The first thing I became aware of was the beeping. Slow, steady, unrelenting. I blinked against the harsh lights, my throat parched, my body weak as though every bone had been drained of strength.
Then voices drifted through the fog.
“…we had no choice,” a doctor’s tone was calm, professional. “The wife survived. The baby didn’t.”
My breath hitched. Baby? I’m pregnant?
“What?” Tobias’s voice thundered, so close it made my heart jolt. For a brief, fragile second, warmth spread in my chest. Was he worried about me? Did he care?
But then—
“You should have let her die instead! What use is she to me without the baby? I needed the child, not her! Why didn’t you ask me whom to save?”
My world froze. Is he seriously saying that?
The doctor’s voice grew sharper. “Mr. Tobias, it was impossible to save both. Preserving the wife’s life was the only viable choice. The fetus was only six months along—far too early to survive outside the womb.”
I heard papers shuffle, the doctor sighing heavily before adding, “She likely didn’t even realize she was pregnant. With her medical condition—a retroverted uterus and polycystic ovary syndrome—carrying to term is already rare. Many women with PCOS don’t have regular cycles. It’s common to mistake the signs for something else. No visible bump until later, irregular red days… it would’ve been difficult for her to notice.”
The words blurred together, but they struck like knives. Six months. I had been carrying life inside me all this time—and I hadn’t even known.
And Tobias… he wanted me dead instead.
Footsteps shuffled, another voice chimed in—Thomas. His words were colder than ice. “So she’s alive, but the baby is gone. Pathetic.”
Paul muttered, almost to himself, “She ruins everything. What a disappointment. If she’s not stupid to be walking without looking then it wouldn’t happen, and why is she even wearing a wedding gown?”
I wanted to scream, to sit up, to fight back—but my limbs were heavy, my eyelids dragging me down into darkness.
Maybe it was a dream. Yes, it had to be. A nightmare born of pain and exhaustion.
When I woke again, the room was quiet. A nurse leaned over me, adjusting my IV.
“You’re awake,” she said softly, offering a gentle smile.
My lips parted, my voice hoarse. “W-What happened?”
“You were in an accident,” she explained. “You were hit by a truck. You’ve been unconscious for two days. I’m so sorry… you lost the baby.”
Tears slipped down my temples before I could even process the words. A baby. One I hadn’t even known I carried. And now—it was gone.
My hand instinctively pressed against my stomach. Empty. Hollow.
“My husband…” I whispered, clinging to a fragile hope. “Where’s Tobias? Was he here?”
The nurse hesitated, her silence louder than any answer. Finally, she shook her head. “No one has visited since you were brought in.”
Her words cut deeper than any scalpel.
Alone. I was completely alone.
When she left the room, I turned to the small table where my phone rested. My hands trembled as I reached for it, praying—begging—for a message. Anything.
But there was nothing. No calls. No texts. Not from Tobias. Not from my brothers.
Biting back a sob, I dialed Tobias’s number. The line rang, then clicked.
At first, I heard nothing but muffled sounds. Then—
A woman’s voice. A soft moan.
“Mm… Tobias…”
My heart stopped.
And then, laughter. Mocking. Familiar.
Janine. I ended the call with shaking fingers, my chest heaving. My vision blurred as hot tears spilled down, staining the sheets.
Moments later, my phone buzzed again. A message this time.
I opened it, and bile rose in my throat.
Photos. Tobias and Janine, their hands entwined. His lips pressed to hers. Her head tilted back in laughter as they toasted with champagne. In one, he slipped a ring onto her finger.
The caption was cruel, deliberate.
Sorry, sister. We’re on our honeymoon. But don’t worry—I’ll take care of Tobias for you. I’m back.
The mocking tone bled through every word, as though she was standing beside me, whispering in my ear.
My phone slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the floor. I pressed my palms to my face, sobbing into the silence.
The betrayal cut deeper than anything Tobias had ever done. My husband. My brothers. My own sister. Together. Against me.
For hours, I stared at the ceiling, numb, empty, broken. But as the tears dried, something else began to stir within me. A sharp, cold resolve.
If Tobias thought he could discard me, if Janine thought she could waltz back into my life and steal everything… they were wrong.
I wouldn’t beg. Not anymore.
I picked up my phone again, scrolling through my contacts. My thumb hovered over one name, a name I hadn’t dared think of in years.
Dave. The man who once loved me with a sincerity I had overlooked. The man I had turned down for Tobias’s empty promises. The man I should have chosen.
My breath shook as I pressed call.
The line rang once. Twice. Then—
“Hello?” His voice was deep, steady, tinged with surprise.
My throat tightened. “Dave. It’s me. Carmela.”
There was silence. A sharp inhale. “Carmela? After all this time—why are you calling me now?”
I closed my eyes, pushing down the lump in my throat. Pride had no place here. “Do you… still want to marry me?”
