I spent the day at the hospital, with many of my college friends coming to visit, except for Jane.

When I went out to get some fresh air, I suddenly heard her voice in the hallway.

"Jane, you're already here. Why not go in and see her?"

Jane snorted. "Why should I? I stole her boyfriend back then, so she probably hates my guts right now. Seeing me today already stressed her out. I'm not about to go in and make things worse."

One of my friends sighed. "But didn't you two get along well back then? How did it come to this?"

Jane laughed like she had heard the biggest joke. "Whoever said we were close? I only approached her to use her to meet Eddy. After all, he was the campus heartthrob, and his family is rich. Who wouldn't want to be a wealthy wife?"

There was a pause before my friend asked, "What about Rylen? He's just as good as Eddy, if not better."

Jane's voice dripped with disdain. "Things that are right in front of you aren't as interesting as something you have to fight for."

I stood outside the hallway, my fingers slowly tightening into fists.

When I returned to my ward, Rylen immediately came over and gave my nose a playful rub. "I told you not to run around, you little troublemaker."

I looked at the smile on his face, and for a moment, the bitterness in my chest faded.

Because it seemed like I wasn't the only one being treated like a pawn.

…

The next day, I was discharged, but Rylen didn't come. Theo explained, "Mr. Huff is catching up with Mr. Rhodes at home."

"Mr. Rhodes?"

"Yeah, the chairman, Mr. Hayden Rhodes. He has been abroad for years. He just came back to visit."

When we returned to the villa, there was an elderly man sitting in the living room.

He leaned on a cane. His presence was so overwhelming that even Rylen seemed subdued.

When I walked in, both of them looked up. In that brief moment of eye contact, Hayden suddenly stood up. "You… You're…"

Rylen was startled. "Mr. Rhodes, this is my wife. What's wrong?"

Hayden seemed to snap back to reality. He cleared his throat softly. "Nothing. She just looks so much like my late wife."

Rylen froze for a second, then chuckled. "Well, that's quite the compliment."

After he introduced me, we started preparing for dinner.

At the dinner table, Hayden patted Rylen's shoulder, his voice thick with a sense of relief and pride.

"I've never had much luck in life, and I have no children to carry on my name. I'll be relying on you to carry the company forward. Now that you've started your own family, and your wife is pregnant, I can finally feel at ease."

Rylen nodded and reassured him. "Don't worry. I'll take charge of the company. I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

After dinner, we saw Hayden off. Before he left, he turned around and gave me a long, lingering look. For some reason, that gaze felt eerily familiar.

I didn't think too much of it and went upstairs to pack a few important things.

Tomorrow, not only would the baby be gone, but so would I and every trace of my existence.

But as I was packing, I realized that the sapphire necklace I had recently bought was missing.

I rummaged through my vanity and drawers, but I couldn't find it.

Finally, my eyes landed on a gift box on Rylen's desk. It was exquisitely wrapped, clearly meant for someone else.

I walked over and opened it.

Inside was my sapphire necklace. Next to it was a card with two lines of text. "I've done so much for you. When will you look at me just once?"

There was no doubt who it was for.

At that moment, I actually laughed out of pure frustration.

It turned out that the proud Rylen could be reduced to this in front of the woman he loved.

As I stared at the words, the pain in my chest was so sharp I felt like I couldn't breathe.

The next second, I ripped off my wedding ring and tossed it into the gift box.

Since he loved her so much, I'd give them both a gift they'd never forget.

The next morning, I put on a beautiful dress.

Leaning against the doorframe, Rylen looked at me and chuckled. "You're just going to watch a movie. Why are you dressed so formally?"

Before I left, he bent down and kissed my forehead. His voice was incredibly gentle as he said, "I'll pick you up once the meeting's over."

I nodded and quietly said, "Okay."

…

Half an hour later, I was sitting in the hospital waiting room.

The nurse stood by my side, making one final confirmation. "Ms. Bender, are you absolutely sure about this? You've undergone so many rounds of IVF. Your body is fragile. If you go through with the abortion now, you might never be able to have children again."

I took the papers without hesitation and replied slowly, "I want to terminate the pregnancy. Even if I die on the operating table today, I want it gone."

The nurse froze for a second, clearly shocked by my resolve.

After signing the documents, I changed into the surgical gown and prepared to head to the operating room.

Just then, my phone suddenly started vibrating wildly. The screen flashed with Rylen's name.

I picked it up.

The moment I answered, I heard his panicked voice on the other end. "Clare, let me explain. It's not what you think! That gift box… That gift box isn't—"

His voice faltered, filled with a panic I'd never heard from him before.

Just then, the nurse's voice cut through the air. "Ms. Bender, the surgery is about to begin. Please turn off your phone."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

The next second, Rylen's breath hitched, as though an invisible hand had clamped around his throat.

Then, he completely lost it. "Surgery? What surgery? Didn't you go to watch a movie? Clare Bender, where the hell are you right now?"

His voice was shaking with terror, as if he were on the edge of losing his mind.

I simply stared at the screen, swiped to end the call, and turned my phone off.