Love Like You Never Loved Before

I narrowed my eyes at him. Actually, Lyle was a clear-headed person most of the time, except when he was with Crystal. He was rational and reasonable back in the cafe. Why is he being so dumb right now?

I peered at the passenger seat through the car window, and there was Crystal. She draped over Lyle’s coat and waved triumphantly at me with a poised elegance. The crinkle in her eyes was telltale of her glee.

“I’m sorry, Yvonne. It’s my fault that you and Lyle have to get divorced. Given the choice, I really wish that I can leave and stop being the third wheel between you and Lyle, but you of all people should know how it feels to grow up without a father. I don’t want my child to go through the same.”

Her eyes turned red as she peered at me guiltily. “Please don’t be mad at Lyle. I was the one who suggested for him to help you out, seeing that you’re all alone. Anyway, even if the two of you aren’t married anymore, you guys are still friends who have known each other for a long time. You’re my cousin, and will soon be Lyle’s cousin-in-law as well.”

Wrapping my arms around myself, I narrowed my eyes at the troublemaker. She must have said something behind my back just now to make Lyle change his mind. This woman was really ingenious at sowing discord between people.

“I’m sorry, I have no interest in hitching a ride with my ex-husband and the homewrecker who is pregnant with his child. Get out of my sight if the two of you know better. The two of you make me sick.”

“Yvonne, you cannot talk to Crystal like that. Do you think I would have caught up to you if she hadn’t begged me to do so?” Lyle could not bear to see me chide Crystal, and roared at me. He even got off the car and looked like he was ready to strike me at any moment.

“Shh!” I gestured at Lyle to shut him up, and closed my eyes, breathing in the light floral scent in the air. “Look, the air smells like freedom. Why are the two of you relentless going after me? Why can’t we just go on our separate ways and never see each other again?”

“Yvonne, could you cut it out? You can hate me, but you cannot do that to Lyle. He really does care about you.” Crystal sat in the backseat and tried to make me look like the evil woman who was trying to stir up trouble.

“Did you hear that? Crystal knows better than you do. Yvonne, you’re going to be a nobody after leaving me. There’s nothing more you can achieve in life. Don’t pin your hopes up on getting another good man. You don’t deserve one either.”

The mixed doubles are at it again. I rubbed my sore temples and decided to let out my secret weapon. I turned my head to the side and looked deep into Lyle’s eyes.

“Lyle, are you only going to stop when you see me crying? Did you know how difficult it was for me to force a smile like that? My heart is broken beyond repair.” I almost threw up after saying that.

“I had a crush on you for eight years, and you married me. But you never said you loved me. Did you know how hard it was for me to endure those sleepless days and nights without you? I was practically living the life of a widowed woman.

“Now that we’re divorced, why do you have to go to the extremes and hurt me again?” For a web of lies to be believable, it was necessary to weave some truths into it. My eyes turned red from recounting the unbecoming and dark past.

“Yvonne, I…” Lyle seemed to have recall some memories at my remark, and stammered. It was apparent that he was plagued by guilt once again.

I grabbed his hand and put it on my chest and said, “You can feel for yourself how badly it hurts right here.”

“I’m sorry, so sorry, Yvonne!”

Yeah, damn right you are. I tore off the clothes on my body in a swift motion and yanked it down my shoulders as I pinned down his arm. Then, I screamed at the top of my lungs, “Help, there’s a pervert here! Please help!”

“What? How dare that pervert attack a woman out in broad daylight?”

“My goodness, he’s even torn off her clothes! What a scumbag!”

“Damn it, I have to teach that b*stard a good lesson!”