Chapter 2

During every prenatal checkup, my child was always healthy.

Tears streamed down my face as I asked to see my child.

But now, with tubes all over my body, I couldn't even get out of bed.

All I could do was leave my child to lie alone in the cold morgue.

A doctor asked, "We haven't been able to reach your husband these past few days. Do you have any other way to contact him?"

The doctor's question made me feel more hopeless than ever.

On the day of the car accident, Samuel refused to go with me for my checkup and insisted on attending his junior's birthday party.

I said a few words to him, and he stormed out, slamming the door, blocking all my contact information at the same time.

I'd been in the hospital for three days now, and he hadn't looked for me once.

Samuel's love or indifference was written all over his face.

His nervous stammer when he proposed to me and his excitement when he learned I was pregnant now felt like a dream.

After Layla showed up again, he seemed like a completely different person.

He said Layla reminded him of me when I was younger, which was why he paid extra attention to her, even indulged her.

He started complaining about my body shape changing after pregnancy, pointing to the stretch marks on my stomach and calling them scary.

And when I pointed out that his attitude changed because he met Layla and now found fault with everything about me, he became furious.

Samuel said, "You know what? Layla hasn't married all this time because of me, even though she has so many outstanding admirers!

"Marlene, I chose to marry you, but you're ungrateful!"

I was not grateful?

While I was fighting for my life due to premature labor and our child passed away at birth, Samuel was abroad enjoying himself with Layla.

And it was just to make up for her imperfect birthday party.

I stayed in the hospital for another two days. I could finally get out of bed and go to the morgue to see my child for the last time.

It turned out it was a boy, and he was actually very good-looking.

I thought he might have even cried at the moment he was born.

I knelt in front of his cold, frail body, sobbing uncontrollably.

I failed to protect him, letting him pass away before he could even open his eyes.

After the pain subsided, I resolutely asked the hospital to arrange for my child's cremation as soon as possible.

Samuel did not deserve to see the child for the last time.

When I received my child's ashes, Samuel finally remembered to send his assistant to deal with the car accident.

The assistant, Jeremiah Ballard, took a series of hospital bills and saw my name on them.

He walked into the ward anxiously. When he saw me, he was so shocked he couldn't speak for a long time.

After a while, Jeremiah said, "Mrs. Gibson, how could it be you…"

I looked at him, ashen-faced, and asked softly, "Is Samuel having a good time abroad with Layla?

"I saw Layla's Instagram today. They were still embracing under the sea. It's so romantic," I said.

Jeremiah was so nervous that he broke out in a cold sweat, but finally he spoke up.

"Mrs. Gibson, Mr. Gibson has proposed, in addition to covering your medical expenses, to compensate you with a large sum of money. However, considering your relationship, it seems you don't need that compensation…" he said.

His voice grew softer and softer.

I'd always treated Jeremiah well, so he felt guilty while saying these things.

Jeremiah seemed to have hesitated for a long time.

"Mrs. Gibson, there's one more thing," he said cautiously adding.

"Before I came to the hospital, Miss Parker instructed me to leave as soon as I finished dealing with the car accident and reminded me not to meet the injured woman."

My mind went blank for a second, and I immediately called Layla.

She answered quickly, and before I could speak, she lazily asked, "Marlene, you just escaped death, so why are you bothering me instead of resting?"

She really knew everything.

"Now that you've lost your child, let's see how you can keep Samuel under your control!" Layla said.

"He's been having a great time with me these past few days, and he won't even let me mention you in front of him. He says just hearing your name brings bad luck," she added.

I took a sharp breath and angrily asked, "You knew it was me all along!"

She laughed triumphantly.

"That day, I was in Samuel's car and saw you sitting in the back seat when we stopped at a red light."

"Do you know why Samuel suddenly rear-ended your car? It was because I was teasing him and caught his attention.

"It's a pity you didn't die in the crash. You got away with your life!"

Before I could speak, I heard the sound of the door opening on the other end of the phone. Samuel interrupted our conversation.

"Layla, I need to go home tomorrow. I've left Marlene hanging for days, but she's still pregnant, and she's had enough punishment."

Layla choked back tears, feeling deeply wronged.