Silent Phone And Countless Lies

1 My wife Abby's phone was perpetually on silent. If I ever needed to reach her, I could never get through. I always had to call everyone around her. On our seventh wedding anniversary, we agreed to meet at our usual restaurant. Three hours passed, and she still hadn't shown up. Running a fever, I stood on the freezing street, dialing one number after another. My dad's voice was warm: "Abby just came over to my place for some homemade soup. Don't worry, son, I'm keeping an eye on her for you." Gavin, my buddy who worked at Abby's firm, said, "Relax, Jonah. Abby's right here in our department, running a meeting." Even my older sister Vivian promised me, "Abby's with me at the art gallery. I swear I'll send her home to you in one piece later tonight." Finally, my daughter Daisy spoke through her smartwatch: "Mommy is taking me and Grandma toy shopping!" Everyone was trying so hard to prove that Abby was with them. None of them knew she was right in front of me. Through the restaurant window, I watched her tenderly pick fish bones out of a dish for the man sitting across from her. I stared at my pathetic reflection in the glass. Suddenly, I realized it was time to pull out the thorn that had been buried in my heart for years. … I pushed open the private dining room door. The laughter inside instantly died, like someone hit pause. The air conditioning blasted cold against my face. My burning fever felt chilled, and my feverish mind started to clear. "Jonah? How did you find us?" Abby was the first to react. I didn't answer. I scanned the room until my eyes landed on a massive custom cake. On top were three fondant figurines: a woman in a pencil skirt, a man in a crisp white shirt, and a little girl holding hands between them. Abby, Jasper, and my daughter, Daisy. To anyone else, it looked like a picture-perfect, happy family of three. Daisy was leaning on Jasper's knee. "Daddy Jasper, happy one hundred days post-surgery! Stay healthy forever!" Jasper's eyes glistened with tears as he rested his hand gently on her head. "Jasper, sweetie, I brought the gift you wanted!" my mother-in-law's voice called out from behind. And right behind her, the very people who had just sworn Abby was with them, my dad, my sister, my best friend Gavin, walked through the door holding armfuls of gifts. When they saw me standing by the entrance, the smiles froze on their faces. I looked at Abby and asked quietly, "Abby, did you forget today is our seventh anniversary?" My throat was raw and burning. Every word felt like swallowing razor blades. Abby paused, a flash of guilt flitting across her eyes. "I'm sorry. Jasper's checkup results were great today, so everyone decided to throw a last-minute celebration." She reached out to touch my hand, but I stepped back, avoiding her touch. "A last-minute decision?" I pointed at the elaborate fondant cake. "Custom cakes like this take at least three days' advance notice." Abby's hand stiffened in midair, her face darkening. "Jonah, don't be so narrow-minded. Jasper just went through major surgery. We just wanted to make him happy." My dad immediately stood up and walked over, his voice low and heavy with disapproval. "Jonah, why are you being so unreasonable? Jasper is Uncle Shen's only son. Uncle Shen passed away early, so as his old friend, what's wrong with me taking care of his boy?" Uncle Shen was my father's first love back in his youth. And for the son of that first love, my dad was willing to use his own son's anniversary as a token of favor. Gavin chimed in, "Yeah, Jonah, Abby wanted to go see you, but we dragged her here. Don't throw a scene here, man. It's embarrassing." I looked at this group of people, my absolute closest inner circle. "Throw a scene?" I let out a dry laugh, my vision blurring from the fever. Abby sighed, her tone softening slightly. "Jasper has no family left, and his health is fragile. Everyone kept it from you because they knew you'd make a fuss, and no one wanted to ruin a nice meal." Once again, I was the one who would make a fuss. The first time she stayed in Jasper's hospital room until dawn, she said she was afraid I would make a fuss. The second time she abandoned me and our daughter at the amusement park, she said she was afraid I would make a fuss. The third time she ran off on my birthday night to pick Jasper up, she still said she was afraid I would make a fuss. As long as she labeled me a lunatic first, every single one of her betrayals and lies became an unavoidable necessity. "Jonah, be good," she said, her voice gentle and coaxing as she reached out again. "We'll make it up to you tomorrow. I'll clear my entire schedule and give you the whole day." Her tone sounded sweet, but I didn't miss the faint trace of impatience lurking in her eyes. "Abby, let's get a divorce." The room fell dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. Abby's face finally cracked. "Jonah, what kind of madness is this now?" Jasper suddenly stood up, eyes red. "Jonah, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let Abby stay with me. Please don't divorce her because of me..." "You mean man!" Daisy suddenly stormed out like a little cannonball. She grabbed the slice of cake off the table and threw it right at my chest. The suit and hair I had carefully styled for our anniversary were instantly ruined. "You bully! Don't you dare pick on Daddy Jasper!" Daisy spread her arms wide, shielding Jasper like I was her mortal enemy. "You're just jealous of Daddy Jasper! You ruined our party! You're a bad man!" Sticky cream dripped down my collar. I looked down at my ridiculous state, then up at my daughter's hostile glare. It felt like the razor blades stuck in my throat had just been shoved straight into my heart, carving a bloody path all the way down. "Daisy, what did you just call him?" Abby didn't even look at the mess on my clothes. She pulled Daisy behind her and held up the trembling, unsteady Jasper. "Jonah, why are you picking a fight with a child?" she snapped, disappointment cold in her voice. "Jasper isn't fully recovered yet. Do you really have to trigger him right now?" I casually wiped the cream off my face. "Ms. Ruan." "I'll have my lawyer draft the divorce agreement and send it to your office. Please sign it when you have time." Without another glance at them, I turned and walked out. "Jonah!" Footsteps hurried behind me. My sister Vivian and Gavin chased me down, blocking my path at the entrance. "Haven't you had enough?" Vivian scolded. "Jasper is sick. Can't you show a little compassion? Abby was just looking out for him, and you're using divorce as a threat?" I yanked my arm back forcefully. "Does being sick give him the right to ruin someone else's marriage? Vivian, whose sister are you anyway?" Gavin scoffed, stepping in front of my sister. "Jonah, I am sick of you playing the victim! Truth be told, when Abby had that miscarriage with your second child, it wasn't because the fetus had a congenital defect at all!" My heart plummeted. I stared at Gavin in shock. Vivian's expression changed, and she reached out to tug Gavin's sleeve. "Gavin, stop..." "Let him speak," I demanded, my voice raspy and broken. Gavin brushed Vivian's hand away and laughed bitterly. "That baby was developing perfectly fine! But Jasper had just lost his ability to become a father due to his illness. If you and Abby had a second child right then, he wouldn’t have been able to handle the shock!" "So your sister, as an OB-GYN, deliberately tricked you both into believing the baby had severe birth defects and convinced Abby to terminate the pregnancy!" "Back then, you only got the chance to marry Abby because Jasper went abroad. But having one child wasn't enough for you, was it? You wanted a second one! We were all just trying to protect Jasper! Why do you always have to be so selfish and compete with him for everything?" The buzzing of cicadas echoed endlessly in my ears. Gavin's lips kept moving, but I couldn't hear a single word after that. Five years ago, when Gavin was fired from his company, I begged Abby to find him a good position. He held my hands with tears in his eyes back then, swearing he would look out for Abby on my behalf. I looked at my sister's guilty, avoiding eyes, and stomach acid surged up my throat. That was the child I had eagerly anticipated for three months. My baby. Her own flesh-and-blood nephew. After Abby's miscarriage, I spent every day drowning in guilt and self-blame. She had held me gently, promising we would have other children. Turns out everyone knew the truth. Only I, like a total fool, wept for a child that had been murdered by my own family. A sudden gasp came from the private room. "Jasper fainted!" Abby rushed out carrying the unconscious Jasper, with Daisy following behind, crying hysterically. Vivian immediately hurried over to help Abby get Jasper into a car. When Abby ran past me, she didn't even spare me a glance. Her shoulder shoved against my arm. Weak and dizzy from the high fever, I lost my balance and tumbled onto the scalding asphalt street. Beads of blood seeped from my scraped knees. Abby's car sped away with a roar. A restaurant server came over to help me up. "Sir, you look like you have a severe fever! Do you need an ambulance?" I politely declined her kindness. My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was the teacher from Daisy's preschool. "Mr. Jonah, I'm so sorry to bother you this late. Daisy left her art portfolio in the classroom. Summer break starts tomorrow, so the school will be locked up. I tried calling her mother and her second emergency contact, Mr. Jasper, but neither picked up." "So I had to call you, her third emergency contact. Are you free to pick it up tomorrow?" I froze, unable to process her words. "Ms. Harper, what did you just say? Which emergency contact am I?" "The third contact. Last month, Daisy's mother came in and updated the forms. She made herself the first contact and Mr. Jasper the second." "I thought... I thought you two were already divorced." I stared at the blood dripping down my knees and let out a soft, bitter laugh. "I see. I'll pick it up tomorrow." That night, neither Abby nor Daisy came home. I stopped asking where they were. I quietly packed my things. After seven years of marriage, everything I owned couldn't even fill a single suitcase. The next morning, I went to the preschool and opened Daisy's art portfolio. On the first page was a drawing of a handsome man in a white shirt holding a little girl's hand. Beside it, in clumsy handwriting, it read: Daddy Jasper is a prince. On the second page was a woman in a skirt and the man in the white shirt: Mommy and Daddy Jasper will be together forever. Every single page featured Jasper. Until the very last page. In the bottom corner was a dark figure with messy hair, wearing black clothes. His face was painted a terrifying green, holding a whip covered in thorns. Beside it was written: Go away, evil wizard. That was who I was in my daughter's eyes. Leaving the preschool, I called my lawyer directly. "Mr. Bennett, is the divorce agreement ready?" "It's ready, Mr. Jonah. But are you sure you want to give up custody of Daisy? If you fight for it, you have a very strong case." "I'm not fighting for her." I stood under the scorching sun, looking at the wilted leaves on the trees. "She already chose her father." That afternoon, I took the printed divorce agreement to Abby's firm. When I pushed open her office door, the room was full. Jasper sat beside Abby, his eyes shining as they discussed which monastery had the most effective protection medallions. Seeing me enter, my mother-in-law slammed her teacup onto the table. "You still have the nerve to show your face here? Jasper nearly had a heart attack last night because of your antics! How can you be so cruel?" "Abby works so hard every day, and you keep making a mess at home. If you just stayed in your lane, would Jasper be suffering like this?" Ignoring her accusations, I walked straight to Abby's desk and placed the document before her. "Sign it." Abby glanced at the words Divorce Agreement on the cover, and her expression instantly darkened. "Jonah, can you stop throwing tantrums? Jasper is still sick. Do you really have to ruin our family right now?" My dad rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. "Apologize to Jasper right now! Are you trying to drive him to death?" My cheek throbbed with a burning pain. I raised my head and stared silently at these people. My sister Vivian and my friend Gavin were carefully shielding Jasper. Daisy held Jasper's hand, her face lit up with joy. "Daddy Jasper, if Mommy divorces him, can you be my real daddy?" Jasper looked panicked and quickly covered her mouth. I pulled at the corner of my mouth in a self-deprecating smile. "The terms are complete. You keep the child. I only want what is rightfully mine." "Ms. Ruan, isn't this the outcome you all wanted?" Abby's pupils shrank violently. Jasper began to sob softly. "Abby, it's all my fault. I'll move out. Don't be mad at Jonah..." Abby took a deep breath, suppressing the panic in her eyes. She picked up the agreement and let out a soft sigh. "Jonah, you know that with me, everything requires an equal exchange." She pushed the agreement back to me, her eyes firm. "If you go to Pine Mountain Monastery in the next county right now and get a protection medallion for Jasper, I will sign this agreement immediately." "However, to get a medallion from Pine Mountain, you have to kneel at every step and climb nine hundred and ninety-nine steps to the top. You've never been able to handle hardship. If you're unwilling, then..." "Fine." I cut her off. I put the agreement back into my bag and turned to leave. Abby froze. She clearly hadn't expected me to agree so readily, bypassing the retreat she had so carefully left for herself. "Abby, let him go!" my dad's voice boomed from behind. "He's been spoiled his whole life. Let's see how long he can keep up this act!" I didn't turn back. I wasn't going to get a protection medallion for Jasper. I was going to get a release for myself. Only when I brought back that medallion would Abby sign, allowing me to sever ties with all of them forever. Driving toward Pine Mountain, the sky grew darker as I approached the neighboring county. A red torrential rain warning popped up on my phone. I instinctively tightened my grip on the steering wheel. The fever seemed to surge back with a vengeance. Downpours sheeted the road, and the radio repeatedly warned of mudslides and hazardous driving conditions. There was no turning back. The monastery was on the mountain, and the winding road was slick with mud. Suddenly, an out-of-control semi-truck barreled out of the oncoming lane. Its blinding high beams blinded me. I swerved hard, and my car smashed violently into the guardrail. Everything turned crimson. Trapped by the airbag, I used my last ounce of strength to grope for my phone. A call from Daisy came in. "Daisy... call an ambulance for Daddy... I crashed..." Daisy's impatient voice came through the speaker. "You're lying again. Mommy was right, you're just a bad man who loves making a scene!" "I didn't call to check on you. I called to tell you that you better bring back that medallion so you can make room for Daddy Jasper faster!" Click. She hung up. The phone screen flickered twice and went completely black. As my consciousness drifted into darkness, I felt a strange sense of relief. In this world, no one was waiting for me to come home. Then let it end like this. Jasper had merely mentioned feeling a slight chest discomfort, and Abby had treated it like a major emergency, surrounding him like royalty as they rushed him into the examination room. Now, Abby stood in the hallway, staring anxiously at her phone, which kept indicating a failed connection. "Is Jonah's phone still unreachable?" Vivian walked over, handing her a cup of coffee. "Jasper's fine. The doctor said he just needs rest." Abby shoved her phone into her pocket, her face cold. "Leave him be. When he thinks it through, he'll come back on his own." Just as she spoke, rushed footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway. Several paramedics sprinted past, pushing a gurney. The person on the gurney was covered in blood, an oxygen mask strapped over his face. Abby instinctively stepped aside to let them pass. As the gurney rushed past her, a drop of fresh blood splattered onto her shoe. Her phone rang again. She quickly checked it, but it wasn't my call. It was a local hospital landline. "Hello, is this the family of Jonah?" "This is the ER at Central Hospital. Mr. Jonah was involved in a severe car accident and is currently in critical condition. Please come immediately to sign the consent forms."