Chapter 4

My roar went off in the living room like a bomb.

Andrew, still holding Lily, spun around.

The fake warmth vanished from his face, leaving nothing but fury after he felt offended. "Are you fucking crazy, Sophie? You're going to throw my daughter out over a broken vase?"

"A broken vase?" I asked, with my whole body trembling with anger, tears about to spill from my eyes. "Andrew, did you forget that was all I had left from my mom? Did you really forget?"

Seeing this, Emily stood up with her daughter in her arms and walked over to Andrew, putting on her best "peacemaker" face. "Andrew, don't say too much. Sophie's pregnant, so it's understandable that she's emotional."

Then she turned to me, her eyes dripping with fake sympathy. "Sophie, I know that vase meant a lot to you. It's all our fault. Tell us how much it is, we'll pay. Don't let this upset you. I believe you don't want to hurt yourself or the baby."

Every word out of her mouth sounded like she was trying to calm things down, but actually she was throwing gasoline on the fire.

She kept reminding Andrew how "emotional" I was, making it sound like I was using the baby as a bargaining chip.

What a top-tier manipulative wolf in sheep's clothing.

I was so furious that I could barely get a word out. My chest felt tight, and it was hard to breathe.

Suddenly, a sharp, unbearable cramp hit my lower abdomen. It felt like a thousand needles were stabbing into my belly.

I let out a muffled groan, with my body doubling over in pain, cold sweat breaking out on my forehead.

A wave of dread crashed over me. I felt something warm and wet slowly seeping between my legs.

I was terrified, my face as white as a sheet. I reached out, trembling, and grabbed Andrew's shirt.

"Andrew, my stomach hurts. I... I think I'm bleeding." I stammered, my voice shaking and choked with tears.

At that moment, Andrew was caught between Lily's gut-wrenching sobs and Emily's oh-so-gentle words of comfort.

When he noticed I was grabbing his shirt, he wrinkled his nose in disgust, as he'd touched something filthy.

He didn't spare me a glance, only looked impatient, and snapped, "Sophie, can you drop the act?

"Don't you find this trick boring? You want Lily out of here, don't you? Come on, is it worth all this?

"You'd put your own kid in danger to get your way? How could you be so heartless?"

His words hit me like a red-hot iron, burning straight through my chest.

Acting? Putting my own child in danger? The accusation echoed in my mind.

To him, my pain and my baby's danger were nothing but some cheap, jealous performance and a bad act to compete for his attention.

Emily, still holding Lily, who kept up her fake crying, floated a remark over, her words like a dagger to my heart.

"Some will do anything to get a little sympathy.

"Andrew, don't blame Sophie. She's probably only feeling insecure. But poor Lily, she's always been so timid, and now she's going to be more traumatized."

I leaned against the cold wall, with the cramps in my belly getting worse and worse.

I looked up at the "happy family" in front of me.

Andrew was holding Lily, who was still crying, while Emily gently stroked his back. They looked so harmonious, like nothing could ever come between them.

And me? I was only a pregnant woman in so much pain, almost dying, and some crazy outsider crashing their happy little scene.

Every word they threw at me was like the most venomous curse, cutting straight to the bone. It felt like some invisible hand was squeezing my heart so hard, I could barely catch my breath.

It turned out that my pain and my baby were nothing at all to him.

In that instant, all the love, all the stubbornness, all the anger—they were all washed away like the tide. All that remained was endless, icy emptiness.

Nothing was more lamentable than a dead heart. I finally got what that actually meant.

I used the last of my strength to push myself up against the cold wall, slowly straightening up.

The dull ache in my lower back, the stabbing pain in my belly, the warm wetness between my legs—none of them mattered anymore.

I didn't spare them another glance. I reached into my bag by the door, pulled out my car keys, and grabbed the hospital bag I'd packed in case.

Step by step, I walked toward the door. Every move was a struggle, but I didn't waver for a second.

Andrew and Emily were both stunned. They probably never expected me to walk away instead of making a scene.

With them staring at me in shock, I opened the apartment door.

The cold wind rushed in, bringing me to my senses.

I turned back, my face blank and cold, all emotion drained away. My gaze went right past Emily and Lily in her arms, landing straight on Andrew's face.

I spoke each word slowly and clearly, my voice low but sharp enough for him to hear every syllable. "Andrew, I hope you three enjoy your perfect life right here, in my own house. And may your happy little family last forever."

With that, I pulled the door open and walked out, not looking back.

The door slammed shut behind me, shutting out the place I used to call home and the pathetic past I was leaving behind.

From now on, Andrew, we were done. No more ties, no more feelings—only strangers.