Chapter 4 Bad Treatment
The slap tilted Mayra’s head, taking away the last of the glow in her eyes.
Viviana walked to Elyse, trying to comfort her. “Mom, it’s OK. The card has only 200 thousand dollars in it because I’m afraid that she’ll waste money like before.
Mayra’s throat ached a lot. She opened the door of the taxi waiting beside her. “Please go…”
But she had no idea where she could go. So she looked out the window at the four of them walking into the hospital.
The driver said, “Are they your family or your enemies? Why did that woman slap you before you could say a word? I don’t need you to pay the 16 dollars now. Go.”
Mayra couldn’t help crying. What the driver had asked was also what she
wanted to know.
A smug look flashed through Viviana’s eyes when she walked away holding Ronan’s arm.
“Mom, Ronan, do you think Mayra really lost her memories? Why don’t we call her over?”
Elyse’s face darkened. She was disgusted whenever Mayra was mentioned. “She wouldn’t have come if she had lost her memories.
Ronan, you’d better break off your engagement to her as soon as possible for Vivi’s good. She has gone through a lot. As her mom, I don’t want anything bad to happen to her again.”
“Rest assured, Elyse. I’ll never fail Vivi.”
Although Ronan and Mayra were childhood sweethearts, he was already bored of her.
When Mayra and Viviana went out together back then, Viviana was abducted.
Five years ago, Viviana was found. Only then did everyone know that Viviana had told Mayra to go to the police.
But Mayra ran away and did nothing to help Viviana.
Thus, Mayra was seen as a bad person. When Viviana was back, Mayra thought that Viviana had stolen everyone’s attention and picked on Viviana a lot.
Once Ronan began taking Viviana’s side, Mayra got worse. So Ronan thought Mayra had brought it on herself.
***
Mayra sat on the roadside. She was still wearing the hospital gown, looking thin and weak.
A car stopped beside her.
“Maya?” a young woman’s voice sounded.
Mayra looked up. It was a familiar face, but Mayra couldn’t remember who she was.
“You fought with Ronan again, didn’t you? Why didn’t you get changed before you left?”
“Who are you?”
Gracie didn’t see it coming, opening the door beside the passenger’s seat. “Get in. It’s annoying when you play a trick too many times. So don’t
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blame others. Besides, I don’t know why you’re so nice to Ronan.”
Mayra got in the car and didn’t say a word.
Gracie drove to her place. “You can stay at my place tonight. I know you’ll go back to him when you get up tomorrow morning.”
Mayra walked in behind Gracie and changed her shoes in the foyer.
Mayra was familiar with the apartment, so she thought she and Gracie should be close friends.
After Mayra sat down on the sofa, Gracie gave her a glass of warm water.
Holding the glass, Mayra felt her body was getting warmer.
Gracie yawned and seemed to be tired. “I’ll go take a shower. Like always, that room is yours. Remember to take away the clothes you left here when you leave tomorrow.
“Sometimes, I wished you hadn’t compromised with Ronan so fast. But it was never more than 3 days. As long as Ronan threw you a bone, you’d go back with a happy face for the next round of bad treatment. No wonder he and his friends look down on you. Have some dignity, Maya. If you lost your memories someday, I’d celebrate it for you.”
