Tiffany bit her lip and hastened her steps to get into the cab. While they were on the way home, Eric Cobb, Teresa's husband, called her. He said he had a business engagement and would be home late, so they shouldn't wait for him for dinner. Teresa gave him a few reminders, which Eric curtly acknowledged before impatiently hanging up on her. Tiffany squeezed Teresa's hand. "Teri, I want to eat pasta made by you for dinner." Teresa smiled. "Sure. I'll make them for you when we get home." "Okay." Once they got back to their apartment, Teresa helped Tiffany into her room and propped a pillow behind her back. She poured a cup of hot water for Tiffany and then felt her forehead in concern. "Rest here. I'll make the pasta for you. Call me if you need anything." Tiffany obediently nodded. "Okay." Teresa tied on an apron and headed to the kitchen to cook pasta. When Tiffany heard the sounds from the kitchen, she threw the blanket off and got out of bed. She tiptoed into Tiffany's bedroom. Then, she opened the bedside table's drawer and easily found some contraceptive pills. She quickly glanced at the instructions on the box and swallowed two pills. After dinner, Tiffany took a bath. After taking off her clothes, she stood in front of the mirror and stared at the marks on her body. Last night's madness flashed through her mind, the memories haunting her. Tiffany slept restlessly that night. Perhaps she had slept too much during the day, or maybe it was because she still felt unwell. In her hazy state, she heard the sounds of an argument drifting from outside. Rubbing her temples, she rose from bed and opened the door a crack. The lights in the living room were on. A man's tie and shoes scattered on the floor. Eric lay sprawled on the couch, reeking of alcohol. Teresa was tidying up as she spoke. "Didn't I tell you to drink less? Look at you. You'll have a headache again tomorrow—" "Blah, blah, blah. All you do is nag," Eric slurred. "You think I want to be like this? I do it for you. For this family. For your deadbeat sister." Annoyed, Teresa said, "Don't talk about Tiffany like that." "Why not?" Eric raised his voice. "I pay for her food and drinks, and she lives under my roof. And I can't talk about her? Those who don't know she's your sister might think she's the queen of the house!" "Tiffany has found a job. She's been contributing to expenses since she was a freshman. When has she ever used your money?" Teresa defended Tiffany. Eric pointed at her. "Fine, then! If she's so capable, you'd better have her move out tomorrow. I'm sick of seeing her!" "Tiffany is my sister, my only family. She hasn't even graduated, and she's just found a job. How can you kick her out now?" Teresa retorted. Eric gestured wildly, looking unapologetic. "This is my house. I'm the one paying the mortgage every month. I make the rules. If I want her out, she's out!" "You..." Teresa was on the verge of tears. Eric passed out drunk. After a while, Teresa wiped her tears and said, "Alright, go take a shower and sleep in the bedroom." Tiffany quietly closed the door. She lay back down, but her eyes remained open; she hardly slept a wink through the night. … Early the next morning, Tiffany prepared breakfast. She left an envelope and a note for Teresa, then dragged her suitcase out of the apartment. Tiffany was partly the reason Teresa had married Eric. Teresa had often mentioned that, as women who were alone in the world, they faced many hardships. She believed having a man at home would deter others from bullying them. Teresa wasn't highly educated. She struggled to make ends meet by running a stall on the street. Buying a house and settling down had become a distant dream. Eric, an ordinary college graduate, worked at a listed company. He had been nice at first, but he had soon become irritable, perhaps from stress. He often came home drunk and argued with Teresa. Thinking of Tiffany, Teresa always backed down when they fought. Tiffany knew Teresa still loved Eric. But no love could withstand the trials of daily life. Tiffany didn't want to be a burden to Teresa and Eric. She wished they could have a better life and hoped to make things easier for them by moving out. The elevator stopped at the eighth floor. As the doors opened, Tiffany came face-to-face with the people standing outside. Her grip on the suitcase handle tightened.