Chapter 2

“Rachel.”

Just as I was about to enter the operating room, Leo suddenly called out to me.

He hung his head, his voice a little hoarse:

“I didn’t mean to hit a nerve. I just couldn’t stand you targeting Eve. My words just slipped out.”

As he draped a coat over me, Leo earnestly promised:

“I’m a big businessman. If I lose my word, who will dare to work with me in the future? I don’t want to lose this baby either, but I can’t help it.”

“I promise you, we’ll have another baby very soon.”

Another baby?

This was already my third child with Leo.

To get pregnant with it, I’d had countless fertility shots; the dense needle marks on my waist hadn’t faded yet.

The doctor had warned me many times that this baby might be the last one I could ever conceive.

How could there be another?

I opened my mouth, but my throat felt like it was blocked by a razor blade. It hurt too much to utter a single word.

Leo’s phone rang.

On the other end, Eve impatiently urged:

“Getting an abortion is taking forever. You’re not trying to back out, are you?”

“Rachel’s not a newbie, why’s she being so dramatic? Hurry up and finish the dare, all of us guys are waiting for you to drink!”

Eager to keep his appointment, Leo’s last shred of patience with me vanished.

He perfunctorily kissed the back of my hand:

“I have a business dinner, so I can’t stay for your surgery.”

“Anyway, it’s not your first time, you know the drill. You got this, I’m sure you’ll be fine on your own.”

Leo practically flew out the door, quickly slipping away.

I clutched my stomach, swaying as I walked into the abortion room.

The doctor pushed up her glasses, her gaze a mix of pity and contempt.

“Your uterine wall is paper-thin. If you have another abortion, you really won’t be able to get pregnant again.”

“If you don’t respect yourself, why should anyone else respect you?”

My face flushed, too ashamed to meet the doctor’s eyes.

Digging my nails into my palms, I forced myself to calmly tell the doctor:

“Go ahead, I’ll take full responsibility for all consequences.”

After signing the waiver, I stripped naked and was pushed into the operating room, utterly stripped of my dignity.

A thick, long needle pierced my body without warning. The pain made me break out in a cold sweat, and I couldn't help but let out a soft whimper.

Faintly, I heard the nurse’s dissatisfied grumbling:

“This is her third time. Why act so fragile? Where was all this delicacy when she was having fun?”

My consciousness began to fade.

Along with the nurse's voice, I seemed to see three adorable babies, holding hands, vanishing completely from my life…

When I woke up, the surgery was over.

No surprises, no miracles. This time, I had completely lost my ability to conceive.

I numbly stuffed the surgical report into my bag, not a trace of sadness on my face.

This heart, which had beaten countless times for Leo, and ached countless times, was finally dead.

“Leo, we—”

Back home, I pushed open the door.

Before I could even suggest divorce, I was choked by a strong smell of smoke.

I coughed violently, tears streaming down my face.

Inside, a group of people were playing Truth or Dare.

Leo had promised me he’d never bring his drinking parties home.