Chapter 3

Roy's face went pale in an instant.

He stepped forward at once and clamped his hand hard over my mouth.

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

"What charge of lewd conduct? What other woman? Bonnie and I are just colleagues. If you keep talking crazy like this, even I won't be able to save you!"

With his hand over my mouth, I was so furious that tears streamed down through his fingers.

He was strong, and he grabbed my arm and dragged me back to the ward.

I had just given birth, so unsteady on my feet that I could barely walk, the pain so bad I nearly fainted.

Back in the ward, he pressed me down onto the bed to sit, pulled out a towel and handed it to me, his tone finally softening a little. "Marilyn, calm down."

"Your body hasn't recovered yet. Don't dwell on things that don't matter."

"As for the baby... we'll have another one in the future."

After he said this, he was silent for a moment, then stood up. "I have to go with Bonnie to handle the baby's discharge paperwork."

"It isn't easy for her, raising the child on her own. Try to be more understanding."

With that, he turned and left.

I sat alone on the hospital bed, touching my belly, dazed for a long, long time.

A moment later, the door was pushed open again.

Bonnie came in of her own accord, her face rosy, her hair neat, glowing with energy.

"Marilyn, I came to see you. Roy told me you weren't feeling well, so I bought some fruit."

I didn't move. I just looked at her.

She sat down on the chair beside my bed, picked up an apple, and slowly peeled it. "Honestly, Marilyn, losing a child... it's hard for anyone."

"But try to let it go. Maybe you're just not blessed enough to be a mother. Not like me—I've got the luck to bear a son. You have no idea how happy Roy and his mother were the day our Aiden was born."

"Roy always tells me your long, droopy face gets on his nerves, and I agree. The more I look at it, the sicker it makes me feel."

When she was done peeling the apple, she stood up and took a bite of it herself. "All right, Marilyn, you rest now. Roy and I still have to go pick up Aiden and take him home, so I won't keep you company."

I was so angry my breathing turned heavy. "Get out of here!"

She let out a scornful laugh, turned, and swung her hips as she walked away.

It took me a long time to calm down.

Then I asked the nurse for a pen and paper and wrote a report letter.

When I finished the letter, I folded it, tucked it into an envelope, and mailed it straight to the school where Roy worked.

On the third day, after handling my own discharge, I went straight to the factory and knocked on the door of Section Chief Barrett's office.

Section Chief Barrett looked up and saw me, clearly startled. "Marilyn? You... didn't you just give birth at the hospital? Why are you back so soon?"

I sat down across from him. "Section Chief, I heard the factory has set up an out-of-state branch plant and is looking for a skilled technician to go lead it. I'd like to volunteer."

Section Chief Barrett took off his reading glasses and frowned. "Marilyn, are you sure you've thought this through? Conditions at that out-of-state branch plant are rough—it's up in the mountains, newly built, nothing there yet."

"You just gave birth. Can your body handle it?"

I had thought about it for a long time. I nodded. "Yes, I've made up my mind."

"Anyway, I've got nothing left to hold on to here."