Zane became agitated, with veins bulging on his forehead.
"You want to marry Aurora? Don't even think about it."
"Aurora is a living person, not some object for you to toy with, Zane. Please respect her."
"Our affairs are none of your business, outsider!"
Edric turned his head, looking at me earnestly:
"Aurora, choose for yourself, okay?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but Zane's phone rang, interrupting me.
After answering the call, his expression showed a hint of panic.
"Aurora, there's a problem with the business you're handling. Let's go back to the company."
My head buzzed as I was forced to leave with him.
As I turned away, I saw Edric's eyes dimming.
I lowered my head silently, feeling a little uncomfortable.
Coming back to my senses, I asked Zane, "What happened with the business?"
Zane didn't answer.
The car continued driving.
After a while, he asked seemingly nonchalantly: "If I hadn't mentioned the business issue today, would you have come with me?"
"No."
Upon hearing my answer, he slammed on the brakes.
He turned around, looking at me with bewilderment and helplessness.
I looked back at him calmly, my heart now devoid of any ripples.
In that moment, I realized that I no longer loved him.
Since then, Zane and I fell into a complete cold war.
He reassigned me, no longer requiring me to accompany him to social events.
I was left in the project team.
Working day and night.
Weeks passed, and not only did I have terrible dark circles under my eyes.
Even worse,
my hormones were out of balance.
My period was overdue.
I asked Zane for sick leave.
He looked at me with a complicated expression:
"That time in the car, did you take the pill?"
His words struck me like a bolt of lightning, and I froze.
I closed my eyes, becoming increasingly alarmed.
Without bothering to respond, I hurriedly took a taxi to the hospital.
The doctor moved the ultrasound wand over my abdomen, and I was so nervous that my whole body stiffened.
After a few minutes, she finally stopped.
Zooming in on a small spot, she said to me, "You're pregnant. This is your baby. The baby is currently healthy, but your uterine lining is too thin, making you prone to miscarriage. Many women cannot conceive again after a miscarriage. You must be extra careful."
I stared at the screen with wide eyes, my mind blank.
My heart seemed to stop beating, and I forgot to breathe.
Two years ago, when Zane was not yet married, I had also been pregnant.
Nervously and joyfully, I told Zane about it.
He responded dismissively:
"Okay, in the future, if you get pregnant, don't tell me. Just go get an abortion."
My heart shattered into pieces.
This was my first baby.
I instinctively protected him, unwilling to give him up.
"Zane, please, don't treat our baby like this, okay?"
Zane answered word by word, "Aurora, your child is a bastard. He doesn't deserve to live in this world. Do you understand?"
My blood seemed to freeze, and I covered my ears with stiff limbs.
I didn't want the baby to hear the curse from his own father.
Being Aurora's baby was too pitiful.
Not even born yet, and already suffering.
I couldn't... let him suffer as I had.
When I cried uncontrollably.
I finally convinced myself.
To go with Zane to the hospital for the procedure.
Later, I lay in bed for a month.
Feverish constantly.
Sleepless night after sleepless night.
Even if I managed to fall asleep, I would hear the baby's questions in my dreams:
"Mommy, I was a good baby. Why did you give up on me?"
"Mommy, why didn't you want me?"
"Mommy, I hate you."
I got up from the bed, sat by the bay window, hugged my head, and sobbed uncontrollably, unable to stop.
At that moment, I wanted to die.
Where was Zane when I was in the most pain?
He told me matter-of-factly.
"Aurora, I'm getting married."
From that point on, I hated him deeply.
After that, I started paying attention to the company's tax statements...
