At the hospital, the doctor confirmed there was no sign of pregnancy. None at all.
Boris stood frozen, like he'd been hit over the head.
“Kate, why would you do this to me?”
“I know what I did to you was wrong—but why would you go after Tania and my baby!”
I held up the ultrasound report I'd just picked up off the break room floor and shoved it at him.
“Don't you dare pin this on me. Tania was never pregnant. She's the one who showed me this.”
But Boris pulled a different ultrasound report from inside his jacket.
“You'd go this far to hurt her? You're out of your mind. I took her to the prenatal checkup myself. She was pregnant. Eight weeks.”
“You killed my child. I'm not giving you a cent for your father's treatment.”
“I want you to know what it feels like to lose family.”
Every single colleague in the room looked at me with disgust, as though I were a murderer.
Even the company chairman frowned.
“Kate, you seem emotionally unstable right now. I think it's best you don't come into the office for the time being. Go home and rest.”
“As for your position, I'll have someone else fill in.”
The meaning underneath was clear: he wanted me gone.
That was when my mother called.
Her voice came through the receiver shaking and panicked, half-choked with tears.
“Kate, get to the hospital now. Your father can't breathe, his oxygen is dropping—the doctor says he needs emergency surgery right now. They have to stop the bleeding, open up the blockage—if we wait any longer he could die any minute. We can't wait.”
“Okay, Mom, try to stay calm. How much does the surgery cost?”
She choked out the words：“The doctor says about fifteen thousand. Your father and I lost everything in the stock market. Haven't you saved up some money over the years? Bring it now. Any later and it'll be too late.”
I turned and planted myself in front of Boris.
“My father is in critical condition and needs surgery. Give me back my money. Now.”
He stared at me, eyes full of hate.
“Good. Let him die. Once you've lost him, maybe you'll finally know your place and stop going against me.”
“People like you don't learn until you've suffered. You'll never obey otherwise.”
Shock and fury tore through me at once.
“Boris, have you lost your mind?! Give me the money!”
But he locked the hospital room door and stayed at Tania's bedside, holding her hand.
By the time I scraped together enough money and rushed to the cancer hospital, I was too late.
My father lay on the bed, his face drained white, barely breathing.
My mother was slumped over the edge of his bed, sobbing so hard she couldn't speak.
Meanwhile, at the OB-GYN hospital, Boris had just filled a thermos with hot water when he ran into the doctor who'd been treating Tania.
The doctor smiled at him. “Mr. Stephens, your wife's irregular periods—that's something I can help with. No need to worry too much.”
“She bled quite a bit this time around, but once the IV and medication kick in she'll be fine.”
Boris went rigid.
“You're saying the heavy bleeding was because she was on her period?”
“Then what about the baby?”
The doctor looked confused.
“Mr. Stephens, are you joking? Ms. Finch has been coming to this hospital for checkups for a while now. I've reviewed her past reports. She has never been pregnant.”
