“Did you make this for Zolenn? It’ll be great for her recovery,” he said casually.
I didn’t bother to correct him—that by “recovery,” he really meant “nourishing the pregnancy.” Instead, I grabbed the thermos and downed the soup in one go. “If you want some, make it yourself!” I snapped.
His smile froze in place. “Lanaya! You know Zolenn was almost hospitalized because of you. And now you’re so petty, you won’t even give her a bowl of soup?”
“Exactly,” I said without hesitation.
Fuming, Yzail threw the empty thermos into the sink and angrily rolled up his sleeves to make a fresh batch of soup for his precious Zolenn. While it simmered, he busied himself tidying up the house, but it didn’t take long for him to notice something wasn’t right.
“Lanaya, didn’t you buy a lot of wedding stuff? Why isn’t any of it out?” He glanced around, confused. When he reached for his usual glass of water, he realized even my favorite set of matching cups had disappeared.
When I didn’t answer, he frowned and came into the bedroom. “Lanaya, are you having a rough time with your period? You look really pale.”
Finally, the ever-observant Yzail noticed something was off. “You didn’t… you weren’t pregnant, were you?”
His voice was filled with sudden panic, his eyes searching mine for confirmation. I didn’t want to make things more complicated than they already were, so I lied and denied it. The child was gone now, and I didn’t need him mourning or offering fleeting compassion. He didn’t deserve to end things on his terms. He had lost that right.
Relieved by my denial, Yzail’s face softened. “Weren’t you short a bridesmaid? I’ve decided Zolenn can be your bridesmaid.”
“Alright,” I responded calmly.
He looked bewildered, unable to comprehend why I’d snap over a bowl of soup but agree so easily to let Zolenn be part of my wedding. But in reality, I was just playing along, biding my time while I planned my escape.
Satisfied, Yzail gently patted my head. “I’m glad you’ve come around. All my efforts to patch things up between you two haven’t been for nothing.”
He continued with a soft smile, “Once the wedding is over, I’ll take you to see a good doctor. He’s amazing at treating menstrual pain.”
He looked at me with hope. “After that, we’ll get you healthy again, and then we can have our own child.”
I quietly watched him lie, not saying a word. He leaned in and pressed a warm, wet kiss on my cheek.