Chapter 3

Just then, Thomas hurried over, his eyes full of wariness as he watched James walk away.

"Who is he? James Howard? The senior who used to have a thing for you?" Thomas asked.

My expression turned cold, and I stared at him in silence.

Thomas looked a bit uneasy, tried to compose himself, and finally said, "I'm sorry about what happened today. I didn't know it was you."

He hesitated for a second and then continued, "Eva's pregnant, so it's not really appropriate for her to keep performing with the troupe. She wants to put her skills to better use and contribute, so—"

He trailed off, clearly deciding he didn't need to explain any more to me.

He added, "Nina, if you're set on working, the logistics department still has an opening for a cleaning position. It's basically sweeping leaves, nothing too demanding."

I had to admit, I was really angry right then. That was all he saw in me.

All the anger I'd bottled up for years finally burst out.

"So you really think I'm only good enough to sweep the streets?" I snapped.

Thomas frowned. "There's nothing wrong with honest work. Don't look down on it."

I almost laughed out loud. "If it's so honorable, why don't you let Eva do it? Instead, you're pulling rank to grab the job that should've been mine.

"And since Eva can't dance anymore, do you seriously think I could handle being pregnant and working outside in minus ten degrees?"

Honestly, I was glad that I had already ended the pregnancy. If I still had that baby, just thinking about it would probably kill me inside.

Thomas's face turned bright red.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't think it through," he stammered.

At the end of the day, he didn't love me at all.

In that instant, all the resentment and bitterness I'd been holding onto just melted away.

Oh, whatever.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's only natural for you to look out for her," I said.

"Nina," Thomas started, but he didn't know what else to say. He was completely at a loss, panic rising inside him.

"Thomas!" Eva called out. She walked over with an elegant sway.

When Eva saw me, her smile widened, and there was a hint of smugness in her eyes.

"Nina, you're still here? We can give you a ride home. It's on our way," she said.

Eva stood next to Thomas, acting like she was already Mrs. Carter.

Of course, I refused her "kind" offer.

Thomas watched me walk away, his hand tightening in his pocket.

*****

On the drive, Thomas seemed distracted, a bit down. After dropping Eva off, he found some random excuse to head out again.

He took the usual route past Krufbert University and the residential area, glancing around from time to time, but even when he reached the university gate, he still didn't spot the person he was looking for.

Suddenly, an empty, restless feeling settled in his chest, something he couldn't quite shake.

He couldn't help but rub his chest.

When Thomas walked in, the first thing he saw was Eva standing by the calendar, drawing a big X over today's date with her pen.

"What are you doing?" Thomas asked casually.

Eva turned around, her smile tinged with sadness. "I'm counting down the days we have left. Once the baby is born, I'll have to go. Five months. That's the only time we can be together without hiding."

Thomas felt a heavy weight settle in his chest.

"Eva, we—" he began, his voice trailing off.

Eva said, "I know. Nina is your wife. I'm just—"

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked at Thomas, her gaze full of longing.

She pleaded, "Thomas, can you stay with me for these last few months? Just for now, don't let anyone else into your heart. You'll have a whole lifetime with Nina, but for me, it's only these few months."

She was his childhood sweetheart, the one who'd once saved his life. In the end, Thomas couldn't say no. He nodded.

It was only a few months. He'd have all the time in the world to make it up to Nina after this. That was what he told himself.

*****

I knew there was no going back to the Carter family. Ever since I got the divorce papers, I never planned to return.

I picked up a stack of books from the library before heading back to the faculty housing.

From a distance, I could already hear a group of gossipy women, their voices in full swing.

"Nina's already divorced from Professor Carter, but she's still refusing to leave his house. What is she up to? Maybe she's hoping the baby will let her stay and live off the Carter family forever."

"The Carter family never thought she was good enough for Professor Carter anyway, so this was bound to happen."

"She doesn't know her place. Some country nobody trying to reach for someone way out of her league like Professor Carter? If my niece had married him, this mess would never have happened."

"If it's not yours, you can't keep it even if you steal it. In the end, she just wasn't worthy."

If Thomas hadn't divorced me, Eva would be the one dealing with all this drama right now.

Honestly, Thomas really only had Eva on his mind.

I cleared my throat, and the gossip died instantly.

The women looked awkward and embarrassed, but Rebecca, who had started the gossip, acted as if nothing had happened and came over with a smile.

She said, "Nina, where have you been? I was worried sick about you! You shouldn't be out and about with that baby bump. Taking care of yourself and the baby is what matters most."

The others looked annoyed and quickly found excuses to leave, but Rebecca kept following me, chattering away.

"Nina, not to nag you, but with a guy like Professor Carter, how could you just let him go so easily?" she said.

I took out my keys and unlocked the door, casually glancing at the yard Rebecca had already claimed for herself. It definitely wasn't like this when I left this morning.

Rebecca's sharp eyes flicked around, and she chuckled, trying to play it cool.

"Now that you're living here alone, you probably don't need such a big yard. I'll use it for now. If you ever need it, let me know, and I'll clear it out for you," she said.

She smiled with extra enthusiasm.

I gave her a faint smile back. "No worries. I'm moving out soon anyway. Thanks for all your help."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Rebecca's face, and her voice got more sincere. "Where are you going all by yourself? Did the Carter family throw you out? But you're still pregnant with their baby."

That was what human nature really looked like.

Just as I finished packing, Thomas showed up.

Thomas asked, "Nina, where are you going?"

He frowned at the box I'd pulled out.

"Nowhere, just packing up some things I don't really use," I answered casually, not planning to argue with him.

Thomas let out a sigh of relief and pulled out a thick stack of dollars from his pocket.

He said, "I probably won't have time to see you before Eva gives birth, but don't worry, Nina. I won't do anything inappropriate with her."

He never bothered to explain why he wouldn't see me until Eva had the baby. I wasn't about to ask, nor did I need to.

It was clear Thomas wanted to savor his time with Eva and didn't want someone like me messing things up.

He still didn't realize that once I moved out, I had no intention of ever seeing him again.

"Take care of yourself. If you ever need anything, you can always go to my parents. They won't leave you hanging," he said.

He had no clue his mom had already sent me packing with 30 dollars.

I wasn't about to explain it to him.