Chapter 1

After my eighteenth miscarriage, the story of me giving birth in that delivery room, bloodied and broken, spread through every corner of town.

That same night, my husband finally reached his limit and threw me out of the house.

The next day, he brought his childhood sweetheart, Constance Henson, home as his bride.

Eight years and not one child to show for it, and when they cast me out all I had was a torn shift soaked in blood.

Buried under the town's endless mocking, I lost every reason to keep living.

So I climbed to the hospital rooftop, ready to end my life.

But in the instant I swung myself over the edge,

my husband's older brother caught me by the arm.

He looked at me, hollowed out and half-dead, and dropped to one knee right there and proposed.

"Genevieve, I've loved you quietly for years. Now I finally have the chance to take care of you. Please, I'm begging you, give me that chance."

It felt like grabbing hold of the last bit of warmth left in my life,

so I said yes to Reginald Delgado's proposal.

Three months after the wedding, I was pregnant again.

Reginald cleared his entire schedule just to look after me himself.

He told me he would make sure I carried this child to term, that I would finally become a mother.

I was full of joy, full of hope.

Then, after one prenatal checkup, I overheard him talking with my attending physician.

"Dr. Fox, just use the drug. She's getting further along. If the baby comes out later, Genevieve will only suffer more."

From inside the room came the doctor's furious voice.

"CEO Delgado, I honestly don't understand! The baby your wife is carrying is perfectly healthy. Why won't you let her keep it? This is the nineteenth time. It's too cruel!"

"There's no other way. The Delgado family's first grandson has to be Constance's child. Clint Delgado and Constance are married now, so it won't be long. The next time Genevieve conceives, I swear I'll let her keep the baby…"

That familiar sigh of his seemed to pierce straight through my eardrums.

Reginald Delgado, there won't be a next time…

1

"CEO Delgado."

Dr. Fox paused for a few seconds, then said in a low voice,

"After this one, I'm afraid your wife's body won't be able to take it…"

"Shut up!"

Reginald cut him off sharply.

"You people cured Constance when her infertility was that severe. Genevieve has a strong constitution. She'll be fine!"

"CEO Delgado, it really isn't the same situation…"

"Miss Henson spent these eight years being cared for and nursed along. Your wife has spent them suffering, one after another! The psychiatric department sent word this morning too. From all these miscarriages, your wife already has severe depression along with anxiety. If she goes through this again, physically and mentally, it will be a fatal blow to her…"

"Enough. Don't say any more. As long as I'm by Genevieve's side, I won't let anything happen to her."

"This time, having you act while the baby is still early along is also so Genevieve suffers less."

Reginald stepped forward and clapped Dr. Fox on the shoulder.

"Remember, this time give my wife the best imported drug. A friend told me that when the baby comes out, there's almost no pain at all…"

A cheerful click of high heels on the floor cut Reginald off.

The moment I sensed someone coming,

I scrambled up from the floor and pressed myself into the far corner of the wall.

I'd only just gotten hidden

when a wave of perfume flooded into my nose.

The office door opened from the inside,

and that scent went straight into Reginald's arms.

"Reginald, you could have handled that woman's business over the phone. What's taking so long?"

Dr. Fox frowned slightly, gave a polite nod, and turned to leave.

But the moment he turned, Constance called out to stop him.

"Hey, don't go yet."

She turned back to Reginald.

"Reginald, I just heard you say the best imported drug, almost no pain. What exactly is that drug?"

"I suffered through so much these eight years trying to conceive, and there was never any drug like that for me. You give it to that woman and not to me. How can you play favorites like this…"

"Miss Henson."

Dr. Fox let out a long sigh.

"In these eight years, when exactly did you ever feel any pain…"

"Reginald, look at how he talks to me!"

By now Constance's voice had a sob in it.

"That's enough, Dr. Fox."

Reginald waved off the words Dr. Fox was about to say,

his tone turning grave and hard.

"That imported drug, don't give it to my wife. Just use something standard."

"CEO Delgado, your wife can't tolerate anesthesia. Standard medication will be agonizing for her…"

"Enough!"

Reginald cut him off roughly.

"This is the Delgado family's hospital. You do exactly as I say, or watch yourself lose your livelihood!"

Reginald was one of New York's best-known refined businessmen,

and for him to lose his temper like this was rare.

Dr. Fox didn't dare say anything more. He only shook his head helplessly, turned, and left the office.

The moment the office door closed,

Reginald's gentle voice rose inside.

"Little minx, I did everything exactly the way you wanted. Are you satisfied now?"

"Satisfied. Seeing that your eyes and heart are full of nothing but me, I feel so happy."

Reginald reached up and gave the tip of Constance's nose a playful flick.

"But let's be clear, this is the last time…"

Before he could finish, Constance's hand slid to his belt, and she sank to her knees on the floor.

A few seconds later, sickening sounds of pleasure came drifting out of the office.

I cupped my faintly swollen belly, forcing down the churning that kept rising in my stomach, and fled the scene in a mess.

In a quiet corner of the hospital,

I took out my phone and called back the number that had contacted me just days ago.

"That volunteer position with the overseas women's self-help organization you mentioned. I'll go."

The person on the other end was overjoyed.

Five minutes later,

I received a message from the airline: a ticket for a flight leaving the country in three days.

The heart that had been shut tight for so many years finally opened, just a sliver…