The Fireworks He Set For Her - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

I didn't touch my food. Jenna's face crumpled like a kicked puppy, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. "Did I do something wrong, Lily? Why won't you eat?"
Rafael's expression turned thunderous. Before I could react, his palm cracked across my face. "Stop being ungrateful!" He grabbed my hair, forcing the crab roe into my mouth as I choked. By the time he released me, angry red welts were already blooming across my skin.
Once, Rafael had sworn he'd never forget my life-threatening crab allergy. Now he was shoving it down my throat himself.
Jenna—who'd been smirking seconds earlier—clutched her chest in faux horror. "Sir Rafael, Lily looks... contagious. Could she have some kind of disease?"
Disgust flashed in Rafael's eyes as he dragged me to the door and flung me onto the pavement. "You're repulsive." His shoe connected with my ribs. "Don't you dare soil Jenna's home."
Gasping for air, I clawed at his pant leg. "Rafael... call an ambulance... please—"
The door slammed in my face.
Luckily, a Good Samaritan found me and rushed me to the ER.
At the pharmacy counter, I collided with Rafael and Jenna. He barely glanced at me while Jenna simpered, "I told Sir Rafael it was just a scratch, but he insisted on bringing me. So overprotective!"
Rafael cupped her face tenderly. "You were bleeding. Of course I'd worry."
Irony curdled in my stomach. When I'd miscarried, he'd dismissed my agony as "dramatics."
His gaze flicked to me with impatience. "It's just an allergy. Why milk it?"
Thank God he didn't know I'd terminated the pregnancy. His cruelty would've been unimaginable.
"Fine," he conceded like he was granting me a royal favor. "I'll take you to your prenatal later." He stalked off to register, leaving me with Jenna.
Her sugary mask slipped. "Rafael pretends to care," she purred, "but he chose fireworks with me. Slept at my place." Her eyes raked over my body. "Face it—you're just a stretched-out baby vessel he's tired of. He told me your stretch marks make him sick."
My breath froze. Those marks—the only remains of our child—were disgusting to him?
Suddenly, Jenna hauled back and slapped herself twice. Tears gushed on command. "Lily, I swear I didn't seduce him! Please stop hitting me! I'll stay away—"
Rafael came sprinting. Seeing her "bruised" cheek, his face twisted in rage. "You monster!" He kicked my legs out from under me.
Pain exploded as warm blood soaked my skirt.
But Rafael wasn't done. He ground his heel into my back. "Apologize. Now."
Jenna smirked over his shoulder.
Then—worst of all—he stomped on my hand. The same hands he'd once worshipped, massaging them nightly as he whispered, "These will make you a legendary pianist. Let me protect them."
The snap of bones was almost poetic.
"R-Rafael," I sobbed, "let go—"
He pressed harder until I choked out, "I'm sorry."
Only then did he lift his foot. "Remember this next time you bully her."
As he walked away, something in me shattered for good.
Days later, I stood at the airport with my mentor. Before boarding, I sent one final text:
[Rafael, I'm gone. May you and Jenna rot happily ever after.]