𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑾𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 (𝑺𝑳𝑶𝑾 𝑼𝑷𝑫𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑺)

14

The cloak of night draped the city in the shadows, mirroring the weariness that clung to Lisa as she stood by the door, her reflection a pale ghost in the polished wood. Another grueling shift at the hospital, another cycle of tending to suffering, had left her drained.  The weight of it all pressed down, a burden she carried with stoic grace, but the exhaustion gnawed at her, a relentless ache mirroring the pain within her own body.

Her phone buzzed, the insistent ringtone a jarring intrusion.  It was her mother, her voice a familiar, nagging presence. Lisa ignored it; the energy for another pointless argument had vanished.

It wasn't just the endless hours, the constant dance with life and death within the sterile hospital walls. It was the illness, the insidious beast that had taken root, slowly sapping her vitality. Joohyun's experimental chemo, a desperate gamble for survival, was a double-edged sword.  Her body was a battlefield, ravaged by the potent drugs, every muscle screaming in protest.

A soft voice broke through her thoughts. "You're leaving?"

Jennie stood in the doorway, concerned etched on her face. Lisa hadn't even registered her arrival, lost in the turmoil of her own mind.

"I cooked breakfast," Jennie said gently. "You should eat."

Lisa shook her head, the word barely a whisper. "I don't have an appetite."

Jennie's gaze held hers, a silent understanding passing between them. The unspoken fear hanging in the air, the weight of Lisa's struggle, was a burden they shared.

"I neee to go back to the hospital." Lisa said and started to turn away, but Jennie's voice stopped her.  "I'm sorry," She said, her voice low. "If I was the reason you and your mom… aren't okay."

"I bet she despises me for what I have done to you."

Lisa looked at her, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.  "She don't. She's hurt, but she won't despise you."

Jennie's smile was bitter. "How can you be so sure? I hurt her daughter… I hurt you."

Lisa's gaze softened slightly. "I just know."

She turned to leave, but Jennie's voice called out again, a plea in her tone. "Can I see you later?  Bring you lunch?  Since you won't have breakfast, I'll cook your favorites."

Lisa hesitated, the kindness in Jennie's offer a stark contrast to the harsh reality of her situation.  "It's fine," she said, her voice strained. "I'm having lunch with Krystal and Jongin."  She didn't wait for a response, escaping into the sight of the woman who betrayed her.

Later, Jennie found herself with nothing to do. Nayeon was out of town.  The hospital seemed like the only place to go.  She wanted to see Lisa, to offer comfort, to somehow make amends.

Arriving at the hospital, she spotted Lisa talking to nurses, signing documents.  Jennie smiled, ready to approach her, when she saw Dr. Irene Bae.  Lisa's face lit up; a genuine, radiant smile, the kind Jennie hadn't seen in months, bloomed on her lips.  It was a smile directed at Dr. Bae, a smile that pierced Jennie's heart like a shard of ice.

The sight of Lisa's joy, directed at another woman, was a physical blow.  It was the first time Jennie had seen her wife truly smile since the revelation of Jennie's infidelity, and the realization that it wasn't for her was agonizing.  Jennie felt a wave of nausea wash over her.  The pain wasn't just the sting of rejection; it was the crushing weight of her own actions, the damage she'd inflicted on their relationship.

Jennie watched from a distance, her heart heavy, as Lisa and Dr. Bae continued their conversation. The warmth between them was palpable, a stark contrast to the cold emptiness Jennie felt inside.  She turned and walked away, the hospital's sterile corridors reflecting the desolation in her soul. The lunch she'd prepared, still warm in her bag, felt suddenly pointless, a symbol of a love that seemed irrevocably lost. She didn't know what to do, where to go, or how to face the future. The weight of her betrayal pressed down on her, heavier than ever before.  She was alone, and the silence was deafening.

"Jennie." The sound of a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

She didn't need to know who it was. The weight of his presence, was unmistakable. Slowly, she lifted her gaze, meeting Mr. Manobal's eyes.

"Dad."

---

"Is that for your wife?" Mr. Manobal's question cut through Jennie's thoughts, his gaze settling on the paper bag rested on the table.

Jennie's voice was barely a breath. "Yes, I was going to bring her lunch, but… it seems she's busy.  Has other plans."

Mr. Manobal studied her intently, his expression unreadable. "Lisa and Doctor Bae are among the best in this hospital.  Lately, they've been quite close, often seen together with Doctor Jung and Director Kim.  If no one knew you were married, they'd believe Lisa and Doctor Bae were a couple." His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications. Jennie felt a sharp pang of pain; she didn't know why his saying this.

A long silence stretched between them. Then, Mr. Manobal's voice, quiet but firm, broke the stillness. "Do you still love my daughter, Jennie?"

The question was a weight on Jennie's chest, suffocating her.  She swallowed hard, the lump in her throat making it difficult to speak.  "I do…" she whispered, the words barely audible.

"Then why did you hurt her?" His voice was not accusatory; it was a quiet statement of fact, a profound sadness underlying the words.

Jennie couldn't answer.  She hung her head, unable to meet his gaze.  The shame was a physical weight, pressing down on her shoulders. Minutes ticked by, filled with the unspoken accusations hanging between them, the silence is a testament to the depth of her failure.

"I… I had to—"

"Leave my daughter," Mr. Manobal finished for her, his voice cutting through her attempt at justification. The words were both a statement and a command, delivered with a quiet finality that stunned Jennie into silence. She stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.  She hadn't expected this.

He continued, his voice low and measured. "Your actions have caused her pain, Jennie.  She's a strong woman, but even she has limits. You have hurt her deeply, and you need to understand the consequences of your choices. She deserves better than this.  She deserves someone who will cherish and protect her, not someone who will betray her trust."

Jennie looked up, tears  started welling in her eyes. She saw not just anger in his gaze, but a profound sorrow for his daughter. The weight of her actions crashed down on her, heavier than she ever could have imagined.  She didn't know what to say, how to respond to the quiet dignity of his sorrow, the unspoken demand for her to leave Lisa's life and allow her to heal. The silence that followed was not a comfortable one; it was the silence of profound loss, a silence that echoed the emptiness in her own heart.