The Silent Goodbye

Nissa returned home alone.

She began packing her things. She did not bring much with her when she married into the Jules family, and she did not have much since. Everything she owned fit neatly into a single 20-inch suitcase.

Standing in the vast, empty living room with her suitcase at her side, she absentmindedly touched her lower abdomen.

For some reason, a wave of loneliness washed over her.

This place was never her home. She was always just a temporary guest, someone who was destined to leave.

Her only worry now was her sister, who was still in the hospital. Without Benjamin's money, her sister wouldn't even last a day.

The front door suddenly burst open.

Startled, Nissa hurriedly tucked her phone away.

Benjamin stormed in, his face dark.

His eyes landed on the suitcase by her feet, and without a word, he strode up and grabbed her wrist. "What now? Planning to run away after what you did?"

Nissa was stunned. She had no idea what he was talking about. What did she supposedly do wrong this time?

Still, the thought of leaving made her heart beat faster with guilt.

She quickly took out her phone and typed, "I was just bored, so I packed up some old clothes to donate."

Benjamin did not question her story, but it only made him angrier.

"Charlotte ended up in the hospital with acute gastroenteritis because of the spicy chicken you gave her at lunch," he snapped, "she's still lying in bed, and here you are, playing housekeeper?"

His voice turned colder. "If you're the one who caused it, then you're going to take care of her until she's discharged."

Nissa stared at him, speechless.

Why was she to blame for Charlotte's hospitalization? When did she ever serve Charlotte spicy chicken?

She frantically tried to explain, but Benjamin gave her no chance to defend herself. He dragged her out the door and shoved her into the car.

All the way there, Nissa kept holding up her phone, trying to show him the truth. But Benjamin did not even care to look.

And then it hit her that the truth didn't matter.

Benjamin just needed to remind her of her place, to show her that in his world, she was nothing more than a disposable caretaker.

Nissa laughed bitterly to herself.

To make his wife wait hand and foot on his ex-girlfriend? Benjamin truly knew how to be cruel.

When they arrived at the hospital, Benjamin went to park the car while Nissa was told to go up to the room alone.

Charlotte was expecting her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said sweetly, "I told Benjamin you didn't need to come. But he insisted, saying he couldn't stop worrying about me."

Every word was like a blade to her heart.

Nissa forced a tight smile, turned away, and walked over to pour her a glass of warm water.

The water's temperature in the thermos was boiling. As she passed it to Charlotte, she tried to warn her through soft, muffled sounds.

But Charlotte's hand slipped, spilling the hot water all across her hand.

She shrieked.

Nissa jumped back, horrified, rushing to help her up and guide her to the bathroom to run cold water.

Just then, the door slammed open.

Benjamin stormed in, eyes blazing.

He rushed to Charlotte's side, saw the blistering skin on her hand, and turned on Nissa with barely controlled fury.

"What the hell happened?"

Nissa tried to sign, but before she could move her hands, Charlotte sobbed out, "I just asked her to get me some water, but then she got angry and dumped boiling water on me. It hurts, Benjamin, it hurts so much."

Nissa's eyes widened in shock.

That was not what happened!

She shook her head desperately, mouthing silent pleas. However, the more she panicked, the harder it was for her to communicate clearly.

Benjamin's face had already turned cold.

His dark eyes locked onto Nissa.

In an instant, his hand landed hard across her cheek.

The blow was so forceful that she stumbled, the sharp sting instantly blossoming into burning pain.

Her pale face swelled rapidly, an angry red imprint already visible.

But Benjamin was not finished. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and shoved her down to her knees in front of Charlotte.

"Apologize to her. Now!" he ordered.

Nissa's eyes filled with tears. Her lips trembled. She let out a broken whimper, trying again to explain, to tell him it was not true.

The more she struggled, the more Benjamin's rage grew.

"If you can't speak," he said coldly, pressing down harder on her neck, "then bow down with your head. You can't be too dumb to understand that much."

Nissa tried to lift her head in defiance, but his grip tightened, forcing her back down.

Her teeth sank into her lower lip so hard she tasted blood. At the same time, her heart was torn.

To her, kneeling before God or her parents was no issue. That was completely normal.

However, this very day, she was forced to kneel and bow to her husband's ex-lover. The very act itself was killing her internally.