---- Chapter 4 Time lost its meaning, but when I came to, it was Jack's angry voice that filled my ears. "Alice, what were you thinking? You made him swim when he's just had surgery for a stomach tumor. Didn't you know?" "He just had an operation... When did he get sick? Why didn't he tell me..." Alice's voice was thick with shock and regret. "Are you blind? He's been looking terrible. Haven't you noticed? Or do you only have eyes for Yoel?" Jack was livid. If we were not in a hospital, he might have actually slapped her. "J... [had no idea..." Alice's voice trailed off, weaker then. "Seriously? You signed over the house to that guy who's all smiles but plotting behind your back, got him a car, and you had no clue? You wonder why he's been so frail lately? Your actions reopened his old ---- wounds!" "That's it, I can't stand the sight of you. Get out." Quietness enveloped the room once more, and I gently opened my eyes. Jack sat down next to me, his brows knitted in concern. "Hey, are you awake? Feeling any pain?" I gazed at him, my voice barely a whisper as I said, " You know all about it?" Jack sighed wearily, looking at me like I was a major disappointment. "I've been saying you shouldn't have married her, and nowit's all come back to bite us." The memories stung, and I felt a lump in my throat. If had not been so blindly in love, my parents would have never agreed to let me marry Alice, no matter how well-off her family was. Iremember the first dinner our parents had together. ---- In the restroom, I overheard Alice's mom, Sadie, on the phone, saying, "Talking about the dowry? They were pretty generous, giving a whole hundred and three thousand. "We had seventy-five thousand set aside for the dowry, but considering her boyfriend's family looked like they didn't have two dimes to rub together, we figured fifteen thousand would do the trick." I confronted Alice about it that night. It was not the money that bothered me, it was the disdain from her mother that got under my skin. Alice promised to talk to Sadie, to set things right. However, nothing ever came of it. It was not until three years into our marriage, after a few too many drinks, that Alice let it slip. "Of course, I knew about the dowry cut. Mom had run it by me first. "Richard, you sure have a way with words, it's no surprise everyone says romantics are the easiest to trick." ---- Once I cooled off and saw Alice without the rose- colored glasses, I realized how two-faced she really was. I did not even notice when Alice slipped into the hospital room, her gaze locked on me. "Honey, I'm. sorry, I had no idea you just came out of surgery..." Her face brought back that deep chill, like a freezing wave crashing over me, and I cut her off sharply. "I know you've got a thing for Yoel. Let's just call it quits, you go marry him. I wish you two all the best." "T don't want a divorce." Alice panicked, rushing to explain. "Nothing is going on with him and me. I don't even like him, or I wouldn't have married you." I gave her a frosty, mocking smile. "Is that so? But Alice, didn't you say you liked Yoel and just never got the chance? "You told me you regretted saying 'yes' tome ona whim, and if we split, you'd run straight to Yoel. Or... was that all just talk?" Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!