Chapter 6

The elevator descended. In the mirror, I was still in my wedding dress, holding my wedding photos close to my chest.

I looked like a guest who had made a messy, awkward escape from someone else's home.

The next morning, Grace posted another long message. [I cried all night.

[I know I shouldn't be taking shelter in someone else's happiness, but the baby won't stop moving, and it's freaking me out.

[I want to be strong, but ever since William left, every day feels like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff.]

The photo showed a hand gently resting on her pregnant belly. In the background, half of a beige curtain was visible. It was the curtain I agonized over for three weekends before finally choosing.

The comments section blew up.

[I couldn't stop crying reading this. How could anyone still have the heart to kick her out when she's in this state?]

[Seriously, can't the bride-to-be show some compassion? That's her brother-in-law's child, born after he passed.]

[The house is sitting there unused. What's the harm in letting her stay for a few days?]

[Even when a guy tries to do the right thing, he still gets criticized. It's tough to be a good person these days.]

Someone posted a video from yesterday's wedding.

In the clip, Edward walked off the stage, and I stood there, calling out, "If you leave today, I'll take it as if you're going to be her baby's father."

The comments snipped out everything else and left only my line.

[She's so mean.]

[The pregnant lady was bleeding, and she still made the guy choose right there on stage.]

[Seven years together and it's still like this? That guy's gonna feel totally trapped once they're married.]

*****

I sat in the company conference room, my phone screen lighting up and fading again and again.

After all that chaos at the wedding, I'd planned to take three days off.

But at nine in the morning, my department director called, saying the South Clusia project had a last-minute change, and the client was coming in that afternoon. I had to come back.

I changed into a black suit, dropped my wedding dress off at the dry cleaner, and rushed to the office with my laptop in hand.

Halfway through the meeting, Shawn Lewis, the client rep, laughed out loud. "Ms. Reed, was that really you in that wedding video going around online?"

The room went dead silent.

I looked up at him.

Shawn kept grinning, like he was messing around. "Man, you young folks really know how to stir things up when it comes to love. But hey, pregnant women need extra care, right? No harm in being a bit more considerate."

I shut my laptop. "Mr. Lewis, we're here to discuss the project delivery timeline."

He looked a bit awkward under my gaze and cleared his throat. "Just kidding."

"I don't find that funny," I said.

An awkward silence hung in the conference room for a few seconds.

My director quickly stepped in. "Let's get back to the proposal."

I reopened my laptop, but my fingers were so cold they felt stiff.

All those nasty comments online didn't stay on the screen. They spilled right into real life, becoming the latest gossip everyone talked about during lunch breaks.

*****

After the afternoon meeting, I stepped out of the office building and saw Edward standing by the curb.

He was holding my favorite soft pretzel.

The shop was pretty far from the office, but whenever he worked late, he'd go out of his way to get them for me.

Seeing that familiar paper bag, I felt my heart didn't melt; all I felt was tiredness.

"Olivia," Edward said, his voice hoarse as he walked up to me. "You finally let me see you."

I walked right past him.

He caught up to me. "I saw everything online. I've already told Grace to take the post down."

I stopped in my tracks. "Did she delete it?"

Edward stayed silent.

I looked at him. "Did you tell her to take it down and she ignored you, or did you not even bother asking?"

He pressed his lips together. "She's really upset right now. The doctor said pregnant women can't handle any emotional ups and downs. I'm worried something might happen if I push her too hard."

I let out a bitter laugh. "So, it's fine for everyone to tear me apart, but she gets a free pass because she's pregnant?"

"Olivia," Edward said, his brows furrowed. "That's not what I meant at all."

I saw the exhaustion in his eyes.

After the way we fought last night, he probably didn't get any sleep either.

Back then, whenever he looked like this, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

I'd ask if he'd eaten, loosen his tie for him, and hold back my anger a bit. I knew how tough it was for him, stuck between Grace and me.

But at this moment, I didn't want to make excuses for him anymore.

I asked, "Did you ever explain the truth to everyone?"

Edward's face changed a little. "If I say anything now, it'll put Grace right in the eye of the storm."

"And what about me?"

He looked at me, his eyes full of complicated emotions. "You can handle it better than she can."

Just then, a car sped by, stirring up a cloud of dust.

I stood there, and suddenly, anger felt useless. "Edward, do you even realize what you said?"

He seemed to catch himself and quickly said, "I'm not saying you had it coming. Look, we've been together for seven years. You know me. I'd never actually hurt you."

I looked at him and slowly reached out, taking the paper bag from his hand.

His eyes brightened for a second.

The very next moment, I walked straight to the trash can and threw the food in.

The pretzel hit the side of the bin with a heavy, muffled sound.

Edward's face went pale. "Olivia"

"Don't bring me food anymore," I said, turning and heading toward the subway entrance.

He called after me, but I didn't look back.

My phone buzzed in my bag. I thought it was Edward again, but when I pulled it out, I saw it was my mom.

As soon as I picked up, her voice was trembling with panic. "Olivia, your dad got into a fight with someone at the market."

I stopped in my tracks. "What happened?"

"Someone saw that video online and started saying you were picking on a pregnant woman, that Edward was being loyal, and you were the one making a scene.

"Your dad got so upset arguing with them that he came home all worked up. Now he's sitting on the couch, looking pale."

I gripped my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. "I'm coming home right now."