But compared to her, Nakala really had a blessed life.
Even though Nakala was raised by a single mom, her mother loved her dearly and made a good living as a jade carver, so Nakala grew up innocent and carefree.
When Nakala reached adulthood, she landed a steady job as a teacher. On top of that, her good looks made her well-liked in the neighborhood.
Her husband, Frederick, had been her childhood sweetheart. He was tall, handsome, and had a promising career ahead of him.
They'd been married for years, and even though Nakala couldn't have children, Frederick still spoiled her and treated her like a treasure.
Nakala's adopted daughter, Anneliese, was smart and well-behaved, too.
That alone was enough to make people jealous. But then, to everyone's surprise, after years of infertility, Nakala managed to get pregnant with a baby boy at forty.
Back then, everyone in the neighborhood said Nakala was the luckiest woman around, and everyone envied her.
Nakala and Melody were close, which only made Melody the constant point of comparison.
Every time someone praised Nakala for her luck, they'd bring up Melody just to put her down.
Melody's husband was a loser who drank, gambled, and beat her. Melody didn't have a proper job and spent her days cutting fish at the market, so she was always reeking of fish.
She had two kids, but her husband still looked down on her...
Melody couldn't help but feel awful hearing those things. It was only natural for her to start resenting Nakala.
Before, at least, Nakala couldn't have kids. Melody had a son and a daughter—at least she had that over Nakala.
But when Nakala got pregnant, Melody lost it.
It wasn't my fault!
Not my fault at all!
Nakala just had to get pregnant late in life and show off!
Besides, Melody had just been so shocked by the news that Frederick had died. She felt she only ran to tell Nakala because she meant well.
Nakala's husband had died, and there wasn't even a body left.
Melody figured since Nakala loved him so much, of course she'd want to know right away.
"Nakala, something terrible happened! Frederick was killed in an explosion while trying to save someone. There's nothing left of him! Go check on him!"
Melody didn't feel it was wrong for her to tell Nakala.
She was just telling the truth.
Nakala stumbled out, and when her legs gave out, she fell down the stairs. In Melody's opinion, that wasn't her fault, either.
It had nothing to do with her at all.
She just saw Nakala lying in a pool of blood and got scared. That was why she ran away.
It was just fate that Nakala and her unborn child died!
Yeah, it was just bad luck!
Maybe Nakala heard her husband had died and lost the will to live, so she threw herself down the stairs.

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