Pigeons swam in the water and flew in the
sky.
The setting sun resembled a large yolk, slowly
sinking.
My mouth watered; I craved salted egg yolks.
The twilight burned; I raised my phone to
capture the foreign sky.
A white dove took flight from a corner.
The finished photo was stunning.
I’ll post it on Instagram later.
As I enjoyed the tranquility of nature, a couple
walked by; the woman had a large belly,
obviously pregnant.
Her husband walked hand–in–hand with her.
I froze.
The thought I had pushed aside resurfaced.
I touched my belly.
What should I do about this child?
Having a single–parent family didn’t seem.
luedi.
Although I had five million dollars, raising a
child, especially in a big city, was expensive.
Raising it poorly would feel unfair.
And the father was married.
Was it immoral to secretly have the baby?
If I didn’t have it…
I hadn’t decided.
Should I really have an abortion?
I sighed, deciding to give myself another
month.
I had to decide within that month; I shouldn’t
stress myself out now.
It was all Ethan’s fault for not using
protection and not reminding me to take birth control pills.
Annoying.
He had his fun; now I have all the problems.
Bored, I drew a circle on the ground with the
seeds and watched as the pigeons formed a
seeas and watched as the pigeons Tormea a circle around it. My mood slightly improved.
Then I made a few more circles.
Repetitive meaningless actions helped
distance me from those troubling thoughts.
After I finished feeding the last of the seeds, I
heard someone ask in English, “All done?”
I was spacing out, not realizing the voice was
young.
Thinking it was the old man, I casually replied,
“Yes, all done. Do you have any more food?
Can I buy some from you?”
He ignored me.
I turned curiously, wanting to see what the old
man was doing.
Before I could see clearly, I was pulled into
someone’s arms.
My head hit his chest.
He had great pectoral muscles.
Just like my fake husband.
E
A faint scent of bitter orange wafted over me.
“Time to go home after feeding the pigeons,”
a man’s dry, large hand caressed my cheek.
I was forced to look up, meeting his gaze. Ethan’s voice was gentle, almost deadly so.
“Right, honey?”
Me😕
Wasn’t he on a business trip across the
Atlantic?
Why was he here?
“Not enough fun, you want more?” Ethan
separated my hands, his long fingers
intertwined with mine.
He leaned slightly, biting my earlobe.
“Honey, need some company?”
Me: !
Something was wrong.
I tried to wriggle out of his embrace.
Failed.
Ethan held me tightly; I pushed him, but it was
no use.
I feigned anger, “Are you crazy? You hug
people in the park and call them honey. If you
don’t let go, I’ll call the police!”
Ethan wasn’t intimidated at all.
He took my phone, raising it high. He said
casually, “You can’t call the police anymore.”
Me😕
He was eight inches taller than me.
I couldn’t reach my phone.
Even jumping wouldn’t help!
Unless I climbed on him.
I was shocked, “You’re also robbing me?!
That’s an additional charge!”
He didn’t care, “Hmm, honey, can we go
home now?”
Honey my foot.
Your honey is Lily, not me.
I tried to grab my phone back, failing, of
course.
Ethan even picked me up in a bridal style.
I struggled, “What are you doing? I don’t
know you, don’t randomly call people honey.”
“Only you.”
My struggle must have been too strong,
because Ethan let go.
But he still held my hoodie; I couldn’t escape.
I was only wearing a hoodie; if I took it off, I’d
be naked.
I was defeated, “Who are you? Let me go,
please. Don’t make a scene in a foreign
country.”
He scooped me up horizontally, “Go back to
the hotel and explain.”
He emphasized the word “hotel.”
I looked to the sky, “How can anyone
randomly call someone their honey?”
Ethan ignored me, not saying a word.
Annoying.
10
ANNOYNY.
12
His hotel was huge.
A presidential suite was different.
He threw me onto the bed.
The bed bounced; I bounced.
Just as I was about to get up, Ethan pressed
down on me.
We were so close that I could see the fine
hairs on his face.
His breath lightly brushed my cheek.
Ethan caressed my eyebrows, “Start
explaining.”
I swallowed, “Does this position really require
an explanation?”
Ethan’s hand slid down, resting on my belly.
He replied, “The baby is pregnant, we can’t.”
Me:…
Various jumbled images flashed through my
mind.
Ethan and I weren‘
ithout conflict
mind.
Ethan and I weren’t without conflict.
I often angered him over little things.
Like standing him up, or making a fuss over
nothing.
Life was boring, so I would find reasons to
argue with him.
Ethan always played along.
Afterwards, I would always apologize while
he…
His fingertip touched my lips, suggestive, “If
the baby wants to appease me first before
explaining, that’s fine too.”
I looked pitiful, “I really am not your baby.
Have you got the wrong person?”
He raised an eyebrow, “Really?”
nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, do you know
my name? Look, you don’t kno…”
He interrupted me, “Zoe Riley.”
“You like the street food near the company,
<
“You like the street food near the company,
extra cilantro, no onions, always two orders,
you can’t finish them, so you use me as a
trash can.”
“You like to sleep with a body pillow; you’ll
hug me if your pillows are gone.”
Wait.
So he threw away all my pillows?
I wondered why my pillows suddenly
disappeared!
“You like being ordered around, you like me
being dominant, you’ll be disobedient if I’m
gentle with you.”
At this point, Ethan squeezed my neck, his
tone gentle.
“Baby, have I been too gentle with you lately,
that you learned to run away?”
My breath hitched, “Et–Ethan…”
“What should you call me?”
“Now, say it.”
<
NOW, Say IL.
13
I’m doomed.
I buried my face in the pillow.
Ethan tried to pull me into his arms, but I
ignored him, continuing to play ostrich.
“Baby, don’t be shy, let’s have dinner first.”
I blurted out, “I already ate.”
He turned my head and kissed me, “Eat some
real food, or you’ll be hungry.”
Ahhh, stop it!
I pulled the blanket over myself.
“I’m not hungry.”
Ethan lifted me up through the blanket,
“Baby, you look like a little turtle in your
blanket.”
I poked my head out, “You’re the turtle!”
He nodded, “Hmm, even more so.”
I puffed out my cheeks.
He rubbed my lips, “Still upset?”
I covered his mouth to prevent him from
saying more, changing the subject, “How did
you find me?”
The table was set with food.
Ethan had arranged the food from room
service while I was playing ostrich.
Ethan poured me a glass of warm water and
gave me chopsticks.
“Admit you know me?”
I stubbornly said, “I don’t know you.”
The world is so big, how did he find me?!
Ethan didn’t tell me, just kept feeding me.
My stomach was full; I curled up on the sofa.
Ethan came closer.
He wanted to kiss me.
I said seriously, “You’re married.”
Ethan played with my hair, casually replying,
“Hmm.”
“That’s adultery.” I babbled, “Men who don’t
cherish themselves are like wilted lettuce.”
“That’s adultery.” I babbled, “Men who don’t
cherish themselves are like wilted lettuce.”
Ethan showed no remorse, “Committed
adultery, so what?”
“Are you being fair to your wife?!”
Ethan said lightly, “Was my wife fair to me?”
Huh?
She wasn’t fair either.
My heart felt guilty.
“Adultery is wrong, once is never enough,
wilted lettuce can’t kiss me!”
Ethan gently squeezed my cheek, “You’re
pretty good at shifting blame, sweetheart.”
I hugged my pillow and turned away.
I had no plan for Ethan showing up.
I didn’t know what to do.
Ethan hugged me, resting his chin on my
shoulder, without speaking.
After a long time, he suddenly said, “Zoe
Riley, I’m angry.”
