Chapter 8

I took the air from the deepest part of her lungs, but it felt like inhaling water instead of air.I  began to choke and spit some water from my nose and mouth. My chest hurt, and my throat felt like something rough was being scraped from the inside. The sound of my forced coughing was the only sound I heard from the surroundings.

Slowly, I opened my eyes to the twinkling starry night sky above me. 

“Are you alright?”

Hearing that voice, I looked to my left instinctively and saw a man kneeling, staring at me with a worried face. Seeing his wet suit and pants, it dawned on me that he had been the one to rescue me. Then, Tristan’s frantic cries shattered the moment. 

“Wake up, Megan! Speak to me! MEGAN!!!”

I turned to see Tristan beside Megan, shaking the unconscious girl, trying to wake her up. After a moment, Megan gained consciousness and started coughing the water she ingested from the pool. Seeing this, Tristan looked relieved and held Megan's hand, kissing it as if it were the most precious thing in his life. But Megan was still looking weak and struggling to breathe, prompting Tristan to yell once again. 

“Call an ambulance! Quick!” 

Tristan cradled Megan lovingly as his panicked cries for help roamed around. I smiled bitterly seeing how he prioritized her over me. I’m not gonna lie, the scene stung. But why was I surprised? I already expected this, living in a reality where my husband openly shows affection to his mistress instead of to his wife.

Pathetic! That’s how I would describe my life right now. 

“Hey, you didn’t answer my question. I said, are you alright?”

The stranger’s words broke my reverie, bringing me back to deal with myself. He helped me to my feet, holding my hand and supporting my back. I turned to see the face of my savior, but as soon as I looked into his face, words seemed to disappear from my mouth.

Dang! He was gorgeous!

“Did you hit your head? How do you feel? Can you stand?” he uttered once again with such a voice filled with care. It was funny how this handsome stranger was worrying about me like this while Tristan was expending all his energy attending to Megan. His concern contrasted starkly with Tristan's neglect, as he checked my vitals and inquired about my condition. I couldn’t recall ever meeting this man before, but he looked sincere. I bit my inner cheeks as I realized that this stranger had shown more care for me in a few moments than Tristan had in years, based on what Liz had told me.

Then, his expressive hazel-brown eyes stared at me lovingly. 

“Elaine… Don’t you ever scare me like that again…”

His whispered words sent a chill down my spine. His gaze broke through my jumbled thoughts, and it was enough for me to feel protected and secure. That was when I realized he was staring at me as if I were the only one present there. It made me feel a bit shy, prompting me to avert my gaze from him. In that moment, I realized it was the perfect time to thank him for what he had done.

“I’m sorry that I ruined your suit. But, allow me to thank you for saving my life. How nice of you to do all this trouble for a stranger like me. 

“Stranger?” Confusion clouded his eyes. “Don’t you remember me, Ellaine?” 

He seemed hurt by my words, and I couldn't shake the feeling of guilt washing over me. His eyes now refleced confusion and sadness, piercing through me as if searching for answers.

“Come on, Elaine. Don’t tell me you already forget about me.”

My forehead creased as my eyes were still locked on the mysterious wolf. Have I lost my memory to forget such a warm and gentle creature like him? I searched my memory desperately, but his face remained a mystery to me.

But before I could even answer, Tristan’s arrival shattered the moment. His grumpy voice and unpleasant demeanor were opposite to the concern he had shown Megan. It was as if remembering his wife was the last thing on his mind.

Tristan approached us, his attention finally turning to me. But his words lacked the warmth and care I had expected of him.

“Oh, for god sake Elaine… Are you okay?”

His dismissive tone only added to my disappointment.

With that, I took a deep breathe as I struggled to stand on my own. My knees trembled beneath me, but I refused to let the weakness show. The mysterious wolf behind me offered his help, supporting my waist as I tried to stand. Seeing this, Tristan’s eyes turned violent, rushing to the mysterious wolf and pushed him mightily.

“What is wrong with you!!” he yelled as his dangerous gaze still fixed on him. They exchanged violent stares, and not a single one of them budged in. My blood boiled towards his actions, realizing how unreasonable he had become. Not only did he completely forget about me even on the brink of death, but he also got angry with the man who saved my life while he was on his mistress side.

I approached Tristan, despising the unpleasant look on his face. Without hesitation, I raised my hand and delivered a resounding slap across his cheek. The sound echoed through the air, shocking everyone around us.

“How dare—”

“Let’s get a divorce,” I told him before he could even finish his sentence. 

Tristan's eyes widened in disbelief as murmurs spread through the crowd. Clearly, this was something no one expected but I was done worrying about what others would say.  I had endured enough of his abuse, and I refused to let it continue.

“What kind of nonsense are you saying this time, Elaine? Are you trying to get some attention again?” he taunted.

“I’m serious, Tristan,” My voice was steady, filled with determination. “Let’s end everything. I am tired of this.”

I was beyond exhausted, and I won’t let him inflict more pain and sorrow on me. I thanked the moon goddess for erasing a part of my memory, and I won’t let Tristan add more to that. With the reaction I saw earlier, it was enough for me to let go of this hell. I no longer want to be Tristan’s doormat wife. Rather, I wanted to stand up for myself this time and let him know that I could survive without him by my side.

I no longer waited for him to answer. My feet guided me away from the scene, but not before leaving him with one final word.

“Consider the slap a part of your payment for everything you did to me.”