The next day, Christina gathered every gift Hector had ever given her over the years, packed them carefully into boxes, and contacted a buyer online. They agreed to meet at a small café just around the corner.
As she finished the handover and turned to head home, she ran straight into Bianca and a group of her closest friends on the sidewalk.
The moment Bianca spotted her, she stormed over and slapped Christina hard across the face. "You worthless homewrecker! How dare you show your face in front of me!"
Christina's ears rang from the force of the blow, and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.
"Oh, this is the little slut who's been sneaking around with your husband? Girls, hold her down. Bianca, slap her until she learns her lesson. If one isn't enough, keep going until she can't take any more."
Before Christina could even steady herself, two of Bianca's friends pinned her arms behind her back, locking her in place.
Then the slaps came again, one after another.
Then, the blows landed one after another without pause.
Her cheeks burned like fire, and thin lines of blood trickled from the split skin.
She wanted to scream for help, but as a mute, no words would come. All she could manage were broken, desperate sounds that only made the onlookers burst into laughter. Phones came out everywhere, recording her humiliation for everyone to see.
Bianca delivered exactly ninety-nine slaps before she finally stopped. Staring at Christina's bloodied, swollen face, she snarled, "If I ever catch you near me again, this will be nothing compared to what I'll do. Now get lost!"
Christina's vision blurred, her mind growing foggy. She could no longer make out Bianca's words. All she felt was her body suddenly lifted off the ground and hurled out of the café. She crashed hard onto the edge of the road.
People around them simply watched. No one stepped forward to help. They had heard Bianca call her a homewrecker, and that was enough for them to decide she deserved it.
Under the scorching afternoon sun, the pavement burned against her skin. She tried to push herself up, but her arms gave out. Strength drained away until everything went black, and she lay motionless on the ground.
When she opened her eyes again, she was in a hospital bed. The sharp smell of disinfectant made her nose wrinkle.
She looked up and found Hector sitting right beside her.
It seemed he had been guarding her for quite some time. His eyes were bloodshot, and his face looked drained with exhaustion.
He reached out and gripped her hand tightly, his expression full of regret. "I'm so sorry, Christina. I didn't get here in time to stop this. You shouldn't have had to go through any of it. But please, don't hold it against Bianca. On top of her depression, she also struggles with severe bipolar disorder. Her temper can get out of control sometimes. You just happened to cross her path at the wrong moment. From now on, just stay away from her, okay?"
Christina's nose stung with unshed tears. She signed quickly, "Her illness isn't my fault. Why am I the one who has to hide? I'm calling the police."
Her fingers had barely touched her phone when Hector knocked it away. His voice rose with clear irritation. "Bianca is already suffering so much because of her condition. Why can't you just try to understand her a little?"
Looking at the man who had once loved her, now raising his voice in defense of another woman, Christina felt as if she were staring at a complete stranger for the first time.
He wanted her to understand Bianca. But who was there to understand her? Three years ago, she had stepped aside and let Bianca take her place at the altar. For three long years, she had stayed completely out of sight so she would not upset Bianca. And now, after all that, she was still expected to endure public beatings and insults. Had she not shown enough understanding already? What more did she have to do?
Hector caught the deep disappointment in her eyes. His expression shifted. He grabbed her shoulders firmly and said, "Christina, I know these years have been hard on you. What happened today was wrong, and I'll make it up to you. Tonight, my best friends are throwing a get-together. I'm taking you with me. It'll help you relax and clear your head."
Christina wanted to refuse, but Hector gave her no chance. That same evening, he brought her to the gathering anyway.
The only thing she never saw coming was that Bianca was already there.
Aksara