I took a deep breath as I pressed my hand on my belly gently while clutching onto the report with my other hand.

“Have you decided, Miss Ashley?”

I nodded, patting gently on the life growing inside me, before I left.

It had been five years of my marriage with Ace, and I had finally conceived. Ace had always wanted a child. Recently, he even had been searching about baby’s necessities, and essentials. This news was going to make him happy.

Today was going to be the happiest day in my life until my other reports came out, and I was stopped by the doctor for an emergency.

“You've gastric cancer.” The doctor advised me to terminate my pregnancy, and start cancer treatment.

Disappointment, and fear washed over me. It made me hurt, and felt unbearable that I couldn't be there for my baby. I couldn't watch my baby grow up, with Ace. I was afraid but I had made up my mind.

I wasn't going to terminate the pregnancy. This was going to be my last gift for Ace — our baby.

The doctor's words and the report still budged me, but I decided not to let him know. These months that were left for me, I wanted to have my child with Ace. I didn't want to let him know, and got worried and unhappy.

I called Ace to pick me up, hoping that I could give him the good news, but the call got intercepted.

He must have been busy. Just then, a notification popped up on my phone.

“Hey guys, our Elena is back.”

My heart sank immediately as I read the message on the group chat. Elena, my husband's ex, had returned.

Though I had loved Ace for seven years already, while still in college, Ace was with Elena at that time. His dream girl. I liked him, but could never be with him. Until Elena left him to study abroad.

Ace had just gone through a heartbreak, and I stayed by his side since then. He still loved Elena, and didn't reciprocate my feelings. But soon he stopped being cold toward me. In the end, he proposed to me.

Everyone said that I took Elena’s place, and used the opportunity while she was away, taking me as a ‘scheming bitch.’

The text messages were filled with ridicules for me. My heart throbbed as I read: “Ashley is definitely going to be abandoned now. I don't like that gold digger.”

I bit my lips as I sighed, and took a breath. Ace was now married to me, and was a good husband. I shouldn't listen to their words.

I decided to shake off my worries, and messaged Ace, “I'll be waiting for you at home, your favorite restaurant today. Come soon, honey.”

I took the cab, and went to the restaurant, waiting for him.

This was the restaurant he always liked to visit, this is where we spent our time, I confessed to him, and where Ace proposed to me.

I waited for him patiently, hoping he'd come soon. Though I decided to face my death happily, I still hoped to get a hug. I wanted to see Ace’s excited face once I gave him the good news. But hours passed, and Ace didn't appear. I checked the phone, and it showed he read my text. I called Ace again, and again but in vain.

Tired, I was still going to wait for him without touching any of the food I ordered. However, just then a notification popped up.

“Welcome back, the always gorgeous Elena. You're still the most beautiful woman I have ever met.” My heart dropped as I read Ace’s post, tagging Elena, with a photo of theirs, cuddling each other intimately.

My fingers trembled as I immediately went to the college group chat when I saw a message. Everyone had been invited to a reunion for Elena’s welcome return, thrown by my husband, Ace. Only I wasn't aware of this, while I kept waiting for him. To give him the news that he was going to be a father.

While cancer was slowly consuming me, he was busy throwing his ex a welcome party.

Taking a deep breath, I searched the place where the party was happening. It was an hour away from the restaurant. I pondered if I should return home, and wait for him instead, but I needed to see Ace right that moment.

Was he still in love with Elena like everyone said?

Ace had changed since Elena left. He became cold, but he slowly changed his feelings toward me. We soon got together, and had a happy married life.

However, he started coming late, and was always busy in these recent months. Sometimes, he didn't return home in a week. I missed him.

I had to go to the party.

*****

Walking inside the loud bar, I made it to them. My heart felt suffocating with the loud music, it was unbearable.

As I was about to give Ace a surprise hug from the behind, I froze, my eyes widened.

“One kiss! One kiss! One kiss!” Everyone screamed when Ace wrapped Elena in his arms, and kissed her over her lips, passionate and gentle.

“Yay!” their cheers became louder, but all I could focus on was Ace, and Elena.

Just then Dave spotted me, and his face soured. “What are you doing here?”

Dave was Ace’s friend, who never liked me. Or, rather couldn't stand me.

I walked up, trying to maintain a calm composure. After all, it was just a ‘dare.’

As I watched Ace, he instinctively rubbed the lipstick mark on his face. “It was a dare.” He said nonchalantly.

I simply nodded, and sat beside Ace. Though I appeared calm, my heart completely shattered on the scene. A dare?

My thoughts were interrupted as Dave scoffed, “What's there to explain? Can't you even play dare now? Or, will she get jealous just because of such a petty matter?”

Before Ace could reply, I interrupted sarcastically, “Of course, I understand that it was just a dare. I don't remember I said anything or did I? Oh, yeah, it'd be extremely petty of me to say something when my husband kisses his ex for a dare, isn't it?”

“Ashley!” Ace screamed.

Dave’s face glistened with anger as he said, “I don't remember you were invited. Shouldn't you at least be ashamed that you came uninvited?”

I tilted my head in confusion. “Weren't we all invited? Can't I come to the party my husband threw?” I said, while showing him the message in the group.

Dave’s brows furrowed. “I forgot, you were still in the group. But you should at least be understanding that Elena doesn't want to see you.”

At last, Elena placed the wine glass on the table, and interrupted, “Don't be like this, guys. Of course, we're all good friends, and Ashley is Ace’s wife so, of course she is invited.”

“You're just too kind.”

Elena stood up, and offered me a glass of wine. “Hope you don't mind them. They're just unhappy for me.”

My lips parted, and I shook my head at the wine. I had cancer, and was carrying a baby. I can't take the glass of wine. “I can't drink wine.”

Elena’s face twitched. “Is it because you're unhappy with my return? Or, about what happened just now? It was just a dare, Ashley. It meant nothing. I didn't think you'd mind that.”

“You think too much, I can't have wine right now.”

“Don't be so arrogant, Ashley! Since, she's offering it to you, have it!” David spoke.

Ace frowned, and whispered in my ears, “Just drink it.”

I shook my head when Ace’s voice grew louder. “What's with you? When did you stop drinking wine? Are you messing here? Just have it.”

I frowned, and said out loud, “I won't have it!”

Elena sighed, and grabbed Ace’s arms. “It's okay, it's just a drink… Maybe she doesn't like me.”

Ace massaged his forehead, and took the glass of wine from Elena as he forcefully opened my mouth, and forced me to gulp the wine down.

I coughed, and my insides felt like it burnt as Ace let me go, and I pushed him aside.

“Don't be dramatic.” Ace said coldly when I stared at him with anger.

I stood up, feeling pain in my stomach, trying to suppress my anger as I walked towards the door.

“Ashley, come back.”

I paid no attention to his words, and opened the words when Ace said, frustrated, “If you leave, don't bother to come back. Not even in my house.”

I sneakered, looking away as I held on to my stomach, and let the tears drop as I walked out of there.

Here I was carrying my child for him despite my cancer, and ready to give up my life. But here, he was with his ex, and his ‘friends’ were humiliating me.

As I walked out of the bar, my legs gave up, and I dropped on my knees. The pain was suffocating, and it dulled my senses. My vision blurred, and I couldn't look properly.

“I have to go to the hospital,” I murmured, trying to walk to the hospital when I almost crashed into a car, but a hand pulled me from behind.

“ARE YOU TRYING TO DIE?”

I fell to his chest, unable to balance myself.

“Ashley?”

Did he know me? I managed to look up for a moment when I saw Asher.

Asher Parker, the CEO of Fortune Corp Company. I had met him a few times while I helped Ace deal with other businessmen. He was Ace’s enemy. They were business competitors, and were never on good terms. And, I— I had only met him when Ace wanted to avoid him, or when I stopped their fights.

I frowned, and tried to push him away, and walk but I ended up falling into his arms again.

“Don't move,” he said, pulling me closer. Strange, I felt relieved and relaxed in his arms. His voice was cold, but I could hear a strange gentleness from it which comforted me.

“Hng,” I cried out as the pain kicked in again, and I wrapped him tighter, wincing in pain.

“How the fuck does your husband take care off you?”

I laughed at his words as tears dropped from my eyes. “He is busy with his ex, no, his true lover, and his friend right now.”

He frowned as he pulled me up in his arms when I shook in pain. “What are you doing?”

“Can you walk?”

I went silent, my senses were dull and I barely had any strength left.

“Strange. You don't seem to drink much.”

“Take me to hospital…” I murmured slowly and let a tear drop as I heard him, and soon, my consciousness faded.

*****

As I woke up, I found myself still in Asher’s arms. I tried to push him away as I watched him carry me on the way to the doctor's.

“Don't be embarrassed. You fainted right now so, don't be strenuous.”

I took a deep breath, and stopped saying a word to him. It was futile.

All this time, he didn't let go off me, and continued to care for me. It felt as if he was Ace, my husband. But, it was funny, my husband was with his ex at this moment while I was accompanied by his enemy.

I could hear the gossips among the patients, and nurses, taking us as a couple, but I paid no attention. Soon, the doctor came to check us up with my reports.

“I don't know what's happening but your report seems off. I'd recommend you to go through some scans.”

My lips parted, and I hesitated for a moment. “There is no need. I'm pregnant.”

The doctor’s lips widened. “Oh, this is sweet!” he paused for a moment, before adding, “but, this report still doesn't seem to match. It's best if you check your body for yourself, and your baby.”

I heaved a sigh. “I wasn't finished, doctor. I have gastric cancer.”

The doctor's face paled, and went silent.

“What the heck?” Asher asked in surprise.

“I… I'm sorry.”

“It's fine.”

“Well, can your husband sign the paperwork?”

“He isn't my husband.” I paused for a minute, before adding, “Neither my boyfriend, nor my family member. And… I'm divorcing my husband soon.”

The doctor blankly nodded in a loss of words, and gave me the paperwork, which I signed without taking another look. “Can I meet Dr. Smith, right now?”

“Yeah, he's free.”

I smiled, getting up, my hands still tied with the saline as I staggered myself at his office. Asher followed me behind quietly.

Just as I was entering, I turned towards him. “Can you come with me?”

He looked at me wide-eyed when I shrugged. “I don't want to go through all of this alone…”

I was about to enter when he grabbed my hands and nodded, before pushing the door open.

“Miss Ashley?” the doctor asked in surprise as we entered.

“Doctor, I've thought about it. I'll go with the treatment.” I paused for a moment before adding, “I'll abort the baby.”