From Grave to Glory

To Frame Her

The Maybach was zooming down the road. Jackie would take a glance at me through the rear-view mirror, though there was only scorn for me in his eyes. All the love and care he showed me was an act.

It was all so I would give him my family's wealth and catapult him from a nobody to a business owner. I must've been blind to buy into his so-called 'true love' story.

My phone buzzed. An unknown number texted me. 'I heard you found out, Wisteria. When Jackie heard I was scared, he promised he'd come back to my place tonight. I hope your empty house isn't too icy for your taste.'

I was going to text back, but Jackie saw the messages, and he slammed the brakes. "You're going that far for a show?" He tried to take my phone away again. "You have way too much time on your hands if you keep coming up with these!"

I kept my hand around my phone tightly, and then he slapped me across the face. "Are you mad, Jackie?"

Jackie sneered and tossed the phone out the window. "No, you're mad, you ungrateful bitch!"

The doctor was already there when we got home.

Jackie approached him, his eyes red and tearful. "Doctor, you made it. My wife's been having crazy episodes, and she won't leave me alone! She even came up with my 'first love'! She's delusional! I think her infertility messed with her head!"

Though my heart was already cold and dead, the fact he told someone else I was infertile like it was a grocery list item shredded my heart into pieces.

I was the one who insisted on marrying him. My father said he was rotten inside, and he refused to let me marry. I stormed off in a huff and made a bet with him. "You'll have to recognize him if he stays loyal for ten years!"

A car crashed right into me after I left my house.

My womb was taken away, and pregnancy became an impossibility. He was right beside my bed, crying until his eyes were puffy. He said, "Even if we never have kids, you're still the only one I love!"

I bought into that story, so I became the woman who had his back.

I worked long weeks just to snag deals for him, and I pushed through all objections to make him chairman of the company.

Even though he had no idea how financial reports worked, I was still happy with him, all so his ego would not get scarred. The memories now made my stomach churn.

"If you call that a delusion, how are you explaining the photo and transaction history?"

Jackie stepped forth again, his eyes really red now. "See? She keeps coming up with really confusing stuff lately."

The doctor frowned. He was looking at me with pity. "Madam Oliviero, I know you've been under a lot of pressure lately. Your infertility must've started making you hallucinate. I suggest you stay in the hospital for further observation. You need medication if you want to heal up."

I wanted to argue, but Jackie cut in, "It's for your own good, Wisteria! It's for the family! Stop throwing a tantrum!"

His phone buzzed. Yvonne's photo popped onto the screen. He fumbled to turn his phone into silent mode, then the man turned back to us and shot me a glare.

"This is your fault! Yvonne can't even rest in peace now! You should've stayed in your lane, then none of this would've happened!"

I watched him act out, and I laughed, yet my tears flowed. "Why'd you hang up, then? She's already dead. Should've told her to show up and face me. We'll see who's the real guilty soul here!"

Jackie sneered, but when he turned, he faked a sigh. "See? She's starting again with her nonsense. Yvonne would never have let herself get insulted, but she died early, and no one can defend her."

The doctor sighed. He looked at me with pity again. "Mr. Kissinger, your wife isn't looking too good. I suggest you send her to a hospital even if you have to use force. The sooner we can intervene, the better."

Jackie nodded immediately. When he sent the doctor off, he whispered, "Get her a spot as soon as you can."

The door swung shut. His warmth disappeared right away. Before I could do anything, he was already pulling my hair and dragging me to the bedroom.

"You've been under too much pressure, Wisteria. Stay at home for a bit to cool down." He threw me into the bedroom and slammed the door shut.

Through the door, he said icily, "If you bring up Yvonne or the divorce, I will throw you into an asylum! Consider yourself warned."

I was leaning against the freezing door, my whole body shivering. For ten years, I gave him my love like a fool. In the end, he decided to repay me with a stint in the mental asylum.

How dare he!

I took out my spare phone from the drawer and texted my father. 'I take back everything, Dad! Please, I want Jackie to lose everything in a week!'