I lay there staring at the ceiling, my chest tight. The worst part wasn’t even the affair. It was that I still loved him.
After everything, my heart still wanted him. Still missed the man he used to be. I hated myself for it.
Then my phone rang.
Mom.
I almost didn’t answer. But some weak, broken part of me still hoped. Still wanted my mother.
“Hello?” My voice cracked.
She sounded calm. Annoyed, even. “Are you still crying? For fucking sake, Miya, this is getting ridiculous.”
My breath hitched. “Mom… did you really just say that?”
She sighed like I was exhausting her. “Hanabi is younger than you! She maybe adopted but you should love her. She hasn’t had a happy life. She deserves to be loved too.”
“And me?” I whispered. “What about me?! I’m your daughter too. Don’t I deserve anything?”
There was a pause. Then my father took the phone.
“Miya,” he said firmly, “you need to think rationally. Hanabi is sick. She has cancer. The doctors said she might only have a year left.”
The words hit me hard.
“What…?” My hands started shaking.
“She’s dying,” he continued. “All she wanted was to marry the man she loves before it’s too late. Can you really be that heartless?”