Chapter 1
On New Year's Eve, a sudden fire broke out. My parents died trying to save me and my brother, burned alive in the flames.
As the fire spread, my brother gave me the only window that could fit one person, letting me escape while he stayed behind.
When I couldn't go on, George Armstrong showed up.
He helped me handle everything after my family passed away, then took me overseas to heal, staying with me until I was okay again.
He lit up my whole world.
But when I found out I was pregnant, I overheard him talking to his doctor friend.
His friend asked, "George, are you really going to sacrifice your happiness for this? Andrea was the one who started the fire. Why are you taking the blame for her?"
George replied, "I love Andrea so much. I can't bear to let her carry that guilt. Let me compensate Lisa. When the light's off, it doesn't matter anyway."
Tears slid down my face silently.
So, the light I believed in and the marriage I'd longed for was nothing but a sham from start to finish.
He married me only to pay for Andrea's sins.
After I ended the pregnancy, signed the divorce papers, and left without looking back, he went around telling the world he loved me.
*****
After I came back from the restroom, from the doctor's office, I could hear George's voice. He trying to hold back his pain, but it was obvious he was hurting.
He said, "I can't be with Andrea in this life. I'm trading my whole life for her happiness."
Herbert Harmon, his old buddy, sounded frustrated.
He said, "There are countless ways to make amends. Why throw away your entire future by marrying someone you don't even care about?
"In a few years, Andrea will move on and marry someone else. Do you really think she'll remember what you did for her?"
George said, "When you love someone, none of that matters. If she's happy, that's all I need."
Herbert said, "You could've just settled things with some money for what happened back then. Now Lisa's pregnant. Are you really going to spend your whole life like this?"
George stayed silent, drumming his fingers on the table. After a while, he finally spoke.
He said, "Is there any way for a miscarriage to just happen naturally?"
Herbert looked stunned, anger flashing in his eyes.
He asked, "Lisa's just starting to find hope again, and you want to push her right back into hell?"
George kept his head down, not caring about anyone else in the room as he lit a cigarette.
Smoke curling around him, he said quietly, his voice heavy, "I can give her a lifetime of wealth and privilege.
"I could even pay with my life for her.
"But the one thing I refuse to do is have a child with her..."
Herbert frowned. "If that's how you feel, why did you let her get pregnant?"
He said, "It was an accident."
I found it unbelievable.
I couldn't believe that George said it was an accident.
I felt frozen to the core, my whole body trembling.
It turned out that the fire that took my parents and brother wasn't just some random tragedy.
Instead, it was all because of Andrea's reckless prank.
When I was drowning in grief every day, barely able to keep living after losing my family, George's arrival wasn't my salvation.
He stayed by my side while I got therapy.
He proposed to me.
He got me pregnant.
None of it was out of love.
It was just another way to shove me back into the darkness.
We dated for four years.
Then, we got married for two years.
All of it, just him trying to pay off Andrea's debt to me.
I actually believed George was the hope my brother left behind for me.
Now, I felt that I was beyond naive.
Herbert paused for a long moment, then said, "Come to my place after work. I'll help you out."
George said, "Okay."
I stopped listening to the rest of their conversation.
I just went straight home.
On the way home, my phone kept ringing.
It was George, his voice frantic and worried.
He asked, "Lisa, where did you go? I've been waiting outside the restroom for ages."
I took a deep breath, trying to hide the pain and anger in my voice.
I said, "I felt a bit nauseous, so I went home."
He was clearly anxious.
He said, "I'll be right back."
I said, "It's nothing, just early pregnancy stuff. You hardly ever get to see Herbert, so I'll just go home and sleep."
He said, "Alright, but call me right away if you feel sick."
I had just walked through the door when George followed me in almost immediately.
He even brought some plum juice and soup.
"Herbert said something sour might help with the nausea, so I picked some up for you to try," he said.
After that, he thoughtfully inserted a straw and handed the drink to me, letting me take a sip.
His actions were as gentle as ever, just like before.
But I couldn't feel even a trace of love from him.
I couldn't believe that someone would marry a person they didn't love, just for their crush.
I took a sip, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face.
George looked flustered all of a sudden.
He asked, "Lisa, what's wrong?
"We need to get you to the hospital."
He grabbed my hand, already heading for the door.
His eyes and actions were full of genuine panic. There was no pretense at all.
As soon as he realized I wasn't feeling well, he rushed straight home.
I realized that even love could be just an act.
"I'm just... really touched," I said.
I wiped my tears away and looked up at George, trying to seem cheerful.
I said, "The baby must be excited to meet you, having a dad who cares this much already."
George was caught off guard.
He was at a loss for words.
"George, we're having a baby. Are you happy?" I asked.
He put on a natural smile.
"Yeah, I'm happy," he said.