Vienna swept her eyes over me slowly, scanning me from head to toe. A sneer curled on her lips.
"Darien, who is this?"
Her tone was sweet, but her words were sharp, cutting with feigned innocence. Darien looked caught, guilty. He quickly let go of my hand, as if touching me might stain him in her eyes and gave me a light push backward.
I stumbled slightly, leaning against the cold wall, breath shaky. My wrist throbbed where he had gripped it moments ago.
"You said you weren’t feeling well, didn’t you?" he murmured gently, turning to Vienna to support her weak step. "Come on, let’s get your check-up over with."
As she walked past me, Vienna leaned in slightly and mouthed one word, "Useless."
A stabbing pain twisted through my abdomen and I could not focus on anything else.
Clutching my stomach, I forced out a shaky whisper, "Darien, my stomach really hurts. Can you help me lie down?"
Yet, even after a long while, there was no response. I looked up. He was not even looking at me. His eyes were locked on the door of the examination room where Vienna had just disappeared.
As if sensing my gaze, Darien finally glanced in my direction.
"You’re fine, aren’t you? If you don’t want to stay, just go on your own. Vienna’s nervous being in there alone, so she needs me with her."
And just like that, he turned away and rushed to the doctor. "Doctor, she’s been in there a while. Is everything okay?"
"She’s physically fine," the doctor replied flatly. "Just some emotional stress—pretty common during a first pregnancy."
"That’s a relief. Thank you."
Darien stayed behind, asking questions—how to care for a pregnant woman, what she should eat, what to avoid, how to comfort her...
I had no idea why it hurt so much. My chest felt like it was caving in. I swallowed hard, blinking away the tears burning behind my eyes. I wiped the sweat from my brow with trembling hands, enduring every cramp alone.
Time dragged until finally, Vienna stepped out of the room.
That was when Darien suddenly remembered I existed. He turned, ready to help me to the bed, but just then, Vienna’s distressed voice sliced through the moment. "Ow, my head..."
"What's wrong, Vienna?" Darien immediately turned his back on me and rushed toward Vienna, who was clutching her forehead.
"I'm okay. Probably just some dizziness from anemia..."
"Come here. Let me carry you." He smiled and crouched before her, the very image of a doting prince.
I remembered when he once carried me home after I twisted my ankle. He had teased and joked the whole way.
But that was then. He did not love me anymore.
I pressed my back against the wall, supporting my aching belly and slowly made my way to the ward alone.
When I finally got there, I noticed the only two beds had been pushed together. Vienna sprawled across both of them. As I walked in, she sat up, lazily picking grapes from a fruit plate on the nightstand.
With a smirk etched on her face, she said, "Wow, you really don't know shame, do you? Darien didn’t even look your way earlier and you’re still following him here? Pathetic."
I wanted to explain that I was just here to rest—that I was in pain and exhausted—but facing her, the words caught in my throat. I could not bring myself to sound weak.
She waved a hand at me and added, "You look miserable. These beds were pushed together for me because Darien thought I’d be more comfortable like this. But go ahead, you can lie down too, just for a bit."
I did not respond. I was too tired to care about pride. I just walked toward the bed quietly.
But just as I reached it, Vienna gasped and collapsed sideways, letting out a dramatic cry, as if I had shoved her.
At that moment, Darien burst in with a kettle in hand and I immediately understood what this woman was trying to do.
The kettle hit the floor with a loud clatter as he rushed toward Vienna, looking panicked.
"Vienna, are you all right? Did you hurt somewhere?"
"I’m fine. Don’t blame Elodie. I must’ve just lost my balance…" she murmured tearfully. Even I almost believed her.
"What do you mean you lost your balance? You're too kind. You get hurt like this and still make excuses for her. That’s why people think they can walk all over you."
He gently helped her onto the bed, then turned to me with fire in his eyes. The next moment, a sharp sting exploded across my cheek.
"You knew Vienna was pregnant and you still dared to push her? Are you trying to kill her child—and yours too?"
I collapsed to the floor, dazed and humiliated. But none of that mattered—not compared to the searing pain in my belly. It felt like something inside me was being torn apart.
"Elodie," Vienna called out from the bed, "why are you still on the floor? Are you that mad at me?"
"Please don't be angry. I'll feel very guilty if you are."
"I'm so sorry, Elodie. I’ll even kneel to apologize right now if that would make you feel better."
As she spoke, Vienna slowly rose from the bed, crouching dramatically as if to kneel in front of me.
