Restore My Hearing and My Heart

At the party, my daughter deliberately raises a question to my husband. "Daddy, since Ms. Lloyd is having your baby, does that mean we'll be living with her in the future?" He places the nicely cut steak onto my plate and answers softly, "Your mommy and I made a deal—whoever betrays first will disappear from the other's life. I can't afford for that to happen, darling, so this must stay a secret. Even when the baby is born, I will never let Mommy find out about them." Then, he signs to me, "I'll always love you." My eyes turn red-rimmed without him noticing. Little does he know, my hearing was restored a week ago. He doesn't realize I've learned about the mistress he's been hiding either. And he definitely doesn't know I've secretly bought a ticket to volunteer-teach in the Seru Plateau. All I have to do is wait for the paperwork to clear in seven days. Then, I'll disappear from his life for good. Chapter 1 I pushed away the plate of steak before me, refusing to play along with the act. Seeing me on my feet, my husband, Jackson Grant, immediately stood as well, asking me what had happened in sign language. I shook my head. "It's getting late. I'm thinking of turning in for the night." He insisted on following, but his best friends stopped him. "Quinn probably needs some rest. You know how fragile she can be. Why are you so eager to leave?" "Yeah, dude. Cassidy is about to get here. It's been a whole day. Don't you miss her?" My daughter, Bonnie, joined in, tugging at his sleeve. "Daddy, I miss Ms. Lloyd already. Can we not leave with Mommy?" Panic bloomed across Jackson's face. Seeing there was no anomaly in my expression, he frowned and warned, "Don't say her name in front of Quinn." "Why not? Mommy can't hear anyway," Bonnie countered. Her words prompted me to pin Jackson back into his chair. "I can get home by myself just fine. You guys stay." I turned on my heel and walked out of the establishment's private room, not giving him a chance to argue. I had barely taken a few steps forward when I saw Cassidy Lloyd striding into the restaurant. I couldn't tell if she did it on purpose or not, but her shoulder slammed into mine, making me stumble. Cassidy walked into the private room and scooped up Bonnie the moment she reached for her. "Bonnie, it's been an entire day. Did you miss me?" "Of course!" Bonnie answered cheerfully. Cassidy couldn't help smiling at the exchange. "In that case, give me a kiss." Bonnie immediately cupped her face and planted a kiss on her cheek. Watching the two of them, one would think they were the real mother and daughter. She set Bonnie down, then slipped into Jackson's arms, her expression full of playful sweetness. In his eyes, there was a softness I had never seen before. Before he could say anything, Cassidy rose on her tiptoes and kissed him passionately. "Alright, alright," one of his friends muttered, rolling his eyes. "It's been months, and you two are still this mushy." None of his friends seemed bothered by it, while Bonnie looked like she had seen this a hundred times. I stared at all of them, feeling a sinking coldness in my bones. So, everyone knew they had been fooling around together, except for me. As the teasing around the table amplified, Cassidy's lips curled with a triumphant smile. As if things weren't messy enough, the others started egging them on, asking when the last time they hooked up was. Jackson lowered his head, embarrassed, while Cassidy looked thrilled. "Two days ago—in the room next to the main bedroom." I whispered the same words at the same time as she did, our two voices overlapping, and the whole room exploded with excitement. Some laughed, some cheered on. "Jackson, my boy, you finally grew a brain!" "Yeah. With our status, who the hell stays loyal?" "As long as you hide it well, you can enjoy life. Quinn is deaf. She'll never find out." Chapter 2 When my name came up, the smile on Jackson's face stiffened. His expression turned ice-cold. "Don't let this get back to Quinn." His friends didn't care at all. They simply burst into louder laughter. Bonnie chimed in loudly, "Don't worry, Daddy. Mommy won't find out. She's deaf, remember?" Their laughter echoed through the private room, but I stood outside the door, frozen. It wasn't until a waiter behind me gently tapped my shoulder that I snapped back. "Excuse me, do you need any help?" Immediately, silence swept across the private room. Everyone turned to look at me, while Jackson looked panicked. He hurriedly dropped his arm from Cassidy's waist, his gaze flickering everywhere but my face. He started signing frantically, asking why I had returned and insisting that Cassidy was just an ex-junior from his alma mater. What he failed to realize was that her lipstick was smeared all over his lips. Even her hand was still firmly wrapped around his waist. The way she looked at me screamed mockery and victory. Even though I was ready to leave, seeing what was happening in front of me still made it impossible to breathe. I forced a smile and said, "I'm just here to drop off your keys. Have fun." I set the keys on the table and didn't look back. Ignoring the voices behind me, I walked out. On the street, I was surrounded by the stream of cars and flickering lights along the road. All that I felt was a cold emptiness. I couldn't see where I was going or hear anything. My mind went back to five years ago, when we went on that trip to the Obi Desert. Jackson and I got lost and ended up wandering for a whole day and night. There was absolute silence all around, with nothing but the feel of his hand in mine. Back then, he had gestured with his hands, saying that if we died together, at least it would be a fitting end to our love. He had always said his love for me would be unwavering until death, but I supposed our relationship had reached the end of the road. When I got home, my whole body felt like jelly. I collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The first time I met Jackson was at a job fair. The moment I saw him, I fell hopelessly for him. Since then, everyone knew I was pursuing him. Before this, he had rejected every other woman who confessed to him. That was until I appeared. I found ways to see him every day, talked to him, and took him out to eat, relentlessly pursuing him for three years. Even after being rejected over and over, my feelings never wavered. One night, an employee who had just been fired got drunk and started causing trouble, blocking Jackson at his company's entrance. Everyone else ran, but I threw myself in front of him. We both got beaten until we passed out, covered in blood, before the troublemaker finally left. That incident left me hearing-impaired, but it also stirred his feelings for me at last. Jackson had held my bloodied body, his voice shaking with fear. "Let's get married, Quinn." After we got together, my love never waned, while his only got stronger. When Bonnie was born, she always treated me as "the deaf mom". Jackson had to spend countless sleepless nights teaching her sign language so that I could communicate with her better… The sound of the door lock snapped me out of my memories. I rolled onto my side, pretending to be asleep. Not long after, I felt movement behind me. Then, his hands began roaming all over me. His warm breath brushed against my neck. This was how he showed desire. Chapter 3 Had this been a few weeks ago, I would've lost control and responded to Jackson. But now, all I felt was disgust and nausea. Just a week ago, my hearing was finally restored. I came home, excited to share the news with him and Bonnie, only to hear his wild groans echoing from the guest bedroom. My whole body froze. I even questioned if I was imagining it. Before I could barge into that room, Bonnie, who had always looked down on me, came up with an excuse to get me to help with her homework. She pushed me aside, muttering, "I don't need you ruining Mommy Cassie's fun." That was when I realized just how much she wanted me, her mother, replaced. They all assumed I was still deaf and oblivious to their actions, but little did they know, I heard every single thing. That day, I applied for a teaching program in Seru Plateau and booked my flight ticket. Just like what Jackson and I had once promised each other—if one of us ever betrayed the other, the betrayed one would disappear. So, I decided I would vanish from his world completely. I did not want him or Bonnie. However, the memories of him and Cassidy going at it in the next room kept echoing in my head. My stomach twisted, and I instinctively shot upright and shoved him away. Jackson let out a sharp cry and fell to the floor. I froze for a second, reflexively trying to help him up, but my hands wouldn't move. He wasn't mad. Instead, he looked at me with worry. "Quinn, what's wrong?" I opened my mouth to answer, then remembered I was supposed to be deaf. A moment passed before he realized it too. He lifted his hands and started signing. "Nothing," I replied. "Just a little unwell." Then, as if something clicked in his mind, he suddenly panicked and began signing frantically. "Cassidy is just an old schoolmate. Please don't get the wrong idea about us." He was always the calm and composed type, yet today, because of her, he had completely lost control. I didn't bother responding and simply brushed him off. "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep." I turned my back toward him and lay down. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his expression stiffen. It took a long moment before I heard him whisper under his breath, "I really love you, Quinn. I really, really do. If you ever leave me, I'll die." Tears kept spilling from the corners of my eyes. If he loved me, why did he betray me? We had promised each other that we would never part in this life. If either of us strayed, we would disappear from the other's world completely. All those beautiful memories we once shared were crushed by the brutal truth in front of me, shattering into nothing. … The next morning, Jackson said he wanted to take Bonnie and me out for some fun. Maybe he sensed that I was acting differently, or maybe it was the guilt deep inside of him. "We've been wanting to go to the amusement park for ages but never had the time. Quinn, will you come with Bonnie and me?" He wrung his hands while wearing a pitiful look, clearly trying to get a response from me. Even Bonnie, who was usually impatient, looked at me with pure excitement at the idea of going. However, the marks Cassidy had left on Jackson's neck—right where his collar hadn't been buttoned—glared back at me. All I could manage to feel for him was pure disdain. Bonnie was quick. She packed the things we would need for the day before I could even react. At the amusement park, she held my hand the entire time, while Jackson kept a watchful eye on us both. I pursed my lips slightly, and he knew to hand me water the next second. He insisted on buying anything I glanced at for more than a second. Even the rides I used to like but never dared to try, he made sure we went on all of them. He was exhausted, yet he held my hand tightly, refusing to let go. Chapter 4 Bonnie lay snuggled in my arms, looking happier than I had seen her in a long time. In the end, Jackson bought three lucky charm bracelets and put them around our wrists. He said softly, "With these, our family will never be separated." I stayed silent. He took my hand and pressed it to his chest. "Quinn, do you feel it? My heart is filled with nothing but love for you. It'll always belong to you alone." Bonnie chimed in joyfully, "A family should always stay together! I'm so happy!" I looked at their hopeful faces, and the anger I had been forcing down nearly tore through my calm. They said they loved me, yet they teamed up to betray me. He was having a baby with another woman, yet he was promising me an eternity. What did I ever do to deserve being punished like this? Noticing my silence and darkened expression, Jackson dropped his smile and signed the same words he had just said aloud. For a moment, I had forgotten he didn't know I wasn't deaf anymore. I looked at him with a blank expression, my voice freezing. "Are you sure your heart belongs only to me?" His face flickered with a trace of panic before he forced a smile. "And to our daughter, of course. My heart belongs to you two." Bonnie piped up from the side, "Mommy, you're not jealous of me, are you?" Before she could say more, a ringtone cut her off. Jackson stepped aside. When he returned a moment later, he seemed apologetic. "Sorry, Quinn. Something urgent came up at work. I need to handle it." He turned to Bonnie, who quickly said, "I'll come with you, Daddy." With that, he grabbed her hand and hurried out, urgency written all over his face. Unbeknownst to him, I had seen the caller ID when his phone rang earlier—Cassidy. Expressionless, I rose to my feet, took off the bracelet around my wrist, and tossed it into the trash can. Then, I headed to the exit. If they cared so much about Cassidy, fine. They could have her. From now on, they could make it a family of four and live a happy life. For the next few days, Jackson and Bonnie barely showed up. When they did, he looked tired and worn down, like life had been weighing on him. They moved around quietly, like they didn't want me to notice. I didn't bother exposing them. I simply pretended to be the deaf fool like they wanted me to be. Cassidy, on the other hand, never stayed silent. She would post about rides in her new car with Bonnie and how Jackson personally cooked for her. She was showing off the love they lavished on her. Beneath her posts, the comments were all teasing or celebrating her. Meanwhile, I stayed home, silently erasing every trace of myself from their world. The first day, Cassidy posted a photo of Jackson and Bonnie watching fireworks with her at the amusement park on her social media feed. I went through the house, gathering every single photo of them with me, and tore them to pieces just so I could burn every scrap until nothing remained. The second day, she posted another photo, this time of Jackson and Bonnie arranging a sea of flowers just for her. I called in some workers and demolished the greenhouse at the back of the villa—the one they had built for me—leaving nothing standing. On the final day, she posted a photo of her holding Bonnie while she pressed her ear against Jackson's chest. I had finished packing and was ready to leave when I saw the long-absent Jackson standing in the doorway, holding Bonnie's hand. His eyes were bloodshot. He gripped a folder, looking visibly tense. He signed to me, "Is it true, Quinn? This says you're going to teach in the Seru Plateau."