IF SHE'S POISONING ME

"Wait wait! Where is my ticket for Chaoxiang's concert later?", Meixiu panicked after seeing nothing on her wallet.

"Have I left it somewhere?", she signalled her light to the right and stopped near the sidewalk.

She searched from her wallet up to her bag but she saw nothing. "Tsk! I left it on my jar!", she hit the steering wheel with her hand. "I should go back. I have no time to go back after work.", she said and continued driving to find a U turn slot.

[•••]

Chaoxiang was awakened by the knock on the door. He scratched his eyes with his fingers and went to open it. After leaving his room, he wonders why Meixiu is not around. "Did she leave early again?", he thought.

The woman seemed to be so distant as days go by. She isn't really sociable and she can't even have meals with him. Although she prepares his food, the whole ambience of this house and the crimes his husband had done here is nothing compatible to her appetite. Before she could even smell the food she's cooking, the scent of danger, uncertainty and abuse were already tingling her nostrils.

"Xiang.", Chaoxiang saw his brother Chaoming.

"Are you here to scold me about Meixiu too?", Chaoming's inquisitive face showed up.

"Why? What about her?"

Chaoxiang gestured his older brother to go inside the house. His brother went inside, his eyes are scanning the whole house, wondering why Meixiu is not around. In his eyes, nothing in this house has changed. It is still dull and boring. He is thinking Chaoxiang is not letting Meixiu touch anything that belongs to him. It makes sense since Chaoxiang seems to be pretty mad about marrying that woman.

"What about Meixiu? Where is she?"

"She walked out again I guess.", Chaoxiang answered.

"You two have serious problems?"

"I despise her. She made Suyin ask me $2000 and she gave me that with the money I gave Suyin.", he pointed the guitar Meixiu gave him.

"Isn't it your dream guitar? Now you have it, enjoy it."

"No way. Suyin could've used the money because she told me she's leaving."

"Leaving? She keeps chasing me after that night at the bar. She's not leaving at all."

"Well maybe she only said that so I will give her the money Meixiu used for that."

[•••]

Meixiu gently pressed the door knob for her to get in their house with no sound. She has no plan of disturbing Chaoxiang. She just wants to get her ticket and head back to work.

But after the door opened slightly, she saw Chaoming on the couch with his leg crossed over the other. "Why is he here?", she asked herself until she heard their conversation.

"Hey bro, I was actually here to tell you Suyin has gone different. I mean she's so eager to get you."

"Well I couldn't give in because of Meixiu. I want her back."

Meixiu heard that clearly and immediately, her tears wept. "So he is still in love with her? What am I even doing here? To ruin someone's happy ending?", she felt weak not just because of the information but also because she didn't have her breakfast yet.

She already skipped her dinner last night. And now, she also did the same for her breakfast even though it's her who prepared Chaoxiang's breakfast. Ever since she became a victim of his cruel hands, eating in this place is actually tough for her. Every time she tries eating the food she prepares for Chaoxiang, she'll end up throwing it all up. Maybe because of the trauma this place is causing her that she feels so uncomfortable.

"No that's not what I meant. Something's different from Suyin. I told you I suspect her that she put something in your drink."

"No I never felt dizzy at all. And she wouldn't do that. If she really wants me, she'll just talk to me. You know how flirt she is."

"Just be careful Chaoxiang. I remember nothing after I felt dizzy that night. I was trying hard to remember what happened."

"I think I should be more careful with Meixiu. I mean she prepares my food but she is not eating those. If she's poisoning me until I die..."

Meixiu decided to stop listening from that toxic conversation. She ran to her car and started crying inside. "How can he say that?", she placed her head on the stirring wheel and burst out crying, as if she is a child who lost her candy.

"I love preparing his food. I wake up early to prepare those for him. How could he be so heartless?", she said and started driving again even if her eyes are still teary.