The Past Fades Like Smoke in the Wind

On my wedding anniversary, I slapped my sister Summer and she miscarried. Everyone called me a monster. “You must pay for what you’ve done.” My husband Tom and my parents forced me to sign divorce papers, then sent me to a detention center. I was released on Tom and Summer’s wedding day. I didn’t make a scene. I took a train and vanished. … Seven years later. We met outside a rural ER. Tom was there with his wife, who was threatening to miscarry. I was the doctor on duty. “Audrey?” He froze, eyes locking on the scar across my palm. “You…” He trailed off under my calm, detached gaze. “Family, wait outside.” My voice was professional, empty. After the emergency, I explained the aftercare. Tom nodded, distracted. Then he asked, “Why didn’t you come home? We were worried.” A child’s voice cut in behind me. “Mommy, I’m hungry.” Tom stared at the little face—so like his own—and his eyes reddened. “Is she…” 1 Just then, a nurse called for me. I gave Tom a polite nod, took my daughter’s fair little hand, and quickly left. “Mommy, who was that uncle just now?” My daughter looked back curiously. My voice was flat. “A patient’s family member.” “He seemed to be crying, and he kept looking at us.” I didn’t stop walking. “You saw wrong.” The nanny who usually looked after my daughter had an emergency, so I had no choice but to bring my daughter to the hospital. Thankfully, the nanny just called me. Her task was done, and she would be right over to pick up the child. That evening, emergencies kept coming in. I was busy until late into the night before I finally dragged my tired body back to my office. I hadn’t expected Tom to be waiting at the door. I frowned slightly. “Mr. Robbins, is there anything else?” The overly formal address made Tom falter for a moment. “Mr. Robbins, rest assured, Mrs. Robbins’s condition is not serious. After observing her overnight, if there are no issues, she can be discharged tomorrow morning.” My tone was no different from how I spoke to other patients’ families. Perhaps the words “Mrs. Robbins” struck a nerve. I clearly saw Tom’s eyes redden, emotions churning. It was as if he had a thousand words to say, but his lips quivered twice, and in the end, he only managed to say two words in a muffled voice: “Thank you.” “If Mr. Robbins has nothing else, I’m going off duty. If you need anything, you can find other doctors on call.” I nodded slightly, turning to leave. As I passed the nurses’ station, a young nurse gossiped, grabbing my arm. “Dr. Sterling, was that Mr. Tom Robbins, the most famous lawyer in Southwood?” I nodded. “Yes.” “I heard Mr. Robbins has never lost a case since he started practicing. He’s known as a legend in the entire legal world.” “Handsome, gentle, and wealthy. Mrs. Robbins must be so happy. I heard they came this time to pray for the baby in Mrs. Robbins’s belly.” As the young nurse spoke, her eyes were filled with undisguised admiration for Tom and undisguised envy for Mrs. Robbins. I smiled, saying nothing. The current Mrs. Robbins was indeed very happy. She had a loving husband, doting parents, and a baby on the way. She truly had everything. Almost no one knew she was the mistress who took the wife’s place. My phone vibrated, bringing me back to reality. [Sorry, an emergency came up at the company. I’ll be late picking you up.] I subtly curled my lips and replied: [You go ahead. I’ll take a cab home.] Almost immediately after I sent the message, I received a reply: [Be careful on the way. Remember to text me when you get home.] Putting my phone away, I noticed that snow had started to fall outside at some point. I waited for a long time, but my ride-sharing app remained unanswered. “Beep beep!” A car horn sounded behind me. A black Porsche Cayenne slowly pulled up beside me. I recognized it as Tom’s car at a glance. Only because his license plate number was my sister Summer’s birthday. And my birthday was only one day after Summer’s. The passenger window slowly lowered, revealing Tom’s sharply defined jawline. “Get in. I’ll give you a ride.” Looking at the ride-sharing app still spinning, I only thought for a few seconds before opening the back door and getting in, then stating my apartment complex’s name. I was truly tired today and wanted to get home to rest early. And with the sudden change in weather, the scars on my palm and abdomen were aching and itching. Since there was a ready car, why not take it? Tom had a strong sense of territory. I once wanted to put a small ornament in his car, but it wasn’t allowed. Now, the car was filled with Summer’s favorite gardenia scent. Everything in sight was Summer’s favorite pink decor. Seeing me sitting in the back, Tom gave a self-deprecating smile. “Are you really treating me like a chauffeur?” My voice was flat. “Just didn’t want your wife to misunderstand.” The words “your wife” acted like a mute spell. Whatever Tom wanted to say next was swallowed back. The car plunged into a suffocating silence. 2 I said no more, turning my head to look out the window. The changing light outside flashed, and in a daze, I found myself recalling that day seven years ago. The darkest day of my life. It was my third wedding anniversary with Tom. I, away on a business trip, had flown back overnight, wanting to surprise him. Instead, I accidentally stumbled upon Tom and my sister Summer’s affair. They were in my marital home, on my marital bed, engaged in passionate lovemaking. Both were so engrossed that they didn’t notice me standing at the door for a long time. Until Summer inadvertently turned her head. “Audrey!” Summer’s eyes widened, and she shrieked. I thought Tom, caught in the act, would at least be ashamed, if not panicked. But I was wrong. Tom didn’t rush to explain himself to me. Instead, he gently covered Summer with the blanket, hiding the glaring, intimate marks on her body. “You weren’t supposed to be back until tomorrow?” Tom, far from feeling guilty, spoke with a tone of blame. At that time, my temper was fiery, unable to tolerate even a speck of dirt. In that instant, resentment and fury almost burned away my sanity. I became hysterical, like a madwoman, attacking them with the most venomous words, smashing everything I could in the room. The room was a mess. Summer, terrified, cowered behind Tom, trembling. “Audrey, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it. Tom and I just couldn’t help ourselves.” Summer’s voice was distinctly tearful. At that moment, her eyes were misty, like a delicate white lotus, innocent and helpless. She was completely different from the passionate, uninhibited woman in bed just moments before. Tom protectively shielded Summer behind him, looking at me with condemnation. “You scared Summer!” “Look at you now. What’s the difference between you and a madwoman?” I also felt like I was insane. I sent photos and videos of Summer and Tom to the family group chat. I wanted everyone to see their ugly faces. Who knew, just as the video was sent, my parents’ scolding calls came in. “Audrey Sterling, have you gone mad?” “Quickly recall those photos and videos! If others see them, how will Summer ever show her face again?” My parents had always favored Summer, ever since she was abducted on the street as a child. She wasn’t found until she was eighteen. To make up for years of absence, my parents were exceptionally indulgent and doting towards her. They even demanded that I always defer to my sister, and that Summer should always come first. Even our birthdays, because mine was only one day after Summer’s, my parents insisted that I celebrate a day early with her. But the birthday cake always had only Summer’s name on it. But I never expected that even in this matter, my parents would unconditionally defend Summer. “You and Tom should divorce.” My sister was having an affair with my husband behind my back. My parents not only didn’t blame her but forcefully demanded that Tom and I divorce. “Why?” I questioned unwillingly. Summer was clearly the one at fault, so why should I give my husband to her? My parents’ bias had no bounds. My chest felt crushed by a huge rock, making it hard to breathe, almost suffocating. “Summer is your sister. As an older sister, you should defer to her.” Apparently dissatisfied with my obvious question, Mom frowned, her tone extremely impatient. I instinctively looked at Tom, at the man I had once loved more than life itself. However, Tom just looked at me coldly, with no intention of explaining anything. Summer leaned weakly into Tom’s arms. “Audrey, Tom doesn’t love you anymore. We’re truly in love. Please, let us be.” “So you know he’s your brother-in-law?” “Do you have any sense of propriety or shame?” Enraged, I slapped Summer hard. 3 Summer swayed, hitting a nearby coffee table. “Ugh—” Summer cried out in pain, clutching her lower abdomen, her face a mask of agony. “Summer!” Tom’s expression changed abruptly. “My stomach, my stomach hurts so much.” Summer’s face was ashen, her voice trembling. Tom scooped up Summer and rushed towards the hospital. As he passed me, his eyes were as fierce as if I had committed some heinous crime. But I knew perfectly well that Summer had clearly thrown herself against it. It was then that I realized Summer and Tom had been secretly involved for a long time and that she was already pregnant. After several hours of treatment, the child still couldn’t be saved. “Are you satisfied now?” Father’s face was flushed red, furious. He raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. This slap, Father used all his strength. My cheek burned, and my eardrum buzzed. However, the physical pain was less than a fraction of the pain in my heart. Everyone blamed me for causing Summer to lose her child, forcing me to kowtow and apologize to Summer. Of course, I wouldn’t agree. The consequence of my stubbornness was that Tom and my parents successively pressured the hospital where I worked, revoking my eligibility for promotion. My imminent promotion thus fell through. They even used this as leverage, forcing me to sign the divorce agreement. Subsequently, I was collectively sent to a detention center by the three people closest to me. “If you do something wrong, you must accept the punishment.” “We’ll pick you up when you realize your mistake.” I smiled bitterly in my heart. Home? What home did I have left? The moment I discovered Tom and Summer’s affair, my home was gone. Once inside, I was maliciously targeted. I ate stale food and drank swill. I also frequently suffered unprovoked beatings… While I was being tortured to the point of wishing for death, my husband and my parents were traveling abroad with my sister. It wasn’t until a month later, when they returned, that they heard I had almost died inside. After a full eight hours of emergency treatment, I was pulled back from the brink of death. When Tom and my parents rushed to the hospital, I had already been sent back to my room. However, seeing me on the bed, emaciated and unrecognizable from the torment, Tom’s first words were: “Do you realize your mistake now?” “Don’t forget you still owe Summer an apology. Use this time to recover and think about how you’re going to apologize to her. Because of you, Summer has been very upset and almost suffered from depression.” Tom’s voice was cold and hard, his tone so indifferent as if I were just an unimportant stranger. They say there’s no greater sorrow than a dead heart. If my heart died when Tom and my parents sent me to the detention center, then after hearing Tom’s words just now, my heart died even more completely. In that moment, I lost all desire to argue. My tone was flat, devoid of any emotion: “I realized my mistake!” I was wrong. Wrong for being blind in love, falling for a cold-hearted, ruthless man like Tom. Wrong for foolishly expecting love from my parents, even knowing their blatant favoritism. Tom occasionally glanced at me through the rearview mirror, several times appearing to want to speak but stopping himself. It wasn’t until the car stopped at the entrance of the apartment complex that I opened the door, got out, and politely said, “Thank you.” Just as I turned to leave, Tom finally couldn’t help but call out, “Audrey!” I stopped, turned around, and quietly waited for him to continue. “Why are you living in a place like this?” “These past few years, have you… not been doing well?” Tom spoke while looking around the neighborhood. The lights were dim, the rickety iron gate rusty. The building exterior was mottled and dilapidated. His eyes were red-rimmed, his voice hoarse: “Do you want me to help you…” “No, I’m doing very well. Thank you for your concern.” I didn’t understand. The man who had been so cruel and heartless towards me, who forced me to divorce him and sent me to prison, why was he now acting so genuinely concerned?