Chapter 1

My best friend had come home after her divorce and was staying with me for a while.

That day she suddenly got stomach cramps,

and lying weak in the hospital bed she said she wanted sweet almond cakes. I went to buy them without a second thought.

My car broke down on the way, so I had no choice but to turn back to the hospital.

I had just reached the door of her room when I heard my brother sighing.

“Augusta Dickerson, I know it's hard for you to have no proper place for now. I'll talk Nora Fox into divorcing Dale Vance.”

Through the gap in the door, I saw Dale, my husband of seven years,

kneeling at my best friend's bedside with red-rimmed eyes, his hand resting on her belly.

Augusta was crying her eyes out.

“She's been so good to me, and here I am carrying your child. I should just get rid of the baby. I can't be the other woman.”

Dale pulled her tight, his face twisted with pain.

“Don't say stupid things! The baby is innocent.”

“You're the one I love. Back then, so you'd come back to me, I made the marriage license with Nora a fake.”

“Augusta, you're not the other woman!”

Watching the two of them, so tender, so devoted, I felt the whole room spin.

Even my own brother, the person closest to me, was helping them deceive me.

I didn't even have the strength left to go in and confront them. I turned around and said yes to the company's Northgate project.

1

The Northgate project had landed in my inbox three days earlier, and I'd swiped it away without thinking.

For one thing, Augusta had just come home, and I was busy taking care of her.

For another, my anniversary with Dale was coming up,

and I'd been putting real effort into planning for it.

I meant to bring up having a baby while I was at it, too.

For seven years, I'd wanted a child.

Every time, Dale had an excuse.

“Kids cry and fuss all the time. They wear you out.”

Augusta hadn't been back a full month, and already he had a baby with her.

So it turned out he didn't dislike children after all.

He just didn't like me.

At least the Northgate transfer order hadn't expired yet.

The moment I accepted, the Director Whitfield messaged me.

“That's wonderful, Nora. I honestly thought you'd turn it down again for Dale's sake.”

“Has the lovesick girl finally come to her senses?”

I stared at the screen for a few seconds, then sent back a smiley face.

The Director had high hopes for me, and I'd turned her down so many times.

The chance to go to Berlin last year, the exchange in Singapore the year before,

every single time it came down to one line from Dale.

“What am I supposed to do if you leave?”

Back then it felt sweet. It felt like being needed, like giving up my career was worth it.

Now it just felt like a joke.

I opened the pinned chat.

“Are you back from your work dinner?”

Dale, who usually took forever to reply, answered in a second.

“Not yet, still in Harborview.”

Thinking of what I'd just overheard,

how many times, exactly, had he lied to me?

A delivery driver's voice came up the stairwell.

“Mr. Fox? Your sweet almond cakes are here.”

I turned to the side and saw my brother step out to take the order.

A moment later, Augusta sent a message.

“Nora, I forgot my brother had ordered delivery for me.”

“You don't have to buy any. Come back soon.”

After the driver left, I heard the three of them laughing together, easy and bright.

Eyes stinging, I walked over to the nurses' station

and asked about Augusta's condition.

“There's no one in the VIP room with stomach cramps.”

“Your friend is—”

The young nurse had a loud voice.

“Shh—the family said her condition is to be kept confidential, especially the pregnancy—”

The nurse beside her quickly cut in, keeping her voice low.

But I'd already heard.

“I'm so sorry, she's new and doesn't know the rules yet.”

“Your friend is fine, nothing serious. There's no need to worry.”

I nodded along and turned to go.

The next day, Dale came home with dark circles under his eyes.

“The insurance company said your car broke down. You weren't hurt, were you?”

“I was so worried I didn't sleep all night.”

He eased me into a chair and stroked my back with his broad palm.

Once he saw I was fine, he let out a breath.

For a second, it threw me.

He still cared about me the same way as before.

Except this man, who never bought regional treats, had come home with a pile of supplements.

He pulled a bouquet out from behind his back and smiled at me.

“I bought these especially for you in Harborview.”

“The roses you love.”

I caught sight of the tag on the bouquet.

It was identical to the one from the flower shop next to the hospital.

The flowers were in bright, full bloom, but the thorns dug into me until it hurt.

“We hardly ever take supplements at home. What did you buy so many of them for?”

“Augusta's sick, isn't she? They're for her.”

Dale said it as if it were nothing.

“I'll take care of Augusta from now on.”

“You've been looking after her for days. Get some proper rest.”

As he spoke, he carefully arranged the supplements on the table.

Premium collagen supplements, iron and prenatal supplements, and two boxes of ready-to-eat gourmet health supplements.

The boxes were stamped with gold lettering. One look told you they weren't cheap.