Chapter 1

On New Year's Eve, five months pregnant, I was urgently called back to the hospital to perform a C-section on a patient.

Halfway through the surgery, a man's hoarse roar came from the doorway.

"Luna! Don't be afraid, I'm here with you! After you have the baby, I'll marry you and bring you home, okay?"

The familiar voice made me freeze.

It wasn't until the surgery ended successfully and the man rushed in with reddened eyes to embrace Luna that I finally saw clearly.

It was my husband of five years, Ethan Walker.

When I saw the man's face clearly, I froze for a moment before speaking in a hoarse voice.

"Congratulations, it's a seven-pound baby boy."

Ethan didn't have time to look at the child, much less notice me.

"Luna, thank you, thank you for giving me a child. You're the best wife I could ask for. Luna, I love you."

He trembled as he placed a kiss on Luna's forehead.

Sincere and beautiful.

Almost exactly like the scene I'd dreamed of when I would give birth.

Unfortunately, I wasn't the protagonist.

Several new nurses exclaimed in admiration, their faces full of envy.

"They're so in love! This is the first time I've seen someone go to their wife first instead of the baby when the child is born!"

"I'm so jealous of her! She found such a wonderful man."

My whole body trembled.

It was like having a bucket of cold water poured over me from head to toe, my heart flooding with cold.

Just five hours ago, Ethan had been carefully peeling shrimp for me at our New Year's dinner.

When a relative saw this and teased him about it, he didn't mind at all. He reached over to wipe the corner of my mouth.

"Sophia's become even more of a foodie since getting pregnant. I do this all the time. If I don't peel them for her, she'll throw a tantrum and say I don't love her!"

I was a bit confused but didn't say anything.

After all, the tantrums he mentioned—I'd never thrown any.

When his father offered him a drink, for the first time he refused, despite usually being so obedient.

"Sophia is pregnant and gets uncomfortable when she smells alcohol. As her husband, I need to take care of her."

My heart had been so warm then.

Now it was just as cold.

It wasn't until Luna was wheeled into the hospital room and a nurse took the baby from my frozen arms that my best friend, Cassidy, pulled down my mask, her face full of concern.

"Sophia, with Ethan... isn't there some kind of misunderstanding?"

I lowered my eyes, feeling heat rising in them.

But my mind flashed back to Ethan's stunned expression when he first learned I was pregnant.

At the time, I thought he was just happy and dazed, so I didn't think much of it.

He also reacted belatedly, hugging me tightly and kissing my forehead.

"Sophia! I'm going to be a father? I'm so happy!"

When he learned I didn't plan to quit my job, Ethan's expression soured and his tone became heavy.

"But won't that be too exhausting? Pregnancy will affect your work. You'll have trouble managing both! If you don't want the child, we can get rid of it!"

I refused.

But now, I regretted it a little.

That momentary hesitation, those words hoping I'd abort the child—they were all his true feelings.

Of course.

Two children would be hard for him to manage.

One was best.

The one he loved most was best.

I changed my clothes and passed by the hospital room, seeing the two of them nestled together inside. My heart filled with bitterness.

It wasn't until I left the hospital that Cassidy drove up and stopped in front of me.

Only then did I wearily rub my temples, my hand falling to my swollen belly.

My voice was hoarse but serious.

"Cassidy, the hospital's New Year holiday lasts a week, and we start work next Wednesday, right?"

"Right."

"Then please schedule me for the earliest abortion procedure next Wednesday."