Chapter 4
I stared at the back of his head, letting him pull me along without resisting. I just went wherever he wanted to take me.
His fingers trembled slightly in mine, and I could feel every little quiver.
"Could you stop being so stupid?" Dustin snapped, his patience clearly running out.
This time, he wasn't just annoyed, but he was actually furious.
I gazed at him quietly, the moonlight sharpening his features to a blade's edge, as if his anger could carve straight through my soul.
"Did I do something wrong today?" I asked Dustin, my voice barely above a whisper.
Dustin suddenly felt a sharp pain shoot through his chest, like someone had jabbed a needle straight into his heart.
He opened his mouth, but the words just wouldn't come.
He slowly pulled me into his arms, holding me tighter and tighter, as if he never wanted to let go.
It was like I really meant something to him.
But when I turned my head and saw that little red light blinking, I realized even this was all for show.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Dustin, don't lie to me," I said softly.
Dustin stiffened, resting his hands on my shoulders as he forced a smile.
"I love you so much that I can't bear to lie to you," he replied, his voice low and earnest.
I smiled, turned around, and walked into the freezing winter night all by myself.
It felt like the snow was really about to fall.
For the first time, Dustin couldn't go on pretending anymore. He stood there, stiff as a statue, unable to take a single step, and could only helplessly watch as I walked away.
That ice bath ended up giving me a cold.
I went to the hospital, and the Gynecologists and Obstetricians kept reminding me which meds I could take and which ones were totally off limits.
Honestly, I still hadn't decided whether I wanted to keep the baby or not.
Sure, my head told me that no matter how awfully Dustin treated me, the baby was innocent.
But could I really bring up this baby and never look back with regrets?
When I walked out of the clinic, my head was in a daze. I didn't even notice Emily waiting right outside.
That evening, Emily sent me another invite link, but I didn't bother to join, and honestly, I wasn't interested at all.
She kept pestering me and sent me another video.
In the video, Dustin was still in that VIP suite at the club, drinking with a bunch of rich kids.
He looked pretty down, knocking back shots like they were water.
Suddenly, one of the rich kids sidled up to Dustin and said, "Dustin, I saw Caroline going to the hospital, OB-GYN department today. Is she pregnant?"
Dustin looked stunned, spaced out for a second.
Emily cut in with a sneer before he could answer, "No way! Dustin got snipped as soon as he started moving in with Caroline. Only Juliet's ever gonna have a Foster heir—none of those other women even qualify!"
I thought my heart couldn't be any more broken, but clearly, I was wrong.
All of a sudden, Dustin looked like he remembered something important. He jumped to his feet and hurried straight for the door.
I closed the video, and not long after, Dustin came back.
He looked like he'd just walked through a storm, and the moment he saw me, he pulled me into his arms.
"Dustin, I need to go to the hospital tomorrow. Are you free?" I asked.
My heart felt like it had been eaten away from the inside, but I figured he had a right to know about the baby.
I couldn't help but wonder—maybe, just maybe, he'd want to keep the baby.
Even if he didn't want the baby, at least both parents could be there to say our final farewell together.
"Alright! I actually need to go to the hospital myself," Dustin said, his tone firm.
There was a determined look in his eyes, as if he'd just made an important decision.
But the next day, he still couldn't make it.
Just as we were about to head out, Dustin's phone lit up. Emily was calling.
"Dustin, Juliet's back..." Emily said, her voice barely above a whisper.
She kept her voice low, but I still caught every word.
Dustin was completely stunned for a few seconds, his mind blank, before he finally snapped back to reality.
"I... I'll come over right away," he said, voice uncertain and a bit hesitant.
Hanging up, he turned to me and, with a quick shift in his expression, said, "Sorry, I have to meet with a client..."
I didn't call him out on it.
Dustin gently rubbed my hair and said, "Your doctor's appointment is at ten, right? Please wait for me! I swear, I'll be there by ten!"
He looked me straight in the eyes, like he really meant it.
"Okay," I said softly.
He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before rushing out.
I went to the hospital alone. The patient before me finished her surgery, and it wasn't even ten yet when the nurse came over and told me it was my turn.
"Can I wait a little longer?" I asked.
The nurse agreed and let me hang back for a bit.
I stayed in the hospital until ten, watching the clock, but Dustin never showed up.
The nurse came out and asked, "Are you ready to go in yet?"
I checked my phone, only to find Emily had "helpfully" just updated her Twitter.
In her photo collage, Dustin was waiting outside the airport, restlessly glancing around, looking like he couldn't sit still.
Then Juliet appeared—stunning, sophisticated, and graceful, like she'd just walked out of a fashion magazine.
They wrapped their arms around each other, and it was as if the entire world faded into a hazy backdrop.
I turned off my phone and replied to the nurse.
I said firmly, "Yes, I've made up my mind."
This child was never wanted. Maybe it was better to get rid of him.
The procedure was simple, but the pain was almost unbearable.
I couldn't do anything but watch, powerless, as a tiny life was cut away and snuffed out for good, right there in front of me.
The ache in my body was nothing compared to the pain in my heart.
Josh called to tell me he'd already taken care of all the paperwork for my immigration.