The nurse paused, startled for a moment, then realized. “Oh, right… You both have the surname, Castillo. So you know each other!”
Her gaze swept over Trisha and me, lingering for a second before she smiled. “You even look a little alike. Are you sisters?”
I didn’t answer. Instead, I asked softly, “Is there something you need from me?”
The nurse smiled again. “No, I’m looking for this Miss Castillo.”
She turned to Trisha. “Mr. Velasquez has come back. He’s looking all over for you.”
“Is that so?” Trisha’s eyes sparkled as she gave me a proud glance. “Was he very worried?”
The nurse’s expression softened with envy. “Of course! He said your injury hasn’t healed yet. How could you be running around? He was so anxious!”
“If you ask me, it’s just your wrist, nothing serious, but he worries far too much! Miss Castillo, you’re really lucky. Your boyfriend is handsome and rich and dotes on you endlessly!”
Trisha’s face lit up with delight as she listened, glancing at me once more. After showing off her joy, she said, “I must get back quickly!”
Once she departed, the nurse remembered my own plight, surgery with no one to sign. A flicker of unease passed over her face, and she smiled awkwardly. “Miss Castillo, your surgery was very successful. Rest well, and when you recover, you’ll find a love like his, too.”
Her words, meant to soothe, only made my heart ache more. I forced a faint smile, tasting the bitterness behind it.
Trisha stayed in the hospital for three days, becoming the focus of everyone’s attention.
Andrius had reserved the entire VIP floor for her, bringing in a dedicated medical team to attend to her every need.
In addition to that day’s pasta, he had a Michelin chef on call 24 hours a day at a nearby hotel.
Every day, fresh lavender was delivered by air to scent the hallways, so she could sleep surrounded by the fragrance she adored.
In the hospital, some whispered with envy, while others rolled their eyes behind her back.
“That wrist wound? Barely a scratch. She acts like she had open-heart surgery!”
I stayed silent, my hand pressing against the left side of my chest. The one who had truly undergone heart surgery lay in an ordinary ward, unnoticed and unseen.
A week later, I was discharged and returned home alone.
In the living room, two figures sat on the sofa, Andrius, with Trisha perched on his lap.
When she saw me, Trisha pretended to protest, nudging him playfully. “Let go of me! Sister’s back!”
Andrius only pinched her cheek, gave her a light pat on the hip, and then let her stand.
When his gaze shifted to me, it was cold and detached. “So, you finally decided to come back?”
I turned to the servant nearby. “Tell sir where I’ve been these past few days.”
Before the servant could speak, Andrius cut in, his tone impatient. “No need. You just ran off, throwing a tantrum. I told you, I don’t have time for your moods. Since you’re back, go tidy up the room. The master bedroom faces the garden; it’s perfect for Trisha’s pregnancy.”
Trisha was pregnant.
I looked at her, and she rested a hand on her belly, a bright, carefree smile on her face. “Sorry, sister. I’ll be troubling you for a while.”
Andrius added casually, “You’ve been pregnant before; you can take care of Trisha.”
I remembered the truth I had learned that day, my child could have lived, but because she was a girl and therefore useless, Andrius had stripped her of the right to be born. And now, he expected me to care for his child with Trisha.
I stood frozen, my fingertips digging into my palms, the bitter taste of iron rising in my throat. Yet outwardly, my voice stayed calm.
“Alright.”
