###Chapter 6
The nursery I had spent seven months preparing was completely changed overnight. The soft pink and pale yellow walls were gone. Now everything was bright blue.
The crib I had carefully chosen had disappeared. In its place stood a larger, more expensive one. The small toy castle I built by hand was gone too. Instead, a shiny Disney castle sat in the corner.
Even the curtains were changed to a custom design from a top luxury brand. They looked beautiful and costly.
Every trace of my child had been erased. It was as if Darren had never waited for that baby at all.
Anger rose inside me like a tidal wave.
Light footsteps sounded behind me. Riley walked in.
“You don’t mind, do you?” she asked with a small, mocking smile. “Your baby is gone anyway. Darren said this room belongs to our child now.”
“So, I told them to throw all your old things away. Keeping items from a dead baby would bring bad luck.”
She was waiting for me to lose control. But I only looked at her stomach and smiled softly. “His child? Are you sure?”
Her expression changed instantly. I didn’t wait for her answer. I turned and walked toward the stairs.
“Go to hell, Vexia.”
I heard her angry whisper behind me. Before I could turn around, she suddenly shouted loudly, “Vexia! Don’t hurt yourself!”
A hard shove hit my back and I wasn’t prepared. My body fell forward and I rolled down the stairs hard.
Warm blood ran from my forehead, blurring my vision.
Just before everything went dark, I heard Darren shout, “Vexia!”
***
When I opened my eyes again, I saw the white ceiling of a hospital room.
“Vexia, how are you feeling?” I turned my head and saw Darren sitting beside my bed, looking exhausted.
I slowly raised my trembling hand and pointed at Riley, who stood behind him. “She pushed me.”
Tears quickly fell from Riley’s eyes. She shook her head and looked very innocent.
“I didn’t. Darren, I didn’t even touch her. You can ask the maid!”
The maid came in from outside the door and said in a low voice, “Sir, I was downstairs preparing for the event. I saw Miss Solmere trying to push Ms. Trelmont, but she slipped and fell by herself…”
Blood rushed to my throat.
“You’re lying! You and Riley planned this together!”
“That’s enough!”
Darren stopped me. His eyes were filled with disappointment.
“Vexia, look at yourself. Jealousy has changed you.”
Riley cried and shook. “If Vexia can’t forgive me, Darren, I’ll leave. I’ll give you back to her. I just want the baby to be safe…”
Darren pulled her closer. When he looked at me again, his gaze was icy. “The one who should leave is you. After the party, you’re moving out.”
I thought my heart would hurt, but I felt nothing.
“You really want me to leave?”
“You brought this on yourself.”
“Alright,” I said quietly. “Then let me cut your nails one last time.”
My calm tone made him hesitate.
I sat on the hospital bed. He sat beside me. Like many afternoons in the past, he rested his head on my lap. I held his hand and carefully trimmed each nail.
His hands were still long and elegant.
Once, those quiet moments had felt warm.
But I no longer felt anything for them.
Darren looked up at my pale and calm face. Suddenly, he seemed to feel uneasy.
“This is only for a while. After the baby is born, you can come back.”
“Okay.” My obedient answer made him feel even more worried, as if once he let go, he would lose me forever.
Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist. And I looked at him in surprise. But right at that moment, Riley’s soft voice came from outside the door.
“Darren, it’s time for my checkup.”
Darren looked at me and said with some hesitation before saying, “Vexia, if you don’t feel well, I can stay with you.”
“I’m done cutting your nails,” I said calmly and pulled my hand free. “Go. Your child needs you.”
His face darkened slightly and he left without another word.
After he left, I called my assistant and gave him the nails I had collected.
The assistant spoke quietly. “We also got Riley’s blood sample. The DNA test result will be ready soon.”
For the first time that day, a real smile touched my lips.
“Good. At the banquet the day after tomorrow, make sure the gift is delivered on time.”
“Understood.”
Not long after my assistant left, a doctor rushed into the room.
“Miss Solmere, please come to the emergency department immediately!”
I followed him quickly and learned that my mother had ended her business trip early. On her way home, she had been in a severe car accident.
She needed an urgent blood transfusion.
But the doctor looked troubled.
“All the RH-negative blood in the city has already been reserved. Mr. Eugene gave the order earlier… because Ms. Trelmont cut her finger.”
Before he could finish speaking, I was already running out of the room.
