In that moment, Renata's words echoed through my mind. I flipped my phone around and screenshotted both of Tilda's posts, saving them.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Since you love showing off so much, let's make sure everyone gets a good look.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Xavier was personally feeding Tilda seafood chowder, one spoonful at a time.

Suddenly, Tilda let out a little gasp, her voice laced with feigned concern.

"Xavier, where's Maggie? I haven't seen her all day. You don't think something happened to her, do you?"

Xavier froze. He pulled out his phone and dialed my number, again and again. No one picked up.

An unexplainable unease crept over him. Tilda, who had been watching his every reaction from the corner of her eye, felt a flash of jealousy. She spoke up again.

"Don't worry. Why don't you check with the rescue team first, see if there were any casualties that day?"

Xavier nodded and contacted the rescue team. After a round of questions, he learned there had been no casualties during the earthquake.

Tilda continued, her tone light and casual.

"Maggie's young. She probably just got caught up having fun somewhere."

Xavier's brow furrowed. Displeasure flickered across his face.

"But you went through something this serious, and she couldn't even be bothered to come check on you? She's family. That's just disrespectful."

Tilda shook her head gently.

"It's fine. I really don't mind."

Xavier reached over and flicked her forehead affectionately.

"That's because you're too understanding for your own good."

"If she's fine, then I won't bother with her for now."

On my end, I was giving Renata her final instructions.

"He should be at the hospital with his precious stepmom. Just go straight there and get him to sign."

"I'll walk away with nothing. As long as I get the divorce, none of the rest matters."

Renata nodded firmly.

"Relax. Your best friend happens to be one of the top divorce attorneys in the city. Consider it handled."

After she left with the agreement, my phone rang. It was my dad.

"Maggie, I couldn't stop him. That childhood friend of yours from the Delgado family already hopped on a plane back to the States to find you!"

"You're going to have to deal with this one yourself!"

Before I could get a single word in, he hung up, guilt practically radiating through the dead line.

I stared at the darkened screen and let out a helpless laugh.

"Thanks, Dad. You really know how to make my life harder."

I hadn't seen Max Delgado in five years.

Back at the hospital, Tilda had somehow ended up in Xavier's arms. Renata walked in on exactly that scene, and she exploded. She jabbed a finger straight at Xavier's face.

"Well, well, well! No wonder Maggie's been a wreck. You've been sleeping with your own stepmother! You disgusting piece of trash!"

Xavier's brow creased. His voice came out flat and cold.

"Watch your mouth. What goes on between me and my stepmother is none of your business."

"And if you don't know how to speak properly, I'd be happy to teach you."

But Renata wasn't the type to be intimidated. She scoffed right back at him.

"You think being some Capital Circle golden boy gives you the right to push me around? I'm a Simmons. Try me."

"You look so polished on the outside. Who knew you were this rotten underneath? What an act."

Xavier was about to lose his temper, but when he registered her last name, he reined himself in. His tone shifted, measured and low.

"So. What exactly are you here for?"

Renata let out a cold laugh and straightened her blazer.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm your wife's divorce attorney."

The words landed like a slap. Xavier shot to his feet.

"What did you just say? Maggie wants to divorce me?"

"That's impossible. She would never."

Renata tossed the divorce papers onto the table in front of him, her smile dripping with contempt.

"Sign. Now. Unless you'd prefer we do this the hard way in court."

Xavier picked up the divorce papers in disbelief, flipping through them again and again. His gaze finally landed on my signature, but he still shook his head.

"No. Not possible. Tell Maggie to come say it to my face."

Renata rolled her eyes. "She doesn't want to see you. Either sign, or wait for a court summons."

She turned to leave, but Xavier stopped her.

"Wait. Tomorrow. I want to see her at the place we first met."

"Tell her to bring the papers."

Renata didn't even look back. "I'll pass it along."

After Renata left, Tilda finally spoke up. "Xavier, Maggie must have misunderstood something. Let me go talk to her tomorrow and clear things up."

When Renata got back, she threw her arms around me, her voice cracking. "Maggie, I really thought you were happy. I had no idea Xavier was such a piece of garbage."

She pulled back, steadying herself. "He said he'll sign tomorrow, but only if you bring the papers yourself. To the place you two first met."

"Are you going?"

I went quiet for a moment, then nodded. "I'm going. He has to sign."

The next day, I arrived to find Tilda sitting alone on a park bench. The moment she spotted me, she walked straight over.

"Maggie, how could you just divorce him like this?"

I took a step back. "Where's Xavier?"

A flicker of amusement passed through her eyes. "He'll be here any minute. Just wait."

The next second, Tilda grabbed my hand and threw herself to the ground, clutching her ankle and crying out in pain.

The force of it sent me crashing into the park bench. My stomach slammed against the edge.

My face went white. I pressed both hands to my abdomen and looked up to see Xavier cradling Tilda, his face twisted with fury as he glared at me.

"Maggie, I never thought you could be this vicious!"

I didn't answer. My hands were shaking. I pointed at the divorce papers.

"Sign... them...!"

Xavier froze for a beat, then snatched up the papers in a rage, scrawled his name across them, and hurled them at my face.

"You've gone too far this time, Maggie. Don't you dare expect me to forgive you!"

He turned and strode away with Tilda in his arms. Over his shoulder, I caught Tilda raising an eyebrow at me, a smug taunt written all over her face.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911, then pressed my palm gently against my lower belly.

"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy can't let you be born into a family like this..."

I couldn't hold on any longer. Everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed with an IV drip in my arm. Xavier sat beside me.

His expression was complicated, unreadable. He spoke softly.

"The baby's gone. It's gone. We can have another one later."

"Just come with me now and apologize to Tilda. I'll forgive you. We'll pretend today never happened."

I let out a cold, scornful laugh.

"Xavier, you're delusional. I'm never apologizing, and I never want anything to do with you again."

Xavier shot to his feet. He grabbed the IV needle and ripped it out of my arm. The sharp sting tore a cry from my throat, but he didn't care. He yanked me up from the bed in one rough motion.

"Tilda's been crying ever since she got back. She keeps blaming herself, saying it was all her fault. She swallowed her pride and went to find you first, and you can't even do the same?"

I struggled with everything I had, but Xavier didn't so much as glance at me. He dragged me down the hall to Tilda's room and threw me to the floor.

"Apologize!"

My eyes burned red. Tears pooled but refused to fall. I clenched my teeth.

"She fell on her own. Why should I apologize?"

Something flickered in Xavier's eyes, a brief crack of hesitation. But then Tilda burst into tears on the bed, and before anyone could speak, she slid off the mattress and dropped to her knees in front of me.

"Maggie, I'm so sorry. If it weren't for me, you and Xavier would never have ended up like this. Once my foot heals, I'll leave. I'll go far away from you both."

"Please don't divorce Xavier. Please?"

I stared at Tilda in utter disbelief. Whatever flicker of hesitation Xavier might have felt vanished in an instant. He grabbed the back of my head and slammed my forehead into the floor.

"Apologize to my stepmother, Maggie!"

"You have no respect. No matter what, Tilda is my stepmother. She's our elder!"

I struggled, but it was useless. My body was growing weaker by the second from the miscarriage. Blood streamed down my forehead from where it had struck the ground, and just as consciousness began slipping away, a voice cut through the room, shaking with fury.

"Xavier. Touch her one more time. I dare you."