6
371words
My doorstep was splashed with red paint,chillingly ominous.
I cried,terrified.
Chloe smirked and said:
“Now you see who Sean really loves.”
“Low-lifes like you can’t join our world.Get out.”
“Sean,is that true?”
I looked up,tears streaking my ordinary-looking face.
Chloe turned,panicked,seeing Sean behind her,stern.
She squeezed out tears:
“Sean,I was joking with Hannah,not serious.”
Sean ignored her,pulling me into his arms,comforting me.
Getting no response,Chloe stomped off,angry.
I knew this wouldn’t break their childhood bond,only expose Chloe’s predatory side to Sean.
As expected,he soothed me:
“Chloe’s young,naive.You’re older, don’t be mad.”
No matter.The real show was coming.
To cheer me,Sean took me on a half-month trip out of town.
Our flight home landed late at night.
Sean bent to enter the smart lock code,me idly watching.
Then,disaster struck.
A crazed woman leapt out,stabbing at Sean’s stomach,muttering:
“You ruined my life.I’ll kill you.”
Bent over,Sean could only watch the blade near his body.
The next moment,I pushed him aside,the dagger plunging into my stomach.
Blood sprayed,splashing his face.
The woman,seeing her failure,dropped the knife and fled.
Sean stood frozen in the dark.
After a long pause,he croaked:
“Why were you so foolish?”
“Silly,even if I die,I don’t want you hurt.”
Only our pounding heartbeats echoed,restless as drums.
He snapped awake,holding me:
“Don’t worry,I won’t let you die.I’ll never doubt you again.”
On the ambulance,Chloe’s nightly abusive call arrived:
“Slut,leave Sean,or I’ll have you raped and killed.”
Sean’s voice was icy:
“That’s how you treat your sister-in-law?”
I closed my eyes,relieved.
It worked.
“Why didn’t you tell me Chloe was like this?”
“She’s young,upset her childhood friend’s marrying.How’s that bullying?”
Sean sighed,tweaking my nose at my smiling face.
“You’re just a kid yourself, yet you’re protecting her.”
“Love extends to family.Since she’s your sister, she’s mine too.”
I feigned shyness, snuggling into his arms.
The more I portrayed undying love,the more he’d believe it,winning his heart over.
The next day in the hospital,the doctor scolded,glaring at my chart:
“Reckless!Luckily,the knife missed your uterus,or you would have lost the baby.”
I widened my eyes,thrilled:
“Sean,did you hear?We’re having a baby,the result of our love.”
He stood stunned,then stammered:
“We’re really having a baby?”
