Dead to Her, Dead Inside

When the earthquake hit, I found myself buried under the rubble, barely clinging to life.

My wife, Meghan Hudson, charges into the collapsing office building without hesitation.

However, the person she rescues is Gerald Parker, the new technical specialist at my company.

Even as she hurries away with the rescue team, she doesn't spare me a single glance.

Severely crushed and bleeding heavily, I'm rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Yet, Meghan pours all her care and attention into Gerald, who barely has a scratch on him.

In the end, I'm completely disheartened and pull out the divorce papers.

Meghan goes berserk and tears them to shreds, thinking I'll give in like I always did.

What she doesn't know is that this time, I'm truly exhausted.

The aftershocks hit again with resounding force. The entire office building shook violently, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Gerald Parker, a new employee at our company, suddenly shoved me. I fell straight into a heap of scattered desks and chairs. At that moment, a loose cement slab tilted and slammed down on my arm. The pain was so intense that I nearly blacked out.

"Gerald! I'm coming for you!"

Just then, I saw my wife, Meghan Hudson. She covered her mouth and nose as she shoved the office door open, panic written all over her face.

When I heard her voice, I was about to call for help.

However, Gerald suddenly shouted, "Honey! Don't come over! You're pregnant. You can't get hurt!"

My whole body trembled in shock. Before I could react, Gerald pushed another wooden board down, sending it crashing toward me.

He rushed out and pulled Meghan into a tight embrace amid the chaos. It would have been a warm and touching sight if the woman in his arms weren't my wife.

The searing pain snapped me back to my senses. I stared at the scene before me in utter disbelief. Yet, I had no choice but to face the brutal truth.

The woman who once said she couldn't live without me was now in the arms of another man. She not only built a second home with him but was even carrying his child.

Seeing them hold each other so tightly, I realized that the sweet love I'd so strongly believed in had turned into a bitter joke.

It was as if a blade had pierced my chest. A bone-deep cold spread through me, making it hard to breathe.

Gerald gasped, struggling to breathe. "Meghan, I… I feel terrible. I can't walk anymore…"

"Gerald, don't worry. I've brought the best medical equipment from the hospital. We'll get out of here right away!"

Meghan was frantic, supporting him as they ran outside.

The whole time, she never once looked at me. Her eyes were only on Gerald. If she had just turned her head slightly, she would have seen me collapsed on the ground.

Amid the chaos, my entire body felt limp. Each cough sent waves of pain through my frame, though none of it hurt as much as the pain in my chest did.

Just as I was losing consciousness, I saw paramedics rushing in to rescue people.

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed.

The room was eerily quiet. Every now and then, I could hear nurses whispering in the hallway outside.

"I heard that famous lawyer, Ms. Hudson, is in the room next door. She's keeping her first love company. I never thought someone who looks so cold on TV could be so gentle with her boyfriend!"

"Yes, they make such a great couple!"

"Her boyfriend wasn't even hurt that badly. He's just a little shaken up. Yet, she's tending to him so carefully."

"Exactly. And look at this patient here, Julian Marshall. He nearly died, but no one has come to visit him even once."

The two nurses spoke casually, but every word felt like a stab to my chest.