Chapter 4

"Claire, don't say things you'll regret. I'm only going to spend some time with Vanessa. You'll always be my wife," Eric said.

He leaned in, trying to kiss my forehead.

I pulled away in disgust.

From the moment he handed me the divorce papers and asked me to sign, I knew I was done.

I never wanted to be Mrs. Shaw, that miserable woman, ever again.

Eric would be more than happy to take this to court.

I seized the moment and snapped a photo of him leaning in for a kiss, then posted it on my social media feed.

[As long as our hearts are together, nothing can scare us.] I captioned it.

I set the post to be visible only to Vanessa.

I contacted my lawyer and sent him all the account plans and video editing files I had created over the years.

"On the day of the divorce hearing, I wanna get the maximum financial compensation," I told him.

On the day I was discharged from the hospital, Eric came to pick me up.

"Put on your coat. You can't catch a chill right now," he said.

He was still as gentle and considerate as he had been in our younger days, but my heart would never beat for him again.

I put on the coat obediently and, with Eric's help, got into the car.

Vanessa was sitting in the passenger seat, handing me a bouquet. "Claire, welcome home."

The gold bracelet on her wrist stood out to me.

It was a birthday present Eric had chosen for me.

Vanessa only mentioned she liked it, and Eric gave it to her right then and there.

At the time, I only thought Eric was showing favoritism, and I was heartbroken for a long time.

I had no idea his favor for Vanessa ran so deep that he could forgive her for killing our child.

I took the bouquet from her.

White daisies mixed with pale yellow funeral blooms. The kind of flowers brought to funerals for the deceased.

"On behalf of our child, thank you," I said.

I smiled as I brought up our child, but it was Eric who lost his composure first.

"Why are you bringing up the baby now?" he snapped.

"If he were still here, he would be 30 weeks old today," I said.

I gently traced my hand over my flat belly, as if I were still carrying him.

Eric could not bear to listen. He turned his face away. "No one will mention the baby again. And no one will mention that night."

Vanessa shot me a look and said, "Claire, you know Eric is hurting, yet you still have to rub salt in his wounds."

Vanessa handed Eric the milk tea she'd been sipping, her smile bright. "Here, take a sip. It will make things feel better."

Eric gave her a fond smile. "Vanessa, you always know how to make things better."

The sight of them leaning in to share the same cup of milk tea filled me with nausea.

I gagged.

Vanessa shot me a look, frowning. "Claire, you are not pregnant anymore. Why do you keep acting out to get Eric's attention? He is driving. Do not distract him."

"I can't help feeling like the baby is still here with me," I murmured, a soft, melancholy smile on my lips.

Eric and Vanessa's faces instantly changed.

Vanessa gave Eric a meaningful look. "Shouldn't you give Claire a heads-up about the whole divorce thing?"

Eric cleared his throat. "You said before that if we go through the courts, we don't have to wait for the usual waiting period, right? Well, I've already filed the divorce petition."

"Didn't you say you didn't wanna do it?" I asked.

"I thought it over. Vanessa and I are about to drop our first video, so it's best to get the divorce handled ASAP," he replied.

I let out a bitter laugh and said nothing, only absently running my hand over my belly again and again.

Eric averted his eyes, guilt written all over his face. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you get as much money as possible."

When we got home, I handed Eric the divorce settlement papers.

Vanessa immediately jumped up, her voice sharp. "Claire, are you seriously demanding a fortune here?"

I did not want the fifty-million-follower account. I only wanted the house and all of our savings.

Eric signed it without hesitation. "I agree. Let's get this done as soon as possible."

Vanessa looked furious and unwilling to accept it.

Eric tried to soothe her. "Money means nothing. As long as we have the account, we can earn far more. Besides, the divorce is for show. It will give Claire more of a sense of security."

He asked for a divorce on the day I lost our baby, all for the woman who killed my child. Now he claimed it was for my peace of mind?

I could not stand to live under the same roof as him any longer.

"Since this house is mine now, you and Vanessa can get the hell out of my house," I snapped.

Eric was totally caught off guard by my attitude. "Claire, you need to know when to stop."

Stop?

This was only the beginning.

I walked toward Vanessa with an eerie smile. "My baby's spirit is still here. He cries and begs me to get revenge for him."

Vanessa threw herself into Eric's arms at once. "Eric, let us leave."

Eric glared at me angrily. "Claire, why do you insist on scaring Vanessa? How many times must I tell you she did not do it on purpose? I will take Vanessa home first. We will talk when I get back."

I did not bother telling him he would never get that chance.