The Man Who Feared Blood

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My fingertips traced the crack on the kitchen countertop, and I remembered the cut on my finger from chopping vegetables yesterday.

The moment the blood welled up, Daniel Lynn's face turned paler than my wound.

He took a sharp step back, bumped into the chair behind him, which let out a harsh screech.

"Can't you be more careful?" he frowned, his voice thick with disgust. "How am I supposed to clean blood off the counter?"

I pressed my bleeding fingertip and suddenly smiled.

This scene was eerily similar to our wedding three years ago.

That day, I stood at the chapel doorway in my wedding dress, the makeup artist just finishing touching up my lipstick, when Daniel Lynn's mother rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"Whitney, the wedding's off!" Her face went pale. "Daniel Lynn is really bad with bloodhe fainted just now. Earlier, when he tried on the ring, it scratched his finger, and he's still lying in the hospital!"

I grabbed the hem of my wedding dress and ran to the hospital. Daniel was leaning against the hospital bed, fiddling with his cell phone.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I clutched my dress, my knuckles white.

"What good would it do to tell you?" He didn't look up. "You think you could faint for me instead?"

Eventually, the wedding went ahead, though it was scaled back by half. Daniel wore thick gloves the whole time, and when it came to exchanging rings, the best man did it in his place.

I thought it was just a beginning, but I never imagined it was the foreshadowing of all the coldness to come.

For our first Mid-Autumn Festival after we got married, I made Daniel Lynn's favorite pork rib soup, carefully adding the health herbs his mother recommended.

At the dinner table, Daniel's sister, Mindy Lynn, suddenly knocked over her soup bowl, and the hot broth splashed onto the back of my hand.

I gasped in pain, but Daniel was the first to reach for a napkin to wipe Mindy's dress.

"Brother, do you think she did it on purpose?" Mindy said, pointing at me, her tone petulant.

"Whitney isn't that kind of person." Daniel Lynn said it, but then shot me a look: "'You stay in the room for now, so Mindy doesn't throw another fit.'"

"I burned my hand," I whispered.

"It's nothing," he frowned. "Don't ruin everyone's mood. Just go."

Clutching my burned hand, I went back to the room, hearing their family's laughter from the living room.

That laughter felt like needles, pricking densely at my heart.

Three months ago, I stood in front of Daniel Lynn holding the maternity check while he worked at his computer.

"Daniel Lynn, we're going to have a child." My voice trembled, brimming with a joy I couldn't hold back.

His eyes lingered on the screen for a moment, then when he turned to me, his expression was flat: "Got it. Just take care of yourself."

I had hoped the child would thaw the coldness between us, but instead, reality hit me with an even heavier blow.

That night, I worked late and, on the stairs, I missed a step and fell.

A sharp pain stabbed my lower belly, and blood seeped down my pant leg.

I grabbed my cell phone and called Daniel Lynn. His voice was lazy, like he'd just woken up: "It's so latewhat is it?"

"I fell, and there's so much blood. The child might not survive." I clenched my teeth, the pain making it hard to speak properly.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, then his rushed voice came through: "Don't scare meI'm terrified of blood."

"You have to come take me to the hospital!" I cried.

"I can't come. Can you call an ambulance yourself?" His voice was full of pleading. "Just the sight of blood makes me shake all overI really can't come."

I hung up and curled up in the corner of the stairwell.

The cold tile pressed against my cheek, colder and more hopeless than the pain in my lower belly.

By the time the ambulance arrived, I was already slipping into unconsciousness.

In a haze, I thought I saw Daniel Lynn standing under the streetlight outside the company building, but he never came over.

When I woke, the doctor told me the child hadn't made it.

I stared at the empty hospital bed and suddenly felt this marriage had run its course.

The child's funeral was simplejust me and a few close friends.

Daniel Lynn showed up only as the funeral was winding down.

He wore a sharp, tailored suit, his hair tidy as ever, looking like he was simply attending some routine social engagement.

"Sorry, there was an emergency meeting at work, so I'm late." He handed over a bouquet of white chrysanthemums, his tone indifferent.

I didn't take it, just stared at him. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

He scratched his head, clearly impatient. "It's already come to this; there's no point in pushing it further."

"Take good care of yourself. We can try again later."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a sharp cry came from nearby.

Daniel Lynn's assistant, Ruby Xavier, accidentally cut her hand on a tree branch, and droplets of blood fell onto her white dress.

I thought Daniel Lynn would avoid her like before, but instead, he walked over quickly, pulled a tissue from his pocket, and carefully pressed it against Ruby Xavier's wound.

"How can you be so careless?" His voice was full of concern, a sharp contrast to the coldness he'd shown me just moments ago. "Come on, I'll take you to the clinic nearby to get it treated."

"Mr. Lynn, it's not necessary, it's just a small wound," Ruby kept her head down, her voice weak.

"No, what if it gets infected?" Daniel grabbed her hand without another word and strode toward the clinic. Passing by me, he didn't even spare me a glance.

I stood still as the wind kicked up the paper offerings on the ground, clouding my eyes.

It wasn't that he couldn't overcome his hemophobiahe just wouldn't do it for me and the child.

After the funeral, I went home and packed my things.

Daniel Lynn hadn't come back yet. On the coffee table sat a photo of him and Ruby Xavier, taken at the company's annual party, their smiles far too close.

That evening, when Daniel Lynn returned, I placed a divorce agreement before him.

"What's this supposed to mean?" He picked up the divorce agreement, his brow knit tightly.

"Divorce." My tone was calm, but inside I felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted. "It should have ended between us a long time ago."

"Just because of what happened today?" He threw the divorce agreement onto the coffee table. "I've already said, Ruby Xavier is just my assistant. I only care for her as a subordinate."

"Not just today." I looked him in the eyes, speaking slowly and clearly, "'It's your absence at the wedding, being pushed away from the table during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and your avoidance when I had a miscarriage.'

Daniel Lynn, I've had enough."

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ended up sighing instead. "Calm down first. We'll talk about the divorce later."

"I'm calm." I stood up. "I've left this agreement here. Whenever you decide, just sign it."

"I'll move out tomorrow."

I turned and walked into the bedroom; the moment I closed the door, tears finally slipped down.

This time, it wasn't sadness, but relief.

The next day, I moved in with my close friend Cindy Lee.

Cindy looked at my swollen eyes and cursed Daniel Lynn bitterly.

"I told you to leave him long ago, but you wouldn't listen." Cindy handed me a cup of warm water. "It's all over nowthe child's gone, and your heart should be dead, too."

"I've already given up." I held the hot water, feeling the warmth slowly seep into my heart. 'Once he signs the divorce agreement, I'll start over.'"

But Daniel Lynn kept delaying the signature.

He called and texted me every day, saying he knew he'd made a mistake and asking me to give him one more chance.

I ignored every call and message, neither answering nor replying.

A week later, Daniel Lynn's mother called me, saying there would be a family dinner and I simply had to come back.

"Whitney, Mom knows you've been hurt." Daniel Lynn's mother's voice was gentle. 'At the family dinner, Daniel will apologize. Just come back.'"

I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I agreed.

I thought some things were better said in person.

On the day of the family dinner, I deliberately slipped the divorce agreement into my bag.

I knew this might be my best chance to get Daniel Lynn's signature.

The moment I stepped through the Lynn Family's front door, laughter rang out from the living room.

Daniel Lynn's father, mother, and sister were all there and, to my surprise, Ruby Xavier as well.

The instant they saw me, the laughter in the living room died away.

Daniel Lynn's mother quickly stood and took my hand, guiding me to the sofa.

"Whitney's here, come sit." She handed me some fruit. "Was the trip tiring?"

I smiled but said nothing.

My eyes drifted past Ruby Xavier, who kept her head down, avoiding meeting mine.

Daniel Lynn came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of food.

When he saw me, his eyes lit up briefly before he quickened his steps toward me.

"Whitney, you're here." He put down the dish and nervously rubbed his hands together. "I know I was wrong. Please don't be angry."

"Save your apologies." I pulled the divorce agreement from my bag and placed it on the coffee table. "Sign it."

Daniel Lynn's expression shifted instantly.

Daniel Lynn's mother quickly picked up the divorce agreement and tucked it behind her. "Whitney, let's talk this through calmly. Why bring up divorce right away?"

"Mom, the problems between Daniel and me aren't something a simple apology can fix." I met Daniel Lynn's mother's eyes, my voice steady. "I've made up my mind. We have to get a divorce."

"Are you seeing someone else?" Mindy Lynn suddenly snapped, her tone sharp. "Otherwise, why would you be so set on divorcing?"

"Mindy!" Daniel Lynn stopped her with a sharp look, though he didn't deny what she said.

I looked at Daniel Lynn, and all the hope I had left inside me vanished.

You know better than anyone whether I have someone or not. I sneered. "But youyour relationship with Ruby Xaviershould be the one to explain."

Ruby suddenly lifted her head, her eyes red. "Ms. Scott, you've misunderstood. Mr. Lynn and I are strictly superior and subordinate."

"Does being superior and subordinate mean he can leave me at my child's funeral to care for you?" I stared at Ruby, my voice cold. "Does being superior and subordinate justify taking such intimate photos together?"

Ruby was left speechless by my words, tears falling down her cheeks.

Daniel Lynn quickly stepped in front of her. "Whitney, don't take it too far."

"I'm taking it too far?" I stood up and pointed at Daniel Lynn's nose. "Daniel, look yourself in the eyehow have I treated you these past three years?

How much have I sacrificed for this family?"

"I know you've sacrificed a lot, but it wasn't intentional." Daniel Lynn's voice softened. "I just have hemophobiaI can't stand the sight of blood."

"Hemophobia?" I laughed until tears came. "Then why weren't you afraid when Ruby Xavier got hurt?"

It's not hemophobiait's that you don't love me, you don't love our child!

Daniel Lynn's father slammed his hand down on the table. 'Enough!'

Daniel Lynn, if you were a man, you'd take responsibility.

Daniel Lynn's face shifted from pale to flushed.

He looked at me, then at his parents, before finally reaching for the pen on the coffee table.

"Fine, I'll sign." He bit his lip as he signed the divorce agreement, saying, "'But I want you to know, I never stopped loving you.'"

I picked up the signed divorce agreement and carefully slipped it into my bag.

"Love or no love, it doesn't matter anymore." I turned and walked toward the door. "From now on, we owe each other nothing."

As I reached the door, I heard Daniel Lynn's mother sigh, "That child, why does she have to be so stubborn?"

I didn't look back.

Some paths, once taken, can never be retraced.

Back at Cindy Lee's, I showed her the divorce agreement.

Cindy was even more emotional than I was, holding me and crying.

"That's good, Whitney. You're finally free." Cindy wiped her tears. "From now on, we'll start fresh. We'll surely find someone better."

I nodded, my heart full of quiet hope for the future.

I knew that, despite the pain of the past, the future had to hold some light.