In the early stages of my pregnancy, I was frail to the point of collapse, often losing consciousness after relentless bouts of nausea and vomiting.
Yet, during those moments, Stefan found himself entangled in an illicit romance with Lyra Keene, his lover.
The day I saw the photos of them together, everything became painfully clear. The love I thought we shared no longer existed.
I knew this child should not be born into such deceit.
After the abortion, as I remained under observation in the hospital, I made a call to my former mentor in the research institute I had been joining.
"Sir, I've decided. I'm ready to join the restricted-access research center."
"Nonsense! I saw the news that you're pregnant. The research center is in the Northwest, where the environment is harsh and all communication with the outside world will be severed. Can you endure such conditions?"
In response, I sent my mentor the abortion report as proof of my resolve.
There was a long silence before he spoke again. "You... Have you truly thought this through? Does Stefan agree about this?"
For years, my hesitation stemmed from my inability to let go of Stefan Miller.
But now, it was his choices that had made the decision for me.
I responded with unwavering seriousness, "I don't need his permission. After spending so many years as a pampered rich lady, it's time I do something meaningful for society."
"I have just one request. Permanently erase my identity. I don't want anyone in the world to be able to find me."
Death might be swift, but forgetting someone took a lifetime.
So, I did not wish Stefan Miller to die. I wished him to live every day weighed down by regret.
"All right, Elena. You've finally lived up to my expectations. Take care of yourself and wait for my instructions."
After exchanging a few more words, I ended the call.
Only then did I notice a string of messages lighting up my phone screen.
[Honey, I bought a pair of safety locks, perfect for you and the baby.]
[I've also booked a family photo package for after the baby's born.]
[Are you feeling unwell? Why aren't you replying? Do you want me to skip my meeting and come be with you?]
***
Seeing my silence, Stefan followed up with over a dozen frantic calls.
Amid his flood of words filled with love and concern, there was a video attached.
It was from Lyra Keene.
I scrolled through the messages as a storm of emotions surged within me. In my daze, the jade bracelet slipped from my wrist, shattering into two pieces.
Swallowing the pain, I turned off my phone and left alone.
As I walked, Stefan found me in a frenzy.
Right after Stefan saw me, he held me in his arms with a look of worry on his face.
"Where were you going? You didn't reply to any of my messages. Do you have any idea how terrified I was?"
"I was feeling a bit down, so I went out for a walk. My phone battery died and shut off."
My eyes averted his gaze as I pretended not to notice the mismatched buttons on his shirt or the faint hickey on his neck.
Stefan exhaled deeply, his expression softening as he gently ushered me into the car.
"It's my fault. Sorry, I should be spending more time with you. There was an emergency meeting at the company that I had to attend, but I promise this won't happen again."
What kind of meeting required taking one's shirt off to participate?
I chose to remain silent as Stefan took out a lush bouquet of roses from the trunk.
"A gift of apology."
The roses from the flower shop near Elenadore Hospital were always the most exquisite.
Stefan had made a habit of bringing me a bouquet every time he passed by.
I once believed it was a tender gesture, a sign of his love for me.
But now, I realized that this was more like tokens of guilt after having an affair.
Suddenly, Lyra's recent video crept back into my memory.
There were traces of their affair all over her body.
"Don't think you've won just because you managed to call him away from me this time. I have countless ways to keep him by my side. Just wait and see."
I did not know what cunning schemes Lyra might do.
I just wondered about what Stefan was thinking.
He would panic over my silence, fearing for my safety when I failed to reply to his messages.
Also, moments after abandoning his lover, he would conceal his passion to rush back to me.
And still, he built a gilded cage for his little mistress in secret, where he stayed with her every single chance.
