Get Out of the Cage

"Haha…"

Melanie let out a bitter laugh, but tears began to fall. She must have been blind to love a man like this, to think he was perfect in every way.

Jennifer’s eyes were full of mockery. "Melanie, are you trying to gain sympathy?"

Ken frowned impatiently. "Hurry up and do it! Jen still needs to rest!"

"I know."

Melanie took a deep breath, and slapped herself across the face. Then, she slapped herself again.

With her cheeks burning, she looked at them with empty eyes and asked, "Is that enough?"

Jennifer pouted. "It seemed a little light."

Ken turned his head away, avoiding her gaze. "Keep going."

Slap!

Slap!

By the time blood trickled from Melanie’s mouth, Jennifer finally seemed satisfied.

"Melanie, I recorded that and sent it to the group chat. It’s for your own good, to teach you a lesson. Don’t blame me."

Melanie’s face throbbed with pain and swelling. She just wanted to leave. "Can I go now?"

"Sure," Jennifer said. "Just remember not to fake a miscarriage again. Your acting skills are terrible. You're like a clown!"

Melanie thought of the child she had lost, her heart aching sharply, and turned to leave. In this failed relationship, she had indeed been nothing but a pathetic clown.

As Melanie walked out, Ken chased after her. "Don’t forget to make dinner for Jen tonight. She wants crab roe pasta. Make sure there’s plenty of crab roe!"

Melanie couldn’t understand how he could act as if nothing had happened. He was expecting her to cook for the woman who caused her miscarriage. She should have felt sadness, but her feelings had long turned numb. She couldn’t even muster anger—all that was left was disgust.

"Jennifer caused my miscarriage. I won’t cook for her. Ken, I won’t press charges this time, but remember this. From now on, I owe you nothing!" she spat.

In the past, he had done a lot for her and her family.

But from now on, it was all over. His kindness would no longer hold her hostage.

Melanie had spoken with finality.

Ken was momentarily stunned, but his shock quickly turned into rage. "What do you mean by that? You hurt Jen! What right do you have to press charges?"

Just then, Jennifer called out coyly from the ward, "Ken!"

Without another word, Ken stormed back to Jennifer, leaving behind a cold warning as he left. "Melanie, you'd better watch out!"

Very soon, Melanie heard the sound of passionate kissing from the ward.

It reminded her of when she first met Ken. Back then, he always seemed melancholic, often holding her tightly and repeatedly asking, "Baby, you’re not like the others. You’ll never leave me, right?"

Melanie didn’t know what he had been through to make him so insecure, but her heart ached for him. No matter how many times he asked, she would patiently promise, "No, I’ll always stay with you!"

He didn’t like her having male acquaintances, so she deleted them all from her contacts. If she talked to other men, he would get upset, so she avoided interacting with them altogether. When he wanted her by his side at all times, she gave up career opportunities to stay with him.

For eight years, he had taken for granted that she would always be there.

But now, she had decided to leave.

Her phone kept chiming. Melanie opened it and found that the video of her slapping herself had been shared in several group chats.

[She looks like a stray dog no one wants!]

[Isn’t she just Ken’s lapdog? If Ken told her to eat dirt, she would.]

Screenshots from the group chats spread online, fueling the excitement of Ken and Jennifer’s fans.

[Who is this mistress getting what she deserves? (smirks)]

[Ken truly loves his wife. He’s so ruthless to this gold-digger! I love it!]

[Stick to being a screenwriter! Why try to be a mistress? Did you really think Ken, the ultimate boyfriend, would put up with your nonsense? Serves you right!]

Countless people swarmed Melanie’s social media accounts, leaving vile comments.

Staring at the insults, she left the group chats, deleted her accounts, and logged out of everything.

Jamie soon called. "Do you need my help?"

"Thanks, but no. I’ll be gone in four days anyway."

Melanie hung up and, amidst whispers of 'that’s the mistress-screenwriter,' took a taxi back to the 'home' she had once thoughtfully decorated.

At that moment, she was only grateful her parents were too old to use the internet and wouldn’t see the scandal.

Despite the physical pain Melanie was in, she gathered all their items—matching slippers, toothbrush cups, pajamas, trinkets, photo albums, love letters, and souvenirs from their trips. She threw away anything that was remotely connected to her relationship with Ken. Then, she marked off the 26th on her calendar.

"Just a little longer, Melanie," she told herself. "In four days, you can leave."

She placed her hand on her empty stomach, feeling a bleak void in her heart. In the eight-year-long relationship, she was the only one who fought to save it.

She only wanted to get through the next few days peacefully.

But on the morning of the 27th, Ken called, demanding her to deliver food to Jennifer. When Melanie refused, he showed up with Jennifer in tow.

"Go be a stand-in for Jen and act in the drowning scene for her!" Ken demanded.

Melanie had been telling herself to endure. Just a few more days, and she’d be free. Yet, his demands grew more and more absurd.

Holding back her anger, she refused.

"I won’t be her stand-in! It’s freezing in the dead of winter. I just had a miscarriage. Getting soaked in cold water could kill me!" she snapped.