Chapter 2

The delivery guy agreed easily.

I walked him over to Jacqueline's desk, and he set the food down in front of her.

"Ma'am, your delivery. Enjoy your meal."

Jacqueline forced a smile at him. "You really didn't have to bring it up yourself."

"Ms. Gray asked me to. She said you couldn't come down, and told me to make sure it got right into your hands."

I pulled out my phone, scanned his code, and sent him a hundred and fifty.

He thanked me over and over, then jogged out of the office.

I said, my tone sincere,

"Jacqueline, eat while it's hot. You're pregnant, you really can't let the baby go hungry. The baby's the most important thing."

Jacqueline's whole body stiffened, like the words had hit a nerve.

The corner of her mouth twitched.

"Okay... okay, thanks, Ellie."

I sat back down at my desk, opened my own lunch, and started eating.

I'd gotten her food for her, but I never once touched that bag.

So whatever happened to the baby couldn't be pinned on me now.

Then, behind me, someone sucked in a sharp breath.

Jacqueline screamed. "It hurts! My stomach, it hurts so much!"

I spun around.

She was doubled over in her chair, face drained of color, one hand clamped hard over her belly.

Everyone rushed over at once.

"What's wrong, Jacqueline? Did you eat something bad?"

"You look awful! Sit down, take it easy!"

"Don't waste time! Call 911, get an ambulance!"

One coworker already had a phone out, ready to dial.

But Jacqueline, shaking all over, waved her hand and stopped him.

"Don't call 911. The ambulance is too slow."

She lifted her face to me, her voice full of pain.

"Ellie, you drove today, right? Take me to the hospital. A car's faster. Please, hurry, take me!"

In an instant, everyone was looking at me.

Right then my phone screen lit up. A text came through.

【Do not take her! The second you drive her to the hospital, she'll swear the bumpy ride is what stopped the baby's heart, and pin the whole death on you!】

Alarm bells went off inside me. My blood ran cold.

Then another line of comments drifted across my vision.

【Take her now! If you refuse, your coworkers will call you heartless. You'll get flamed online until it destroys you!】

Two warnings, opposite again.

My head was buzzing.

Jacqueline let out another cry of pain, hand pressed to her belly, and when I didn't answer, the coworkers piled on.

"Ellie? What are you standing there for? Jacqueline's in agony!"

"Exactly, this is life and death! What is with you today? First you drag your feet over grabbing her food, and now she's in this much pain and you're just sitting there?"

"Eleanor, do you have some kind of grudge against her?"

I clenched my teeth and decided to gamble.

I crouched down in front of Jacqueline and spoke as earnestly as I could.

"Jacqueline, it's not that I won't take you. I only got my license last month. I'm still on my learner's period, a brand-new driver, and I'm really unsteady behind the wheel."

"Your situation is delicate right now. The baby can't handle any jolting. If I hit a bump and something happens to the baby, I honestly can't carry that responsibility. Why don't we just wait for 911?"

Jacqueline's voice broke. "Eleanor, is it that you look down on me? Are you scared my stomach will bleed and dirty up your new car?"

The coworkers around us blew up at once.

"Eleanor, are you serious? She's in this much pain and you're worried about whether your car gets dirty?"

"Right, is a car more important than a life?"

"Corey, don't—" Jacqueline weakly grabbed his arm. "Ellie's young, she doesn't think things through. I understand."

Her being so understanding only made everyone angrier.

One coworker said coldly, "So heartless. She always seemed like such a kind person. Turns out it was all an act!"

Just then, the door to the director's office opened.