Chapter 1
Chapter 1 “Jessica, you can’t just let her die, can you?” Trevon Chapman’s eyes were red with anger as he stared at me. “You’re only losing your legs, but Corinne is losing her life!” Corinne Gibson lay weakly in Trevon’s arms, a flicker of challenge in her eyes. When I didn’t respond, she began to cry softly, clinging to his sleeve like she was too fragile to stand on her own. “Trevon, don’t put Jessica in a difficult spot. My life isn’t worth much. If I die, then so be it. Jessica’s like a mermaid princess—far more important than someone like me.” Trevon gently wiped away her tears and pulled her closer. When he turned back to me, his eyes were full of disgust. “Mermaid princess? She was lying at my feet, covered in blood, begging me to save her. If I hadn’t stepped in, she’d be dead. And now she’s making a fuss over something as small as giving up her fish tail? “I saved her life. That means I get to decide what happens to her body. It’s just a pair of legs. How could they matter more than your life?” Corinne’s smile deepened as she watched the color drain from my face. “Trevon, Jessica’s been your wife for five years… I shouldn’t expect too much…” Trevon reached out and gently touched her face, cutting her off. “You’re the most important person to me. No one else matters.” I stared at the man I had given the best years of my life to, and all I felt was a cold, hollow sadness. “You can take whatever’s left of me, but I want my freedom back. After today, we’re done.” Trevon froze, caught off guard by the resolve in my eyes. Since marrying him, I had dimmed my light, happy to stand quietly behind him, always doing what he wanted. Now, for the first time, I stood my ground, calm and unwavering. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something more. Then Corinne clutched her chest and did what she did best—pretending her heart hurt. Trevon immediately turned away from me, panicked, and rushed to take her to the hospital. Before they left, he looked back at me. “Jessica, you promised to be with me forever when we got married. So even if it’s the end, I’ll still keep you close,” he said.
Chapter 2 That night, Trevon came to bed with a chill in the air. The mattress dipped as he lay down beside me. His strong arms wrapped around me, his breath warm against my neck as he pulled me close. “Jessica, why didn’t you wait for me? Are you mad?” Trevon hated the dark. For five years, I lit a small lamp every night and waited for him to come home. Now, my heart had gone dark long before that lamp ever did. “Corinne is like a sister to me. I’ve known her since she was little. She’s dying, Jessica. There’s no hope left. The doctors said so today. You’re the only one who can save her now.” His hand slid down, gently stroking my legs. “Can you really just watch someone die and do nothing?” I couldn’t help but laugh quietly to myself. Corinne’s acting was so poor, it could only fool someone like Trevon. How could someone supposedly dying still look so healthy and full of life? I looked at the face beside me, twisted with worry, and asked hoarsely, “Trevon, are you sure Corinne’s illness is beyond cure?” His expression darkened instantly. He pulled away from me, his voice turning ice-cold. “Corinne was right: Fish is fish. How could I expect a fish to feel pity?” “Corinne isn’t like you. She’s been warm and kind since she was little. If she were in your place, she wouldn’t hesitate to help someone else.” “If I’d known you were this cold-hearted, I should’ve let you die under that fisherman’s knife.” Even though I’d prepared myself, his words still pierced deep. My heart ached with unbearable pain, and the cold night wind only made it worse. Trevon stood and stormed off, leaving me with nothing but the sight of his back disappearing into the dark. Half an hour later, Corinne sent me some photos. Trevon was still in his day clothes, sitting by her sickbed, carefully tending to her. Their hands were tightly intertwined, both wearing matching couple rings that gleamed in the light. It had been ages since Trevon last showed me any affection. Ever since Corinne moved in, he’d only had eyes for her, treating me like I no longer existed. I had been such a fool—believing him when he said they were just like brother and sister. I cared for Corinne, looked after her, and paid attention to every little detail. I gave it my all. [Do you know why Trevon’s so worried about me?] Corinne wrote. [It’s because I’m pregnant with his child. He doesn’t want either of us to suffer.] [Trevon said a baby could only come from me. As for you—a strange creature, not fully human—he never wants to see something like that again.] My tears fell like scattered pearls across the screen, blurring everything. All I could think of was the child I had lost. I thought the baby was the embodiment of Trevon’s love for me. Like any new mother, I had looked forward to meeting her. However, she came too early, and the labor was brutal. I endured three days and nights of pain. I never even got to see her. Trevon, looking pale and shaken, took her away to somewhere far, far away. Even seeing me cry didn’t move him. Instead, he shoved me down harshly, looking at me like I was something vile. “Why are you crying? That thing was half-fish, half-human. Haven’t you humiliated me enough?”
Chapter 3 I just stood there, trembling all over, feeling as if my heart had turned to ice. In Trevon’s eyes, my baby and I were nothing more than monsters—something to be ashamed of. But I hadn’t suddenly become a mermaid. He knew it from the beginning. If he hated me that much, why did he even come into my life? Why did he marry me and promise we’d be together forever? “Jessica!” Trevon stormed into the room, face flushed with fury, and slapped me hard across the face. “What did you say to Corinne? She’s in the hospital right now, fighting for her life and the baby’s. If anything happens to them, I swear you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!” His eyes were bloodshot, and his hand clamped around my neck so tightly I could barely breathe. “How many times do I have to tell you? Corinne was just like a sister to me! Her parents are gone, and she has no one else in Alston City. She had to come to me for help. Are you seriously so jealous you’d hurt her baby?” “Jessica, I can’t believe how cruel you are. You don’t even care about an innocent unborn child. You don’t deserve to be a mother!” I couldn’t help but laugh at the crazed look in his eyes. “Trevon, do you even remember our baby? The one you heartlessly abandoned the moment she was born? You could be that heartless to your own child, but now you suddenly care about someone else’s?” “That’s different. That’s mine and Corinne’s—” He stopped short, realizing what he’d just admitted. “Just stay out of trouble for the next few days. If anything happens to Corinne’s baby, I’ll never forgive you.” I watched him hurry away, a bitter smile forming on my lips. When we got married, he told me that trust was everything. That he’d always believe me, always stand by my side. But just five years later, he didn’t hesitate to take Corinne’s word over mine, and humiliate me without question. The next morning, Trevon’s bodyguards barged in and dragged me out to the car. I struggled, but the lead guard shoved a hand over my mouth with a mocking smirk. “Better behave, ma’am, or you’ll get a taste of my fist,” he sneered. “Ms. Gibson just gave Mr. Chapman a big, healthy baby boy. He’s in a great mood today. Don’t mess it up, or you’ll regret it.” “I sneaked a peek at the little guy. Spitting image of Mr. Chapman. Not like that other freak. Born with a fishtail first… Scared the doctors half to death. Almost ended up in a science journal,” he laughed. The other bodyguard snarled. “Why talk about that unlucky thing? Who knows where she ended up? Maybe some wild animal already got her. Such a waste…” Their cruel, mocking words sent a chill through my spine. I was supposed to be Trevon’s wife, and yet they dared insult me to my face. They wouldn’t have, if he hadn’t permitted them. How could they speak so shamelessly about me and my child? It felt like I was trapped in a nightmare I didn’t know how to wake up from. The bodyguard roughly tossed me onto the cold, hard floor of the hospital. Trevon stood above me, eyes empty, cold. Without a word, he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me toward an old doctor with silver-streaked hair.
Chapter 4 “Mr. Chapman, she’s a mermaid like no other—a rare find,” the old doctor said with a sly grin, his eyes greedily fixed on me. “Her toughest scale will guarantee your child’s future is safe and sound.” I shivered as I watched Trevon gently rocking Corinne in his arms. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You want my scale? Do you even understand what that means to me?” Of course he did. When mermaids give birth, we lose almost all of our strength. I had nearly died bringing his child into this world, fulfilling his wish. If he took the scale that kept me alive, I’d be nothing but a shell, barely clinging to life. Trevon wouldn’t meet my eyes. His face twisted into a mask of false guilt before he scolded me, as if he had any right to. “If you hadn’t interfered, Corinne wouldn’t have had complications. She went into labor early. The baby was born weak and had to be rushed to an incubator. You hurt them both. You owe them.” Then, without another glance at me, he nodded at the old doctor. The doctor lunged forward, pinning me down and forcing a bitter potion down my throat. Pain shot through my body like fire. Sweat poured from my forehead as I gasped for air, collapsing in agony. Gasps filled the room. I looked down and saw my legs—gone. In their place was a mermaid’s tail, limp and lifeless on the floor. “My special secret potion worked after all,” the old doctor said with a wicked grin. “It revealed your true form.” Without hesitation, he grabbed a surgical knife. With a few swift cuts, he began stripping the scales from my tail. Blood sprayed across the room. My screams rang out, raw and helpless. Trevon took the bloody scales from the doctor and handed them to Corinne as if they were the most precious gift in the world. As darkness swallowed the edges of my vision, I heard Corinne’s sugary voice. “Trevon, you always take such good care of us. With this fish scale protecting him, our son will grow up strong and healthy. He won’t end up like that doomed monster.” Trevon smiled, finally at ease. His eyes fell hungrily on my tail. “Soon, I’ll use your tail to make medicine for Corinne. She’ll recover even faster. We’ve got our whole future ahead of us.” — When I regained consciousness, I was in a hospital bed, staring up at a stained ceiling. Slowly, I reached down—and froze. My legs were gone. The fabric of my pants hung empty, swaying in the breeze. Trevon saw me stir and let out a long sigh, smiling like it was all good news. “Jessica, the surgery was a success. Your tail saved Corinne. She’s healed now. She can live a normal life.” “And what about me?” I asked, tears in my eyes, staring at the cruel curve of his smile. His expression faltered. He frowned, clearly irritated by my question. “Didn’t I tell you again and again? Even without your legs, you can still live your life. I’ll be your legs. I’ll take care of you.” “Trading your legs for Corinne’s life—that’s your lucky break.” Lucky break? I let out a cold, brittle laugh. ‘Why don’t I give you this “lucky break”? Would you like that?’ I thought. “Trevon,” I said calmly, “I want a divorce.”