Chapter 1

In the third year of my relationship with Rayan Stevenson, I unexpectedly became pregnant.

When I was about to tell him the news, I overheard one of his friends ask, "You're not seriously planning to marry Leona, are you?"

Rayan let out a scoff. "Of course not."

"Then you'd better be careful. What if she secretly gets pregnant and tries to use the baby to force you into marriage?"

Rayan's voice was gentle, yet cruel. "Even if she does get pregnant, it's not a problem. I'll convince her to have an abortion."

*****

I'd chased Rayan relentlessly until he finally gave in, and because of that, his friends never really respected me.

They were always finding ways to put me down, saying I wasn't good enough for him.

Sometimes Rayan would stand up for me, but most of the time he'd say, "They're being mouthy. They don't mean any harm. Don't let it get to you."

Then he'd ruffle my hair and coax me, "To me, you're the best girl in the world."

That was how I ended up completely wrapped around Rayan's finger.

The day I found out I was pregnant, Rayan was out of town on a business trip. I was sitting on the steps outside the hospital, calling him, and I could hear the rapid clatter of his keyboard in the background.

The words about the pregnancy were right there on my lips, but I held them back.

I figured I'd wait until Rayan got back from his trip to tell him.

But when he finally got back, he was swamped with work, barely stopping for a break. It took three or four days before he finally had a bit of free time.

That night, one of his friends was having a birthday party, and Rayan brought me along.

The private room was packed, and the air was thick with smoke and a rowdy vibe.

I felt a bit uneasy, so I instinctively looked around, trying to spot Rayan.

A girl next to me asked, "Hey, are you looking for Rayan? He went out to smoke with Nixon."

Nixon Stein was Rayan's friend. They grew up together and have been inseparable since childhood.

Out of all of Rayan's friends, Nixon always gave me the hardest time. He even called me "country bumpkin" behind my back.

I thanked the girl and got up to leave.

I figured this was the perfect chance to tell Rayan about the pregnancy.

This was an exclusive members-only club, and they'd reserved the entire floor. The hallway was quiet, with only the occasional waiter passing through.

I quickly spotted Rayan out on the terrace.

He was talking to Nixon.

Both of them had their backs to me, and with two tall plants blocking my view, they didn't notice I was there.

"Honestly, I still don't get it. What's so special about Leona? Is it because she's pretty and has a nice body?" Nixon sounded genuinely baffled.

"She's pretty, has a great figure, and she's pure," Rayan replied. "Plus, she's easy to please."

My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe the man I'd loved for three years would say something like that.

Nixon took a drag from his cigarette, looking all casual. "You're not really gonna marry Leona, are you?"

After a moment, he added, "You'd better be careful. What if she secretly gets pregnant and tries to use the baby to force you into marriage?"

Rayan's voice was gentle, yet cruel. "Even if she does get pregnant, it's not a problem. I'll convince her to have an abortion."

"Better watch yourself," Nixon chuckled. "Naura's coming back soon."

Naura was Rayan's first love, the girl he had never truly forgotten.

I once saw her picture in Rayan's study. She was absolutely stunning.

A few years ago, Naura's parents got divorced, and she moved south with her mother.

Back then, Rayan was heartbroken, and I took my chance. After pursuing him for a long time, I finally became his girlfriend.

I didn't stick around to hear the rest. I turned and headed back to the private room.

The room was still buzzing with activity.

I sat in the corner, sipping my juice, and couldn't help but think about every little thing Rayan and I had been through together over the past three years.

Rayan was always good to me, and he was generous in every way.

I was so into him that I moved into his apartment not long after we started dating.

Most of the time, I was the one taking care of him and accommodating his needs. But because I loved him so much, I did it all willingly.

When work wasn't keeping him busy, Rayan would personally cook a meal for me, and whenever I had cramps during my period, he'd make me some hot water.

For my birthday, holidays, and anniversaries, every gift he gave me was something he'd carefully picked out for me.

There were so many times I'd daydreamed about a future with Rayan.

I always thought that, at the very least, he loved me in his heart.

But in the end, I realized that everything between us was only me fooling myself.

*****

Rayan didn't notice anything was off with me. They had another round of partying to get to.

I told him I wasn't feeling well and decided to skip it.

Rayan didn't ask anything. He simply told the driver to take me home.

By the time I got home, it was almost eleven.

I was exhausted, so I decided to pack in the morning and move out for good.

Before Rayan had the chance to try and sweet-talk me into an abortion, I'd be the one to end things first.

No matter how much I loved Rayan, after hearing what he and Nixon said with my own ears, there was no way I could pretend it never happened.