Chapter 15%
Leon looked at me with angry eyes, making my heart pound even more.”
“You don’t need to know everything about me, Agnes! I don’t have to explain everything to you!” he said in an increasingly harsh tone.
I felt my body stiffen, anxious, and confused. My right hand was trembling, I wanted to hug him, but my heart couldn’t just accept his attitude like this.
“Why did you change, Leon? What exactly happened?” I asked in a softer voice, hoping he could see that I just wanted to understand.}
Leon seemed to hesitate for a moment, his eyes darting from place to place. However, he finally sighed and looked away.}]
“I can’t tell you everything. There are many things that happened that you can’t understand.“}
I felt like something was breaking inside my heart.”
“But we promised, Leon. We’re supposed to trust each other. You can’t do this, you can’t avoid me all the time!“}]
“Agnes, please. Don’t make this more complicated,” Leon replied, his voice lower and full of frustration.
I bit my lip, holding back the tears that were about to fall.}
This wasn’t the Leon I knew, What had happened to our marriage? What happened to the man who once expressed his love so sincerely?”
“I just want you back the way you used to be. I want us to be happy together,” I said hoarsely, almost desperately.
However, Leon just looked away, walked towards the door and opened it slightly.”
“I need some time alone, Agnes. You ask too many questions.“}]
He walked out of the room, leaving me in deep silence.}
Ustood there, looking at the tightly closed door. I
Pain. Frustration./
Ould feel the feelings welling up inside me.}
My confusion was growing. I didn’t know what to do anymore.
What is going on with my husband? What is he really hiding from me?”
more
I can only hope that one day, I will get some answers, though I fear they might be more devastating than I imagined.§
Day by day, Leon’s demeanor became stranger and stranger.}]
In the past, he was someone who was always quick to hold my hand when I felt weak.}
Now, he’s rarely even home, and if he is, he’s mostly silent. It’s like there’s a thick wall that I can’t get through.
And that… hurts.
My pregnancy has entered its seventh month. My body was getting heavier, I was tired, and my emotions were getting more erratic.} But of all the pain, what hit me the hardest was Leon’s coldness.
As if my presence no longer mattered.}
As if I was just a burden he had to bear.
That morning, my stomach began to feel tense and painful.
I got out of bed slowly, holding on to the side table.
“Leon…” I called softly, hoping he would hear me and help me up.
He only took a quick glance from the sofa, then refocused on his phone.
“Why?”
“It hurts…” I tried to endure the pain in my lower abdomen. “Can you please help me to the bathroom?“}
He let out a long breath.”
“Agnes, you can walk by yourself. I’m tired, don’t spoil me,” he said without turning around.
My heart was instantly squeezed.}
My eyes burned, not from the pain in my body, but from the hurt in my heart.
My hands trembled as I forced myself to stand up without his help.
Every step felt like I was being stabbed, but I persevered.
Not because I’m strong. But because there was no other choice.
In the afternoon, he left without saying goodbye.}}
Only the sound of the door closing loudly signaled that he was gone.”
While I sat alone in the living room, staring at the ticking clock.
The days seemed so long and lonely.
No hugs.
No caresses.
No sweet words like before.
Later that evening, Leon came home at almost midnight.”
The smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke clung to his clothes.
10:09 AM
C
C
I looked at him with teary eyes.}]
“Where have you been?“>
He glanced at me with a lazy look.”
“You’re not my mom. Don’t keep asking me.”}]
“But I’m your wife, Leon…” I whispered, voice almost lost.”
“If you were a good wife, you wouldn’t keep stressing me out,” he retorted sharply, then walked into the room without a care in the world.”
I stood transfixed in the living room, one hand holding my increasingly heavy stomach.
My tears broke out that night.}
Alone, in what should have been a happy pregnancy.
This little baby, the only hope that kept me strong.
I knew I had to protect her, no matter what.
But for the first time… I asked myself.
Day after day passed with the wound deepening.
Leon has completely chan
He’s no longer the same man who onceved to love me and my baby with all his heart, even if this baby isn’t his flesh and blood. Now… he won’t even touch me.}]
Even looking at me seems like a hard thing for him
to
- do.
This morning, I sat alone at the dining table.}
The rice I’ve been making since dawn is still intact, untouched.
Leon came home after two last night, and this morning… he left without saying goodbye. Again.}]
I looked down at my cell phone.
I really wanted to call him, but what was the point?
Even if I call, at best I’ll just be ignored or worse, yelled at.
My hand accidentally touched the photo album I had placed on the table.
A photo of the two of us on our honeymoon.
His smile in the photo was so sincere.>
His hug was tight.
His eyes were warm.
“Where did it all go, Leon…” I whispered through my tears.
That day I really felt lonely,
My back pain was getting worse, and my stomach felt very heavy.
I could only sleep on my side with a pillow between my legs.
Even walking to the bathroom felt like a mile–long journey.
But still… Leon never asked, never cared.
Later that night, I ventured to wait for Leon in the living room.
I wanted to talk.
I wanted to know what was really going on.“]
He came home past eleven, his face tired and his eyes red like he’d been up all night.
“Leon… can we talk for a minute?“}
He sighed, sounding impatient.”
“Tomorrow, Agnes. I’m tired.”
“I’m tired too, Leon… But I’m still here, still loyal, still patient…” my voice began to tremble.
“You’ve changed. You’re not the Leon I knew. And I don’t know how long I can keep this up.”
Leon gave me a quick glance, then replied in a flat tone,
‘No drama. I’m working for us.”
