The moment I climbed up the training tower, a sharp pain stabbed through my stomach as if someone below was yanking at me with all their might. I was so scared that I quickly squatted down and held on to the railing.
Before I could say anything, Ian started yelling, "Why are you squatting there? Look, the photographer is ready! Get up and start shooting!"
I couldn't even be mad at him. I gasped while clutching my stomach. "Take me to the hospital, now! My stomach hurts so much—I think I'm going into labor!"
"Ugh, not this again! You didn't even bring the parachute. You're clearly just making excuses!" Unconvinced, Ian was so exasperated he grabbed me and tried to pull me towards the skydive zone.
"Even if you're about to give birth, can't you hold it for a bit until the shoot's done? The brand has been waiting for half an hour already!" Ian's face twisted in annoyance as he tugged harder on my arm, determined to force me to carry the parachute.
The pain was so unbearable, making me drenched in cold sweat. I couldn't take it anymore.
I shoved his hand away as I pulled out my phone to call my best friend, Yelena. She worked as an obstetrician at the city hospital. She could definitely help me save my baby!
But before I could dial, pain shot through my hand—Ian snatched my phone away, turned off the screen and screamed in my face. "Cynthia, stop being so dramatic! Pregnant women on TikTok can dance and bungee jumping! All I asked for was a video and now you're pretending to be in pain?"
"Let me tell you something, the brand is paying $25.000 for this. If you miss this chance, you'll regret it when we get home!"
My blood ran cold instantly. I stared at him in disbelief, my heart sinking into icy depths.
So, all that smiling and scrolling on his phone—he was negotiating with the brand this whole time? How stupid of me to think he was trying to make a stunt video.
In a fit of anger, I glared at him fiercely and turned around to go downstairs, but Ian wasn't about to let me go. He grabbed the strap of my gear, trying to pull me back.
He had always been short-tempered. Later, he slapped me when he saw I was determined to leave. The force was so strong that I stumbled against the railing.
I was still reeling from the physical abuse when I felt something warm trickling down my leg. I looked down in horror to find I was bleeding profusely.
A crowd had gathered, but fear of being falsely accused kept everyone at a safe distance. My stomach was cramping painfully and I was terrified that I might lose the baby. I frantically searched for Ian, but he had vanished into the crowd.
Thank goodness the coach called for an ambulance right away. Just before the car door shut, I saw Ian trembling like a coward behind the training tower. At that moment, I was completely heartbroken.
The surgery lasted two hours, but the baby was saved. Yelena scolded me in the ward while giving me an IV drip, "You were about to give birth and you still dared to climb so high? You're lucky you didn't fall. Both you and the baby could have died." I nodded repeatedly, shivering with lingering fear.
I originally had wanted to avoid Ian for a day to teach him a lesson, but the nurse came to inform me that I needed to pay for the surgery and hospital stay. So, I had no choice but to contact him. Ian had taken all my bank cards, claiming he didn't trust me with money while I was on maternity leave and not earning.
I opened my phone and saw that Ian hadn't posted a single update since the incident. I suppressed my anger and called six times, but he didn't answer. When I tried again, his phone was turned off.
The nurse looked at me with such pity. She spoke softly, telling me not to worry and that I could wait for my family to arrive before paying the bill. After she left, I buried my face in the blanket and sobbed uncontrollably.
