Before Noah could finish, Cynthia cut him off.


    She shook her head wearily. "Let''s just drop it. I don''t want to blow this up; it would just embarrass you. If you really feel that bad, you can just cover my medical bills and my lost wages."


    As she spoke, she held her palm open in front of him with a serious expression.


    Noah was stunned for a moment, then he actually took a card from his wallet and ced it in her palm. "This should cover it."


    Cynthia looked down at the ck card in her hand, about to refuse, when Noah''s phone rang.


    He nced at the caller ID and frowned, almost out of habit.


    Although Cynthia couldn''t see the screen, she could guess it was Karina calling.


    "Noah, you should go. Your wife has had a hard time today, too. You should gofort her and exin things. Molly is on her way; she can stay with me."


    Cynthia said, ever the understanding one.


    Noah did need to go back and deal with Karina. Every day this marriage dragged on felt more and more unbearable.


    "Alright. You get some rest. I''lle see you tomorrow," Noah said softly.


    "Okay," Cynthia nodded, watching him turn and leave the room.


    Not long after Noah left, Molly pushed the door open and came in.


    Molly didn''t look happy. "Is that crazy woman out of her mind?" she cursed as she walked in. "Hitting you that hard... a perforated eardrum? You could have actually gone deaf."


    "I''m fine," Cynthia said coolly. "I can hear perfectly. I was just trying to scare you guys."


    "You can really hear?" Molly walked over, still sounding concerned.


    "Yes," Cynthia nodded.


    A minor perforation wouldn''t affect her hearing that much. Cynthia just had some slight pain and a ringing in her ear.


    "That''s a relief, Molly said, finally rxing. "You asked me to leak the news of our party to Noah''s wife, but I never expected her to be that unhinged. She has zero dignity really don''t know what Noahever saw in her."


    "Neither do I," Cynthia replied with a cold smile.


    "I heard Noah and that lunatic are getting a divorce. I don''t know whether to congratte you or not. After all these years, you''re still hung up on him, Molly said, a hint of displeasure in her voice.


    Cynthia just smiled and squeezed Molly''s hand. "Just call me a fool, I guess."


    Molly still wasn''t pleased. She poked Cynthia''s forehead. "You could have any man you want, and you choose to be a stepmother."


    Cynthia rubbed her forehead and after a long pause, she said quietly, "If my baby had been born safely, he or she would be starting elementary school by now." Molly knew the lost child was Cynthia''s deepest wound. If it hadn''t been for the miscarriage, Cynthia, who loved Noah so much, would never have left him.


    "There''s a certain destiny between parents and children. Maybe the connection just wasn''t strong


    enough with that one. You''re still et


    young youth have other chi?ren.


    You can have a beautiful little girl, and she can marry my son someday."


    "In your dreams," Cynthia replied with augh.


    ...


    After leaving the restaurant, a disheveled Karina returned to her family''s home.


    The gate to the family home was wide open. Before she even stepped inside, she could hear shouting, punctuated by her mother''s panicked sobs and her father''s angry roars.