Chapter 3

"Great!" Yolanda grinned, grabbing my hand. "Nathan and I are playing a four-hand piano duet later. You can be our audience."

But when she squeezed my hands, the cracks hurt so bad that I instantly pulled away.

Yolanda took a few timid steps back and ended up right in Nathan's arms, sniffling as she dabbed at her eyes.

She said, "Luna, did I do something wrong to make you mad? I just wanted you to see this happy moment for the three of us. Didn't you always say you wanted me to be happy?"

She sure remembered that part.

But I never gave her permission to take my happiness away.

Nathan frowned, his voice low and serious. "Luna, I know you still hate Yolanda, but she's pregnant. You shouldn't have hurt her."

I couldn't help but laugh.

Where did Nathan get the idea that I was jealous?

Yolanda just waved it off, acting all magnanimous. She said, "It's fine. Luna, you were married for so long and never got pregnant, so you probably don't know how hard it is for a pregnant woman."

I clenched my fists tightly.

My mind flashed back to that winter six years ago.

I was coming home from the hospital with my test results, practically bursting with excitement to tell Nathan I was pregnant.

This was the baby we'd been praying for, for four long years.

I went to more than twenty top hospitals in the city, drank endless medicine, and took dozens of fertility shots that hurt down to my bones to finally get this miracle.

But as I followed the sound of the piano to the music room, I heard my usually gentle and timid sister, Yolanda, whispering sweetly. "Nathan, I fell for you the moment I first laid eyes on you..."

I kicked the door open and caught the two of them together, getting laid on my piano.

"How could you..." I felt my vision blur, like I was suddenly dropped into a freezing pit.

Nathan's first reaction was to snatch up the piano cloth I'd knitted myself and wrap it tightly around Yolanda, protecting her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

"Luna, don't blame Yolanda. I was the one who lost control," Nathan said urgently.

But Yolanda shoved him aside, raising her chin, her eyes full of defiance.

"Don't blame Nathan. I was the one who confessed to him first," she said.

My chest felt like it was being ripped apart. I couldn't even get the words out, my hand trembling as I pointed at them for what felt like forever.

"So now you two are defending each other? If it's not your fault, then whose is it? Was I the one who forced you into this?" I finally managed to choke out.

Yolanda shot back, "All you ever do is rehearse. Nathan's such a good guy, and you don't even care about him. I feel sorry for him. I'm younger, livelier, and I love him more than you ever could."

I spent so many years teaching her to speak. Now every word out of her mouth felt like a dagger straight to my heart.

I couldn't hold back my tears as I yelled, my voice breaking with pain. "Yolanda! Gavin saved your life with his own.

"He was the youngest law professor at a top university, and he didn't even make it to thirty. Don't you feel sorry for him?

"I pulled you out of that rural backwater, gave you everything you needed, taught you to find your voice, to dress up, to be brave enough to chase after love. And the man you went after is my husband?"

Yolanda snapped, her voice brimming with defiance. "Luna, everyone has the right to chase after love. You can't just play the moral card because your brother saved my life."

I stared at her in disbelief. Was this really the same scrawny girl who used to bow at Gavin's grave, crying her eyes out in gratitude?

I was just about to speak when Nathan, clearly annoyed, cut me off and pulled Yolanda into his arms. "Enough! Yolanda's like your own sister. Do you have to go at her like this?

"She's not asking for anything official. Let's just move on and enjoy our lives together."

"No way! I will never share my man with others!" I yelled.

With my eyes burning, I snatched up the music stand and flung it right at him.

Nathan threw one arm around Yolanda to shield her, and then shoved me hard to the ground with the other.

I sat there on the floor, clutching my cramping belly, tears smearing my face as I let out a bitter, broken laugh.

He was the same man who once held me tight during the earthquake, never letting go, protecting me with everything he had. Now, for another woman, he shoved me aside without a second thought.

I said, "Nathan, we're done. I want a divorce. You're disgusting to me."

Nathan Ford grabbed my chin, looking down at me with a firm, unshakable gaze.

He said, "Luna, you can't bring yourself to leave me.

"After all, I'm all the family you've got left in this world."