In those five years, Sofia never allowed me to truly touch her, emotionally or physically. Her heart remained tethered to a ghost from her past – her first love, a man who had suffered from leukemia. Our marriage was nothing more than a strategic maneuver, a means to an end. The dowry money was destined to pay for his treatment. When I perished in that devastating fire, consumed by flames, she seized the opportunity to escape with her true love. As my body turned to ash, a grotesque scene unfolded. She clung to him, her hand resting on her swollen belly and declared with chilling detachment, "We finally have a child." Her voice held a cold indifference, a stark contrast to the agony of my demise.
In this new life, I am determined to live for myself. The strings that once bound me to that cruel past have been severed. I refuse to be a pawn in anyone's game again.
***
Sofia's voice cut through the morning stillness like a shard of ice. "Rowan, I need you to cover for me with my parents today. I have to take Lewis for chemotherapy."