Meylin was furious. Her usually graceful and dignified aura was replaced with a gloomy aura of anger, sadness, and anxiety, her frustration couldn't be hidden no matter how calm she tried to look.
She grinded her teeth and clenched her fists, staring at an open yellow folder when a difficult to make out look in her eyes.
The man sitting on the couch opposite of her nervously kept his gaze off of her and the folder contents.
They are currently in Meylin's private office. Different from her work or home office, since only people she allowed could walk in or out. This place is the only room where she has some privacy.
Today wasn't going to be anything special, she was going to clean and make everything tidy. Cleaning helps her when she's nervous, and she has all the reasons to be when an important meeting is right around the corner.
However, Mr.Oher, the man sitting across from her, came by for a sudden visit.
Mr.Oher works with the newspaper and always has some information on big figures in the city. Meylin met him by accident, but they became friends quickly, before learning each other's identity. Mr.Oher ended up volunteering information that would help Meylin in business, while she basically gave him anything he'd ask for.
He didn't ask for as much as her family members did, so Meylin never considered his requests too big, even if they weren't small.
Now is another time he was giving free information, however, this wasn't asked for in any way. When he handed the folder over and warned Meylin she might be upset by the contents, she only smiled and didn't take it seriously. She's always had an incredibly high tolerance.
But, the various pictures of her husband and younger brother canoodling-holding hands, intimately hugging, passionately kissing-shocked her more than anything could.
She didn't show it in her eyes, which stared holes in the printed images, but Meylin truly wanted to cry and rage.
There was a moment of silence as she spread the pictures out. There are more than 10, some of them are clearly from a different day than the others. Each has her husband of 5 years, fiancee of 3 years, who she's been with since she was a child, looking at her younger, pampered brother, with a deep love that she's never seen before.
Her heart stalled, unable to understand why any of this would happen.
Her husband and her own brother?
What shitty fate is this?
How could either of them do this to her? Again!?
She finally spoke, but none of her feelings could be read from her tone, "What is this?"
It's so obvious, but she couldn't stop herself from asking. What did one of her closest friends just show her, like he was passing along some celebrity scandal? Why?
Mr.Oher glanced at her, but her eyes were still on the pictures. "A reason to file for divorce," he said quickly.
"You've been looking for one, haven't you?" He followed, but he seemed sure that she was.
"I didn't ask for this" Meylin didn't answer, but her tone changed. It wavered, slightly overcome by her frustration.
"I know, I'm sorry," Mr.Oher apologized, but he continued firmly, "but I can't watch this happen and not inform you. They aren't even hiding it!" He said resentfully.
That is what it looks like in some of the pictures. Where they're kissing or seeming suggestively close, they aren't in a private place, but completely in public. Meylin could even recognize some of the streets they walked, the same places she and other locals walked weekly.
Yet, she never saw them once.
Mr.Oher waited for her to speak and, when she didn't, he stood up to walk to her. "I didn't want to do it this way, but they've been bolder recently. You need to address this, please."
Mr.Oher's voice was layered with sympathy and somewhat apologetic, but Meylin didn't respond right away.
She was looking into divorce and didn't hide that from her friends, like Mr.Oher. Her husband is neglectful, she'd say. He doesn't like being intimate, he doesn't want to go on dates anymore, and he's always busy, she'd tell them. When she tried to talk to him about it, the argument would end up making everything her fault.
Meylin didn't want to actually divorce, though. She thought her husband's lack of affection was due to always being busy, then coming back home too tired to pay attention to her.
Which meant he needed to work less. For him to work less, she needed to work more and work harder.
The upcoming meeting was going to be her breakthrough, and it was going to finally give them enough time to take a break together.
Then, after some successful communication, everything would be better.
They could stay together, as happy as they used to be. It's all she's ever wanted from their relationship.
Mr.Oher burned that fantasy. He answered all of her doubts with a few dozen pictures as proof.
Her husband was neglecting her, not because he was busy and tired, but so he could give all of his love and attention to her brother. Her sibling.
Meylin felt her world shattering, but didn't show it. She's a businesswoman, eyes are always on her, waiting for her to crack, but she wouldn't allow herself to.
Her family, husband and brother, were the only people she'd let see her weak, and they conspired against her for the second time.
Meylin responded grimly, "I will, thank you. Don't worry about me."
Mr.Oher didn't find her words reassuring, but there's nothing more he could do at the moment. It was sudden for them both, he has things to do, he wanted to warn her before going on his way.
So, after a few more minutes of trying to make sure Meylin wasn't going to have a breakdown, he hurriedly left. Saying, "Sorry, Meylin, I have someone to meet with and I'm already late. Call me later."
After saying goodbye, it was quiet again. Meylin closed her eyes and finally let the tears fall. What did she do for her husband to do this, again?
-
Meylin doesn't know where it went wrong.
She strung herself together, put on her game face, and was going to confront her cheating, lying husband. Pawn off her ring, spend the money on drinks, seek consultation from the few friends she has, and pretend like nothing happened at work.
She was so angry, but even more tired.
So, so tired.
She worked endless hours, memorized hundreds of faces, and built her company's big opportunities with her own hands, for him.
For nothing.
She was blinded, she's not even sure by what.
But when it let go, and she was shown the truth, Meylin couldn't control her impulsies.
She was driving to her brother's house. Her husband hasn't been home all day, she assumed so many good excuses for him. Without a doubt, he was actually with her asshole, husband stealing, pampered bitch of a brother.
They were probably planning their next date together. Taking advantage of her stupidity, milking it for years worth of affairs.
Her grip on the wheel tightened and she unconscious pressed harder on the gas. She wasn't noticing herself slowly going over the street's speed limit.
There was no traffic and hardly any traffic lights. As the photos flashed over and over again in her mind, she started to imagine what pictures weren't taken-the truly intimate positions.
She used to believe her husband didn't want to go all the way, that he simply didn't have that kind of desire, since nothing happened on their wedding night or honeymoon.
Some men, and women, lack the desire, she completely accepted that as fact. It didn't change her love for him.
But, fuck that assumption.
He probably screwed her brother every night she was working overtime!!
She bit into her lip with unmasked raged. Blood quickly painted her barred teeth, like she was ready to tear her bastard husband and brother's throats out.
Meylin isn't a violent woman, she never was. She had thoughts about violence, intrusive thoughts, but she wouldn't act on them.
But she gave her blood and tears for both of them, she loved them more than anything. And this is what she gets in return?
She couldn't think straight. She didn't notice she was speeding, and she didn't pay attention to all of the red lights she wasn't stopping at.
Meylin was driving recklessly, but her mind was too clouded to consider the safety of others, let alone herself.
Really, she didn't know where it all went wrong.
In the blink of an eye, she ran straight into another car.
They swerved across the street, bashing into three other cars. The three cars were sent barreling out into different directions, Meylin couldn't tell if they hit others.
Her car and the first one hit rolled into the nearby gas station. The car was upsidedown and completely ruined, it was impossible for anyone inside to survive.
She could faintly hear a child sobbing, and a voice whispering in a desperate, scared voice.
However, her pain was distracting, she couldn't focus on those noises or where they were coming from.
Her pain... Physically, emotionally, mentally, it was all too much for her. She wanted everyone to put as much effort and fairness in their family as she did, why wasn't that possible?
Why did today have to be the day she loses her calm and rashly drives through the city?
The physical pain came from her pulsating body. She could hear her heart in her bleeding ears, her legs were beyond saving, and her vision was too blurring to see anything. She could feel her scattered ribs and likely had several concussions. It felt like torture just breathing.
Her death wasn't instant, but she was quickly bleeding out.
Meylin never hated herself as much as she did in that moment.
She reflected on herself.
Everything, from the beginning to the end, it was her fault. She shouldn't have trusted her family or her husband, they're all bastards. She realized it after entering the workforce and learning to read people, but she didn't resist.
They loved her brother unconditionally, but she was repeatedly told to prove her worth all throughout her teens. Even when her husband first asked her out, there was detachment in his eyes.
He had some fondness towards her back then, just a little, and then it was gone. She couldn't believe it, she refused to.
And now, she's dying. She's dying, taking who knows how many lives with her. Leaving the bastards to live happily ever after now that she's no longer in the way.
Meylin's consciousness didn't last long. Her last sight was fire, erupting from just outside her car. Her last thought was a wish, if possible, she wished she could go back in time and do it all over again.
She'd never let it happen again.