Toxic Compassion

My wife had such a compassionate heart that she brought the young homeless man outside our apartment home for dinner, then demanded I give up my room so he could stay there. She spent the entire down payment I had saved on designer clothes for him and took him to five-star restaurants. She said she was only helping him and told me not to be so petty. Then, I got sick and ended up in the hospital. I called my wife and asked her to use the emergency funds in our bank account to pay for my surgery. She agreed right away. Despite that, I waited an entire day and missed the surgery, and the doctor told me I had only one month left to live. She never brought the money. Instead, I saw the photos she had posted on social media during her travels. My wife leaned against the homeless man in front of a famous landmark, smiling like she had everything she wanted. The caption read, "Wyatt said he's never been to any famous landmarks, so even if I have to spend every last cent, I'm going to take him around the world so he won't have any regrets. Also, someone was so afraid I'd spend money on Wyatt that he lied about being sick. He has no compassion at all!" Only then did I realize her so-called sympathy was just an excuse for falling for someone else. In that case, I did not want her anymore. Chapter 1 I was broke, so I sold my wedding ring just to scrape together enough money to pay for the medical bills. After I was discharged, I took the divorce papers my wife, Hannah, had signed to the courthouse and filed for divorce. She had thrown those papers in my face last year to force me to agree to let Wyatt Ford move in. Back then, she had said with red-rimmed eyes, "If you can't make room for Wyatt, we'll get divorced." Because I loved her, I endured it like a fool. I never thought those same divorce papers would end up being useful now. The filing went smoothly. The clerk told me I could finalize the divorce once the waiting period was over. I counted the days and realized I would be able to finish it before I died, and I could feel the weight being lifted from my chest. For the next two weeks, Hannah's social media looked like a travel magazine. She took Wyatt all over the Western continent, visiting every landmark she could find. Wyatt was wearing brand-new designer clothes in every photo, and the shoes on his feet cost more than six months of my salary. As for me, I forced myself to work at the company during the day and washed dishes at a restaurant starting at five in the afternoon. After that, I would Uber on my electric scooter. I had asked around. Even the cheapest cemetery plot costs eight thousand. Other than the three thousand dollars in salary I had not been paid this month, I was still short a full five thousand dollars. So, even with less than a month left, even when it felt like there was a knife twisting inside of me, I did not have the bravery to stop working. That day, while I was washing dishes, my phone suddenly rang. As soon as I answered, Hannah's furious voice could be heard through the kitchen. "Nathan, didn't I text you and tell you to come pick up Wyatt and me? Why aren't you here yet? Do you know Wyatt and I have been waiting at the airport for two hours?!" If I had heard Hannah say that in the past, I would have apologized repeatedly before rushing over to pick her up. But now, I simply said, "I didn't see the text, and I don't have time right now. Get back home yourself." The tone of her voice instantly went up as she said, "Nathan, are you still mad because I spent money on Wyatt? I already told you I was only feeling bad for him! And I haven't even talked to you about pretending to be sick yet!" I stopped listening and hung up. By the time I finished all my part-time jobs and got home, it was already past eleven at night. Chapter 2 I dragged myself home, exhausted. I had barely opened the door when I saw Hannah lying in Wyatt's arms on the couch, the two of them laughing as they watched the television. Hannah quickly pulled away from Wyatt when she heard the sound. She looked at me with an annoyed look on her face. "So, you actually remembered to come home? Do you know Wyatt had to carry all the luggage because you didn't pick us up? He was exhausted. Can't you have a little more compassion?!" I ignored her and calmly took off my shoes by the door, but that only made Hannah more irritated. She got up and walked toward me, but Wyatt quickly tried to calm her down. "Nathan was probably busy with work. He didn't mean it. Don't be mad, Hannah. I'm not tired. Oh, right. Nathan, Hannah and I brought you a gift." He then walked over as if he was presenting me with a treasure and handed me a box. Inside was a scarf printed with some landmarks. It was made of cheap synthetic fabric, with rough threads sticking out along the edges. The moment I saw it, my throat physically tightened. I was severely allergic to that kind of fabric. The last time I had accidentally touched it, I had been rushed straight to the emergency room. I yelled, "Take it away!" When Wyatt heard that, he pushed the scarf even closer. "Nathan, I picked this out especially for you. Don't you like it?" "I said take it away!" My breathing was already turning ragged. "Nathan, what kind of attitude is that?!" Hannah snatched the box and shoved it into my arms. "Wyatt was kind enough to bring you a present. Who are you making that face for?!" The synthetic fabric brushed my wrist, and a red rash broke out instantly. I immediately threw the box onto the floor. Wyatt put on a hurt expression and said, "Even if you don't like it, you don't have to throw it away." Hannah stared at me, barely holding back her anger. "Nathan! What gives you the right to throw Wyatt's gift away?! Apologize to him right now!" But by then, I could not speak anymore. My throat had swollen to the point of being blocked as my vision began to blur. I staggered toward the living room, where I kept my allergy medicine. But after only two steps, Hannah grabbed my arm. "You're not walking away from this. Apologize to Wyatt." "Medicine. Get my medicine..." I pointed at the drawer as it grew harder to breathe, and my chest was so tight it felt ready to collapse. Hannah slapped my hand away. "Stop the act! I let it go last time when you faked being sick to lie to me, and now you're doing it again? I'm telling you, this trick won't work. Apologize to Wyatt right now!" My vision had already started going black, and Hannah's scolding grew farther away. Before I hit the floor, I saw Hannah rush toward me in a panic… - When I finally regained consciousness, Hannah was lying beside my bed, shadows under her eyes. When she heard me move, she took my hand and said in a guilty tone, "I'm sorry, Nathan. I forgot you were allergic to the material that was used to make that fabric. I thought you were pretending to be sick again." I found it so laughable. During all our years of marriage, Hannah had always chosen my clothes carefully, worried she might accidentally buy something made from that material and trigger my allergy. But after Wyatt had lived in our home for only half a year, she was now telling me she had forgotten. I sneered and pulled my hand back. Hannah froze, then quickly frowned. "Do you have to act like this? Wyatt didn't do it on purpose. He never went to school. How was he supposed to know anything about allergies? How about this? To keep Wyatt from hurting you in the future, why don't you send him to school using that money? How does that sound?" Chapter 3 For a second, I wondered if I had heard her wrong. Wyatt had sent me into an allergic shock, yet I was supposed to pay for his tuition? I refused without even thinking. "No. I need that paycheck to buy my cemetery plot." Hannah's eyes widened. "Nathan, are you really going to curse yourself like that just so Wyatt can't use the money? He's still so young... What's wrong with letting him learn something? Can't you have a little compassion?" Compassion again. Because of her compassion, I had less than two more weeks left to live. I sneered as I said, "That's right. I have no compassion." When Hannah saw that I would not give in, she stormed out and slammed the door. I then heard her say to Wyatt in the living room, "Wyatt, don't worry. I'll find a way to send you to school." I did not care. After I recovered from the allergy, I immediately returned to my original schedule and went to work during the day while washing dishes at the restaurant at night. To spite me, Hannah cooked all kinds of good food for Wyatt every day. The smell drifted out of the kitchen, making me realize how empty my stomach was. Wyatt would always sit across from me with his plate, eating smugly as he said, "Nathan, you should have some too. Hannah said these ribs were expensive. She bought them with your paycheck." I shoved the plain dinner rolls into my mouth and ignored him, but I had a bad feeling about all of this. Three days before payday, I went to finance and asked, "Martha, can you please change the account for my direct deposit? Don't put this month's paycheck in the old account." I used to think a husband and wife shared everything, so both the apartment and car were in Hannah's name. Meanwhile, my paychecks had always gone into her account. It was not until I could not afford my own surgery while I was in the hospital that I realized if I had no money of my own, I could not even afford to die. Martha typed on her computer a few times. When she looked up, her expression was awkward. "Well, didn't your wife come in last week and get an advance on your paycheck? Why are you asking for it again?" "What?!" I shot to my feet, my voice tight. "When did she come in?" "The day you took leave for your allergy. She said you were in the hospital and needed money urgently. She was crying pretty hard, and she had a copy of your ID, so I processed it for her." I almost froze as I gripped the table to keep myself from falling. She had taken my paycheck in advance? That was the money I needed for my cemetery plot! I staggered out of the company. When I found Hannah, she was just going to buy a gold watch with Wyatt. I rushed over, my voice trembling with rage. "Hannah! Where's my paycheck?" She started. When she saw it was me, the smile vanished from her face and was replaced by a self-righteous look. "I spent it on Wyatt's tutoring class. You have no idea how expensive tutoring is these days." "That money was for my cemetery plot!" I grabbed her arm, my fingers trembling. "Give it back to me!" She shook me off, anger rising in her eyes, too. "Nathan, what is wrong with you? Why do you keep talking about cemetery plots every day? Are you that eager to die? I'm telling you right now that Wyatt's education is what actually matters! "That being said, what perfect timing. I'm worried people will look down on Wyatt when he starts school, so I want to buy him a gold watch. We're short on money now, so give me your wedding ring. I'll pawn it for cash first, then get it back for you once I have the money." As she spoke, she grabbed my hand. Then, she froze when she saw my bare ring finger. "Nathan, where is your wedding ring?" Chapter 4 Wyatt was still beside Hannah, and he quietly reminded her, "Hannah, the watch..." "Shut up!" Hannah shoved him away and stared at me, her voice tight with panic. "Where is the ring?! Say something!" Her earlier smugness was gone, and she had even forgotten about the watch. Only panic remained in her eyes. I looked at her and suddenly found it a little laughable. She did not care whether I lived or died, but she cared a lot about a ring. "I sold it..." Before I could finish, the sales associate screamed. "The watch is missing!" The store instantly fell into chaos. Before I could react, Wyatt bumped into me with a panicked look on his face. Then, something heavy dropped into my arms. Wyatt pointed at me and said, "He has the watch. He stole it!" My eyes widened in disbelief, and I quickly denied it. "It wasn't me. Wyatt shoved it into my arms. Check the security cameras if you don't believe me!" Wyatt's eyes instantly reddened. "Nathan, how could you accuse me like that? Everyone saw you rush over just now to ask Hannah for money, and you even sold your wedding ring because you were short on cash! But no matter how badly you need money, you can't steal!" As soon as he finished, the people around us began whispering. I know that they had already decided I was the thief from the way they looked at me. Hannah's expression cooled little by little. "Nathan, you have disappointed me so much." She snatched the watch from my arms and handed it back to the sales associate, then pulled Wyatt away. "Wyatt wouldn't lie! Nathan, you should admit it when you've done something wrong. Don't make me look down on you even more!" She turned to the security guards and said, "Call the police. Someone like him needs to learn a lesson." Right then, it felt like a piece of me was ripped out. The pain was so sharp that I almost forgot to breathe. Hannah knew me better than anyone after so many years of marriage. She knew that no matter what happened, I would never steal. But she still believed in Wyatt without a second thought. The pain in my chest soon spread through my whole body, but I clenched my teeth and barely managed to stay upright. The police arrived quickly and took me to the station. As I lay on the cold floor of the holding cell, the pain in my chest grew worse, and my mind started to blur. In the end, I even thought that dying here might not be so bad. At least then I would not have to think about the cemetery plot anymore. Early the next morning, I was released. Only when I saw Hannah did I realize she had gotten me out. "You..." Hannah looked surprised at how haggard I looked, and her expression softened with pity. Just as she was about to speak, I cut her off numbly. "Why was I released?" Hannah looked a little uncomfortable. After a while, she said quietly, "The police checked the security footage. Wyatt really did steal the watch." I kept asking, "Then why wasn't Wyatt brought in?" "I paid the store back and bailed him out." Hannah's voice dropped even lower. "Wyatt had never seen anything nice before, and he only made one stupid mistake. We should give him a chance to correct himself. We can't ruin his life over this..." Looking at the way she defended Wyatt, I suddenly found everything so pointless. When I was falsely accused, she wanted the police to teach me a lesson right away. Now that it was Wyatt, she wanted to give him a chance. Once I stopped laughing at my own mistake, I realized something was wrong. "Where did you get the money to pay his bail?" Chapter 5 I remembered that Hannah had spent all our savings long ago. She lowered her head and said, "I took it from the pocket of your coat. You always hide your emergency funds there, so I found it as soon as I looked." My mind went blank. The money in my coat pocket was what I had saved little by little from taking jobs with Uber and washing dishes after work. It was the money I needed for my cemetery plot, and I had almost saved enough to reach five thousand dollars. But now, my paycheck was gone, and the money from my part-time jobs was gone too. My cemetery plot was gone. My heart went cold, almost freezing solid in that instant. To the point that all the pain had disappeared. I followed Hannah home in a daze and did not say a word the whole way. After we got home, Hannah said in a pacifying tone, "Nathan, are you hungry? I can make you some oatmeal." I ignored her and went straight back to the bedroom to lie down. The pain in my body and the despair in my heart formed a huge net, trapping me so tightly I could barely move. Hannah said something else outside the door, but I did not hear a word. I only lay there with my eyes open, staring at the ceiling until dark. That night, the pain in my body was so bad I could not sleep, so I struggled out of bed to look for some painkillers. As soon as I reached the living room, I heard a low voice coming from the balcony. It was Wyatt. "Don't worry. That woman is stupid as hell. She gave me all her husband's money... No one will find out I'm a fugitive..." A fugitive? All the blood in my body froze, and cold sweat broke out along my back. Wyatt was actually a fugitive? What kind of person had Hannah brought home? I no longer dared to take my medicine. I held my breath and tiptoed back to the bedroom, but I did not notice that Wyatt had already seen me. - The next morning, Hannah eagerly made breakfast and called me over to eat. I ate without tasting anything, but Wyatt suddenly moved closer to me and said, "Nathan, what happened two days ago was my fault. I made you spend a day in a holding cell. I want to treat you to a meal so that you can forgive me." He was smiling, but a chill ran down my spine. I calmed the panic in my heart and played it cool. "I'm not going. I don't feel well." Seeing this, Hannah frowned. "Wyatt came to you and apologized on his own, Nathan. Stop acting like this. Go out with Wyatt later." I still wanted to say no, but Hannah forced me out the door. Before closing the door, she even said with a bright smile, "Make sure you two have a good time! After this, you'll understand what a good person Wyatt is. Stop being so hostile to him from now on." I looked at her smiling face, but I felt as if I had fallen into the abyss. As we walked down the road, my heart pounded wildly, but Wyatt suddenly laughed. "Nathan, why do you seem so nervous?" "I'm not." I denied it. But he lowered his voice and said, "It's because you heard what I said last night, isn't it?" My heart sank hard, but I forced myself to stay calm. "I don't know what you're talking about." He smiled coldly, the viciousness in his eyes completely unhidden. "Stop the act. I saw you." As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out and shoved me hard into the road. I saw a large truck roaring toward me, my ears ringing from the blaring honks. Chapter 6 I was so terrified that my survival instinct made me grab Wyatt's arm tightly and drag him down with me. With a loud crash, the truck hit us both and knocked us to the ground. Agonizing pain swept through my entire body. As my consciousness began drifting away, I seemed to see Wyatt's face contort with pain and rage… - When I regained consciousness, I was already lying in a hospital bed, covered in bandages from head to toe. The slightest movement sent sharp pain through me. Hannah rushed over. When she saw Wyatt and me both lying in hospital beds, tears rolled down her face. The doctor said, "Both patients are seriously injured, but the operating theaters are backed up right now. We can only operate on one of them first. Please discuss it with the family." Wyatt spoke weakly. "Hannah, let Nathan have surgery first. He must have hated me because you treat me too well, so he pushed me into traffic on purpose. He probably didn't expect to lose his footing, too, and then we both got hit. "I'm afraid that if you let me have surgery first, he'll hate me even more and do even worse things to hurt me later. So, let Nathan have surgery first." After Hannah heard that, she immediately glared at me. "Nathan! When did you become so vicious?!" I desperately wanted to deny it, but I did not even have the strength to speak. Hannah seemed to feel that scolding me was not enough to vent her anger, so she raised her hand and slapped me. Then, she said to the doctor, "Doctor, operate on Wyatt first. You can't let anything happen to him." I lay on the hospital bed and listened to them talk, and my heart went completely cold. After nearly ten years of marriage, Hannah believed Wyatt's words without even thinking, all because of a few baseless words. But she did not know that because of my illness, my body could no longer make blood the way it should. I could not afford any delay at all. Despite that, she told the doctor to operate on Wyatt first, leaving me without even my last chance to survive. By the time the nurse finally pushed me into the operating room, I could no longer feel pain. Only endless despair remained in my heart. As my consciousness gradually faded away, I seemed to see my bare ring finger and the cemetery plot I would never be able to afford. 'Hannah, if there's another life, I'll never marry you again...' - Hannah was holding Wyatt's hand after his surgery outside the operating room, comforting him softly. "Wyatt, don't be scared. When Nathan's surgery is over, I'll make him apologize to you." Although she said that, a strange panic rose in her heart, as if something had left her completely. She clutched her chest, only for her phone to ring. "Hello, is this Ms. Hannah Smith? Your divorce paperwork with Mr. Nathan Peters has been processed. Please come collect the divorce certificate soon." Hannah froze. What divorce certificate? She was certain the caller was a scammer and hung up without thinking, but the panic in her heart grew even stronger. Before long, the doctor pushed the door open and came out. "I'm sorry, Madam. We were unable to save Mr. Peters. He has passed away." The phone slipped from Hannah's hand and hit the floor.