Chapter 2

"Elise, what's the matter?" Kobe's voice, filled with anxiety, startled me from behind.

He rushed over, gently helping me up from the floor and settling me carefully on the edge of the bed. "Is it your wrist acting up again? Or did the doctor give you some bad news? Should I take you to the hospital?" His words were laced with concern, his eyes scanning my face before shifting to my abdomen.

I quietly pulled away from his arms. "It's nothing. The doctor said the baby is healthy. I was just overwhelmed with emotion thinking about the fourteen little lives we lost before."

Relief washed over Kobe's face upon hearing the baby was fine. He softly wiped away my tears and pulled me into a gentle embrace. "Don't be sad. It's not your fault. Sometimes things just aren't meant to be. Try not to dwell on it. Seeing you upset makes me feel bad too."

"When this little one arrives safely, whether it's a boy or a girl, we'll treasure them even more." He leaned down to softly kiss my stomach. He genuinely looked forward to this child. The child he had with Katelyn.

I held back my tears, refusing to let them fall. "Your birthday is coming up soon, and I got you a pair of earrings. Do you like them?" Kobe held out a pair of exquisite sapphire studs, his smile expectant.

Had I not overheard the conversation in the study just moments ago, I would have happily pretended to chastise him for his lavish spending. But now I finally understood that I was just a side character in Kobe's love story, a mere decoration in the background. To him, I was only worthy of such trivial gifts.

The pain in my abdomen grew worse, becoming unbearable. "I need to rest for a while."

Kobe, noticing my lack of enthusiasm for the gift, assumed the day's check-up had exhausted me. "Then you should get some rest. I'll make you some hot milk." He carefully tucked me in, dimmed the lights, and turned on an aroma diffuser to help me sleep. Since that accident, he'd been attentive to my needs, arranging calming scents for me. But now, this once touching gesture felt empty.

He loved another, yet performed this facade of affection for my sake because of her. As his footsteps faded, I could no longer hold back my tears.

The cramps in my abdomen intensified, and I felt a warm liquid trickling down my legs. I was all too familiar with this sensation. Even though I knew the truth, the pain at this moment was no less severe.

I hugged myself tightly, gritting my teeth to stifle any sound, feeling yet another life slip away from me. Perhaps this child's very existence was a mistake, and its departure was a kind of release.

"What happened?" I heard a crash from the living room.

"How is Katelyn now? I'm on my way!" Kobe's hurried footsteps approached the bedroom.

"Elise, there's an urgent matter at the company. I need to be away for a couple of days." With that, he left a quick kiss on my forehead and walked out. If only he'd looked at me a moment longer, he would have noticed something was very wrong.

But life's not that kind.

Three days after the surgery, I received an express delivery. "Ms. Torres, the divorce agreement you requested has been sent. Once both parties sign, the divorce will be finalized in a month."

I stared at the papers in my hand. "Alright, I'll wait for this month."

"A month for what?" Kobe's voice echoed from the doorway just as I ended the call.