Shortlived Happiness

My words seemed to remind Benjamin of his promise. He fell silent for a brief moment.

He wanted to say something when Hector snatched the phone from him. "Stop being so pathetic, Samantha! Do you think everyone loves competing with other women as you do? You'd better stop trying to cause trouble.

"Can you bear the consequences of keeping Benjamin and the others from their work? Stop doing stupid things and expecting others to clean up after you!"

He hung up after that. Jennifer leaned into Benjamin's embrace and rubbed Hector's head affectionately. She said dotingly, "Alright, that's enough. You guys know what Samantha is like, so don't be mad. Today's the most important day of my life. Be happy for me."

That was enough to appease Hector. Then, everyone proceeded to the room where Benjamin and Jennifer would spend their wedding night.

The festivities were over. I was left standing alone in the darkness of the night like a clown that no one cared about.

I made an appointment for an abortion on my phone. Then, I turned to leave.

I'd spent the past 15 years trying and failing to win Benjamin's heart. If that was the case, I didn't want it anymore.

It was late at night when I returned to the nearest town. I got a room at a hotel and drifted off into a restless sleep. In the wee hours of the morning, I was jolted awake by the ringing of my phone.

My superior at the TV station sounded anxious yet excited. "I heard a 5.3-degree earthquake happened at the old settlement near your location. You need to head there immediately to get the latest scoop!"

He hung up without waiting for me to respond. I found the situation mocking. If I'd known this would happen, I never would've come.

Still, I got out of bed, feeling resigned. When I unlocked my phone to check the latest news, I saw Jennifer had updated her social media with a photo. It showed her hand in Benjamin's, and they wore matching rings.

I looked at the faint scar on the back of Benjamin's hand. My heart was dead, but it still ached at the sight of that scar. He'd gotten it after being stabbed by a broken beer bottle when trying to protect me from my abusive father when I was 18.

I'd always believed it was proof of him caring about me, but everything had turned out to just be a figment of my imagination. The remnants of my love for him dissipated when I saw the photo.

I turned on my laptop and hurriedly compiled questions for interviews. Then, I contacted a friend who was a lawyer and had him draw up a divorce agreement for me.

…

When I returned to the old settlement, it was in a mess. I set aside my personal matters and started contacting rescue services on behalf of the injured. My heart was heavy when I saw the damage.

For some reason, the earthquake's aftereffects seemed particularly severe in this area. I looked at the detonators that had been laid around the old settlement to carve out a new path, and a sense of unease rose within me.

That was when someone suddenly kicked me hard from behind. I was caught off guard and fell to the ground, landing on the debris from the earthquake. My face and hands were cut and scratched from the fall.

Hector's voice rang out behind me. He sounded furious as he snarled, "Are you a stalker or something? I can't believe you came all the way here to try to catch Benjamin and Jennifer red-handed! What's wrong with you?"

I didn't know when this had happened, but he seemed to have forgotten what our mother had looked like after Lisa had forced her to her death. Now, he was nothing more than Jennifer's lapdog.

If this was what my brother was going to be like, I didn't want him anymore!

I silently got up and dusted myself off. Then, I approached him, my face devoid of emotion. I slapped him hard.

His head turned to the side from the force. He turned back to stare at me in disbelief, not expecting me to retaliate.

Before he could say or do anything, I said in disgust, "Stop thinking you guys are worth my time and effort. Since you adore Jennifer so much, you can spend the rest of your life being her dog. That slap was for what you did to me. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

I ignored his angry look and turned away to continue interviewing the earthquake victims. In the distance, Benjamin approached with a pale-looking Jennifer in his arms.

A trace of diffidence flashed in his eyes as he said, "I forgot to wish you a happy birthday yesterday, Sammy. I'll head home once the excavation works here are done, and we can celebrate then."