My hair used to be incredibly long, thick, and beautiful. But when my boyfriend’s childhood best friend lost her hair to chemotherapy, he ordered me to shave my head so they could use it to make her a custom wig. “Chloe is allergic to synthetic wigs,” Ethan said. “You’ve been growing yours for seven years. It’s perfect.” I refused. But his friends pinned me down, tying my hands and feet. They dragged a buzzer across my scalp, shaving me to the roots. My beautiful blonde hair fell to the floor, leaving me completely bald. Chloe sat in her wheelchair, laughing and pointing at me. “Look at her, Ethan! She looks like a bald toad!” Ethan smirked, nodding along. He even chimed in: “Is it really worth throwing a tantrum over some hair, Maya?” But years ago, I had been brutally bullied for six years because of a jagged, uneven haircut. Back then, he was the one who threw his arms wide to shield me. Now, he was the monster holding the clippers. One by one, his toxic friends chimed in, telling me not to argue with a cancer patient. Ethan turned and snapped impatiently, “Stop begging her. Let her get lost. She’s acting like her life is over just because of some hair. It’ll grow back.” So, I turned around and walked out. I never looked back. Later, I heard Ethan spent years searching for me. He gave up everything, begging for a single word of forgiveness. But the girl who used to wait for him was already gone forever. 1 Once my head was completely shaved, they finally untied me. “Ethan, look at her! She looks so hilarious, like a bald little toad,” Chloe giggled from her wheelchair, pointing at my bald head. His friends laughed and jeered in agreement. Ethan glanced at me, his voice dismissive. “Chloe is allergic to cheap synthetic wigs. Your hair is long and healthy. It’s perfect for her.” I blocked out their voices. Clutching the few remaining strands of buzzed hair on my scalp, my heart ached with an agonizing, silent scream. Two hours ago. Ethan had texted me to come to Chloe’s birthday party. Chloe and I had never gotten along. But because Ethan begged me. And because Chloe was a cancer patient. I swallowed my pride and brought a gift. I never expected that this so-called birthday party was a trap. They held me down and forcibly shaved my head. Looking at Ethan’s cold, indifferent face. I remembered how unusually sweet he had been to me two days ago. He had brought home an incredibly expensive set of salon-grade shampoo and conditioner. “The weather’s been dry lately. Make sure you take care of your hair.” I had been confused but touched. I used it that very night. Now, the sickening realization hit me. He didn’t want to pamper me. He was just fattening the lamb for the slaughter—making sure his precious Chloe got the softest wig possible! Ethan suddenly walked toward me. For a fleeting second, I thought he had regained his humanity and wanted to apologize. Instead, he reached out with a look of disgust, grabbed the last stray lock of hair on my shoulder, and ruthlessly snipped it off with scissors. He turned to his friends and barked: “Can’t you guys do a clean job? Why did you leave this patch here? I bought you all dinner, and you can’t even handle a simple task.” The group immediately burst into loud, mocking laughter. “Yeah, yeah, our bad. But look at Maya—is she actually going to cry?” “Poor Chloe is so sick and takes so many meds every day, and she never plays the victim like this.” Their cruel, sarcastic remarks kept coming, but Ethan’s expression didn’t change at all. Ethan’s friends had always hated me. They thought my background made me unfit for their high-society circle. I was never invited to their private parties. Once, I asked Ethan if I could join them. He only said impatiently, “Don't force your way into a circle where you don't belong.” Seeing that I didn't react, Ethan’s eyes finally focused on me. He raised an eyebrow and let out a soft laugh. “Maya, you’re not actually mad, are you?” “Cheer up. Just think of it as doing a good deed.” My eyes filled with deep, hollow sorrow. “I only have one question. Was shaving my head your idea, or Chloe’s?” Before Ethan could answer, Chloe rolled her wheelchair between us. Two perfect tears rolled down her cheeks. “It was my idea. If you’re mad, blame me. Don’t make things hard for Ethan.” Ethan’s face darkened instantly as he glared at me. “Chloe is sick, Maya. Can you stop stressing her out?” “She’s practically family. We grew up together. You’re going to marry me anyway. What’s wrong with doing a little favor for your future sister-in-law?” Seeing how utterly heartless Ethan was, my eyes burned. How could someone change so quickly? Years ago, my parents tried to force me to shave my head to sell my hair for money to buy my brother toys. When I had to go to school with a jagged, uneven buzzcut and faced brutal bullying. Ethan was the one who stood in front of me, baring his teeth at the bullies: “From now on, her hair is under my protection!” All the fight drained out of me. I stood up slowly. “Ethan, we’re done. It's over.” “Venmo me the money for my hair later. I had no obligation to donate anything to her.” 2 Ethan froze, then pressed his hand against my forehead, letting out a mocking laugh. “Maya, are you saying you’re breaking up with me?” “You don’t have a fever. Why are you talking crazy?” “You’ve been with me for eight years. Do you honestly think anyone else would want you if we broke up?” “Who would even take you? Stop being so damn dramatic.” Hearing those words, the tears I had forced back almost spilled over. So he did remember. He knew we had been together for eight years. People always say that if you date for too long, your lover becomes like family. But Ethan hadn't become my family, and he was quickly ceasing to be my lover. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, forcing myself to look him dead in the eye. “There are billions of men in this world, Ethan. You are not my only option.” Ethan’s face turned incredibly ugly. His friends immediately chimed in, their voices dripping with hostility. “Alright, that’s enough. Ethan already humored you. Don’t push your luck, Maya.” “It’s just some hair. Ethan can buy you wigs. He can buy you seven—one for every day of the week, haha!” Once his friends finished mocking me, Chloe chimed in with a sweet, victimized sigh. “This is all my fault. Maya, I’ll pay you for the hair. Please don’t be mad at Ethan.” Her eyes welled with tears. Her fragile, pitiful act made Ethan’s heart ache with protective rage. He glared at me like I was his worst enemy. “Maya, if you have a problem, take it out on me!” “Chloe is sick. She’s dying! Why do you have to be so cruel to a cancer patient? You’ve changed. You used to be so kind!” I opened my mouth, but before I could speak, Chloe suddenly clutched her stomach, crying out in pain. “Ethan, it hurts so much... help me...” Ethan shoved me aside with brute force. Caught off guard, I stumbled and fell hard over a metal chair. “Ugh—” Ethan didn’t show a shred of concern. Instead, he screamed at me at the top of his lungs: “Stop being so damn useless! We took a little bit of your hair, and you’re throwing a fit! You knew Chloe was in fragile condition, yet you still chose to stress her out! If anything happens to her, I swear I will make you pay!” With that, he scooped Chloe up in his arms and rushed out, his entourage trailing closely behind. The last guy in the group, who was holding the bag of my sheared hair. He casually tossed the golden locks into the trash can before leaving. I stared blankly for a moment, then dragged myself over to the trash can, picking up my hair piece by piece. My tears fell silently onto the golden strands. At that exact moment, I made my decision. I was leaving Ethan. ... I went to a professional salon to get my head properly shaved and cleaned up. Then, I booked a cheap hotel room online. When I went back to the apartment to pack my things, Ethan walked in, looking utterly exhausted. The moment he saw my suitcases, his face warped with anger. He strode over and violently kicked my suitcase away. “How long are you going to keep up this tantrum!” “The doctor said Chloe’s condition worsened because of the stress you caused her! I haven’t even punished you for that, and here you are, acting like the victim!” I let out a cold, sharp laugh. “Chloe’s cancer is my fault now?” “Ethan, do you even hear the stupid garbage coming out of your mouth?” Maybe because he had never heard me speak to him in such a biting tone. Ethan froze in shock. I ignored him, picked up the kicked-over suitcase, and continued folding my clothes. I didn’t have many belongings. Even after living here for eight years, everything I owned fit into just two 26-inch suitcases. I looked at Ethan, who was standing there in silence, and said flatly: “The moment you Venmo me the money for my hair is the moment I pay my half of this month’s rent.” 3 “Do you honestly think I care about your petty cash?” Ethan grabbed my wrist with a iron grip, his face turning menacingly dark. “Maya, have you lost your mind? Do you really think you can survive on your own?” “Sometimes I swear you don’t have a brain!” “I buy you expensive skincare, and you don’t use it. I buy you jewelry, and you don’t wear it. I tell you to dress nicer, and you make up a million excuses!” Every time Ethan and I fought, he loved to drag up the same old grievances. He complained that I didn’t use his skincare, but he ignored that those brands gave me severe allergic rashes. He complained that I didn’t wear his jewelry, but he didn't care when his friends mocked me, calling the pieces cheap fakes. He complained that I dressed too simply, but did he expect me to wear cocktail dresses to my office job? Seeing my silence, Ethan’s words became even more venomous. “What, silent now? Or are you planning to crawl back to your abusive family’s house and let them sell you off to some old man?” My eyes widened in sheer disbelief. After the SATs, my parents had locked me up, planning to force me into an arranged marriage for quick cash. It was Ethan who had broken the door down and saved me. He had promised me that as long as he was there, I would never be in danger again. But he had completely forgotten his promise. He had become no different from the monsters I ran away from. Yes, I came from a toxic family. Yes, I was naturally frugal. But what did I do wrong? My eyes welled with tears, and my chest felt like it was being crushed by a physical weight. I didn't say a word. I finally realized that Ethan was beyond saving. He would rather die than admit he did anything wrong. I grabbed my suitcase, determined to walk out. Furious, Ethan snatched my suitcases and violently threw them onto the hardwood floor. The plastic shells cracked in half, and my neatly packed clothes spilled everywhere. “Ethan! We broke up! You have no right to touch my things!” Ethan grabbed my arm, violently wrenching me backward. He used so much force that I lost my balance. My head slammed hard against the sharp corner of the wooden table. Instantly, a warm, thick liquid rushed down my forehead and into my eyes. I blinked frantically, but my vision was blocked by a dark red haze. Ethan panicked, immediately dropping to his knees beside me. “Maya! Oh my god, Maya, don't worry. I'll take you to the ER right now.” But before he could lift me, his phone rang loudly. Chloe’s weak, trembling voice echoed through the speaker. “Ethan... I’m outside your apartment building... I’m throwing up blood. It hurts so much, please help me...” Ethan’s face went pale. He immediately let go of my hands. “Maya, wait for me here! Chloe is having an emergency. I have to drive her to the hospital first!” Blood was streaming into my eyes, and I could only see a blurry, dark silhouette. Terrified of being left alone, I grabbed Ethan’s leg, begging him. “Ethan, please... I can’t see. Please call 911 for me first...” Without a second thought, he kicked me away. “I told you to fucking wait! Do you not understand English?” “You can’t even wait ten minutes? Are you that desperate to die?” The force of his kick left me breathless and unable to get up. By the time I gasped for air, Ethan was already gone. The front door slammed shut with a deafening bang!
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