I woke up slowly, my head pounding like someone was hammering inside my skull.
The bright white lights above me hurt my eyes. This wasn't my room. The smell of medicine and the soft beeping of machines told me I was in a hospital.
I tried to sit up, but the room spun a little, so I lay back down.
Everything felt strange. My memory felt strange.
I closed my eyes and tried to remember what had happened the night before. The bar. The drink I ordered because I wanted something light. The creepy guy who called me "pretty." After that… it was all blurry.
I pushed harder, trying to pull the images back, but it proved difficult.
I couldn't remember how I got here. I couldn't remember who brought me. The face of the person who helped me was blurry too, just a vague shape, a deep voice and strong arms catching me before I fell.
No matter how hard I tried, the face stayed hidden in fog. It frustrated me deeply.
A kind nurse noticed I was awake and walked over quickly. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder to help me sit up properly.
"Easy now," she said softly. "You're safe. Just take it slow."
She gave me a small cup of water. I drank it without saying anything. I didn't even ask how I got here. Part of me was too scared to know, and the other part was still too foggy.
"You're safe now," she said gently. "A man brought you in last night. He asked us to take good care of you."
I nodded weakly. "Thank you," I whispered. My voice sounded small and tired.
She smiled kindly. "You're welcome, dear. Rest a bit more if you need to."
But I couldn't stay. I thanked the nurse again, signed the papers they needed, and left the hospital as soon as they let me. The morning air outside felt fresh on my skin, but my thoughts were still messy and heavy.
On my way home, I sat in the back of the taxi, staring out the window. I kept wondering who that man was, the one who brought me to the hospital. Then I suddenly remembered my husband. I remembered how he gets mad whenever I came home late.
I quickly brought out my phone and saw fifteen missed calls from him and five from his mother. My heart started beating fast.
"Oh no…" I whispered.
I started panicking. I told the driver to drive faster. As I was about to call my husband, my phone died. The screen went black, and I felt even more scared.
I leaned back in the seat and sighed.
My thoughts drifted to how I lost my job. I had been the one supporting myself through school, working hard every day just to survive.
That was where I met my husband…back in university.
After he lost his job, I became the one taking care of him and his mother.
I paid the bills, bought food, and made sure we had a place to stay. I carried everything on my shoulders.
Now I was worried about how they would take the news of me losing my job.
What if I couldn't provide for them anymore? My husband would get mad even more, and his mother would blame me.
Everything I had worked so hard for could fall apart.
I was still lost in these heavy thoughts when the driver's voice brought me back.
"We have arrived, ma'am."
I paid him and thanked him. My legs felt weak as I walked into the house.
The moment I stepped inside, I saw my husband and his mother sitting at the dining table, eating and laughing while watching TV. The scene made my heart sink even more.
Immediately, my husband saw me. He stood up fast, his face full of anger.
"Where the hell have you been?!" he shouted, voice cracking with rage. "All night I was calling you! Fifteen times! Fifteen! Where were you, you useless woman? You worthless wife!"
I opened my mouth, heart pounding. "Mike, please listen…"
"Listen to what?" he cut me off sharply, stepping closer. "You think I'm stupid? You've been out there sleeping around with men like a cheap prostitute!"
"I didn't…" I tried again, my voice shaking.
"Shut your dirty mouth!" he yelled, cutting me off once more. His eyes were red with fury. "You worthless human being! You disgust me!"
His mother stared at me with cold disappointment, saying nothing.
I felt tears burning in my eyes. The words I wanted to say kept getting stuck in my throat. I tried one last time, my voice breaking.
"Please, just let me explain —"
"No!" he screamed, pointing at me. "I don't want to hear any more lies from your lying mouth! You useless, good-for-nothing woman!"
That was when I couldn't hold it anymore. Everything…the hospital, the blurry memories, the fear of losing my job, the weight of carrying both of them for so long, exploded out of me.
"I got fired!" I screamed at the top of my voice.
The room went completely silent.
My husband froze mid-sentence, his mouth still open.
His mother dropped her spoon with a loud clink. She stopped eating and stared at me, her eyes widened in shock.
They both stared at me, the anger on his face slowly turning into something colder, disbelief mixed with fresh rage.