Lily’s Pov

On the day I lost my baby and almost lost my womb, my husband was across the hall in another woman’s hospital room, tending to her because she had an allergic reaction.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Reeds, there was nothing we could do. You're lucky you arrived here on time. If you had stayed out longer you would have lost your womb,” the doctor’s words echoed in my head.

That day had started like every other day. Andrew woke up and dressed up for work. This was the first time he had been sleeping at home for the past two weeks.

He returned from London on a business trip last night and I prepared his favorite food. He bade me goodbye and left.

A few hours later he called me in an urgent voice asking me to cook seafood and bring it to his office. At first, I wondered what he wanted to do with seafood because Andrew doesn't like it but he just hung up after ordering me to hurry up.

Like a dutiful housewife I went to the market and bought things then I started preparing the food. When I was done, I started driving toward Andrew’s office when out of nowhere a blizzard struck.

It was so sudden and unexpected that it caused a lot of accidents on the road. Among the cars involved in the accident was my car.

My car was hanging over a cliff and I was struggling to get out. My car somersaulted at least five times before it hung from the cliff.

My body ached and I had bruises all over. I could feel a sharp pain in my abdomen as I cried and called out for help.

I managed to get my phone and I saw a series of text messages and missed calls from Andrew. I dialed his number again and he picked up.

“Andrew… he…”

“How can you be so vicious, Lily?” Andrew’s cold voice interrupted me over the phone.

“But Andrew…” I tried to speak but he interrupted me again.

“Seafood! It was just a simple thing yet you couldn't do it. I take care of all your needs but you can't help me. Don't call me again!”

The line went dead in my ear as I gasped at the dial tone sounding. I tried calling him and texting him but there was no response.

Then I started screaming when my car started tilting downward almost like it wanted to go over the cliff. Nobody heard my voice and that's how my car started falling.

I closed my eyes, my mind heavy with sadness and anger as I realized my husband refused to speak to me or save me because of a seafood he doesn't eat.

However, before the car could land on the floor, a tractor caught it in mid-air. I was safely brought out of the car and taken to the hospital.

That's how the doctor informed me that I had been three weeks pregnant but the baby didn't survive due to the accident and if I hadn't been rescued earlier I would have lost my womb from excessive bleeding.

“Is there anyone you'd like us to call for you, Mrs. Reeds?” the doctor asked.

I blinked as I tried to clear my foggy mind and the memories of the past few hours filtered into my mind.

I shook my head, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat. My child was dead before I even got a chance to know about it.

“What about your husband?” the doctor asked.

His words struck a nerve as I stared at my phone. Forty missed calls and twenty messages within the past hour yet no response from Andrew. How could he be so cruel?

The doctor took my silence as an answer as he nodded and adjusted his glasses.

“I’ll leave you to rest up. You'll be discharged tomorrow after we’re certain no further damage can be done,” the doctor said.

I barely acknowledged the doctor as he turned to go, then he stopped abruptly and added, “If you need someone to talk to then we can recommend the best therapist.”

I gave him a vague look as I watched him walk away, closing the door softly behind him. I picked up my phone and dialed Andrew’s number again.

I heard his familiar ringing tone just down the hallway and I felt hope blossom in my chest. Andrew didn't entirely abandon me, he’s already here to see me.

But then the ringing stopped and I waited but Andrew didn't show up. I frowned, I was positive that was Andrew’s ringing tone. How many people use their customized voice as a ringing tone?

I stood up and winced softly as I walked out of my ward and dialed his number again. I walked down to the next room and I heard his phone ringing inside the room.

Before I could think, I pushed the door open. What I saw, chilled me to the bones.

Lily’s Pov

My husband was locked in a tight embrace with another woman as he caressed her hair with such tenderness that he'd never shown me these past few months.

“Andrew?” I called out, my voice sounding rough at the end.

My husband turned his forest-green eyes toward me and he frowned.

“What are you doing here?” he scowled at me, “Are you following me? Did you come to spy on us?”

“Andrew, I —” I started to say but he interrupted me sharply.

“Save it!” he snapped, “You’re vicious and you have the guts to spy on us? After everything I've done for you, a simple request is what you couldn't honor, now look at what you've done to her!”

He moved out of the way and I was able to see the woman. Despite the slight swelling on her face and her puffy eyes, I could recognize her anywhere.

It was Kira Bennett, my husband’s childhood friend who returned from London seven months ago. I frowned, why was she with my husband?

The scent of lilies and Jasmine wafted through the air and hit my nostrils like a shock flowing through my body. A small gasp escaped my lips as I suddenly realized why all these months, my husband was smelling different. When I asked him, he said he changed his shampoo.

True to his words, he changed them but standing in this room now the scent was overpowering and it was so feminine I knew it was Kira’s scent.

But maybe I was just overreacting and I couldn't be certain about everything.

“Really? After all, you put her through, you can't even ask what happened to her?” Andrew’s cold voice cut through the air, interrupting my thoughts.

“What happened to her?” I asked with a resigned sigh.

“She had an allergic reaction because of you! I told you to bring the fucking seafood but you didn't and when she went out to eat one she reacted!” Andrew snapped.

My breathing stopped for a bit as I stared at him, my mind racing and my eyes suddenly filling with tears. The seafood he had been hurrying me to bring which had caused me to have an accident and lose my baby was all because of Kira?

“How… why… did you not see all my calls and texts?!” I finally snapped.

Andrew seemed taken aback as he glared at me, “When you don't do what I say you should do, why should I pay you any attention?”

“Drew, let her be. I'm sure Lily was just busy,” Kira finally spoke.

“Busy?” Andrew scoffed, staring at me, “Apologize to Kira right now!”

“Apologize?” I gasped, shocked.

“That’s not necessary, Lily. What are you doing at the hospital?” Kira asked.

For a second I was grateful for the question, “I had an —”

“It hurts, Drew! Ouch!” Kira cried out suddenly, interrupting me.

Andrew turned his attention back to her as he hugged her, leaving me standing in front of the door without even bothering to know why I had shown up in the hospital.

Over his shoulders, I saw a smug expression on Kira’s face as she stared at me. It then hit me as I staggered back to my room. Kira had asked the question on purpose to show me that Andrew didn't care about me as much as he cared about her.

The rest of the day went by quickly as my mind kept going back to the subtle changes that had occurred with Andrew which I'd been too complacent to notice.

First seven months ago on our third wedding anniversary, he left our romantic dinner to go help pick up a friend from the airport. The friend who he later revealed was Kira when he invited her to join our anniversary date.

At that time I hadn't thought of it as anything but as I replayed the past seven months in my mind I realized I'd been too trusting with Andrew.

His late nights, late calls, new scent, but that was all there was. I didn't have much proof to show that Andrew was unfaithful. Maybe he just cared too much about his friend because she had escaped a violent marriage when she arrived and a few weeks later she found out she was pregnant.

It’s all probably in my head, I nodded as I drifted off to sleep.

The following day I was discharged and warned to avoid any strenuous activity. I went to check on Kira but the nurses informed me by gushing over how she was carried out bridal style by her husband after being discharged.

I tried not to think too much about it as I went back home in a cab. When I arrived I saw two footwear outside, that of my husband and a female footwear.

That's when I heard the voices coming from the kitchen. It belonged to Kira.

“Drew, are you certain about this? I don't want your wife to get upset and I don't want to intrude. Maybe you should discuss it with her first and let her know that I’ll be living here from now on.”

Lily’s Pov

My breath caught in my throat as my feet moved swiftly to the kitchen. Before I could stop myself I snapped, “You’ll be what?”

Andrew turned around at the sound of my voice and frowned, “Keep your voice down before you upset her.”

I scoffed, “Upset her? Why would you make such decisions without discussing it with me?”

“I’m sorry, Lily, it’s just my house had a gas leak this morning and Drew thought since I’m pregnant it’d be nice to bring me here. Please don't be upset, I’ll leave right now,” Kira said, tearing up.

I scoffed, I could see right through her pathetic act as she tried to stand up and leave but she groaned and almost fell. Instantly, Andrew was beside her as he held her.

“Rest, Kira, and eat up. I'll discuss it with Lily,” he said.

Kira nodded and sat down as she started munching on the plate of food in front of her. I was certain Andrew had made those pancakes. It had his signature smiley face he drew with honey syrup on it.

The last time he made me pancakes was seven months ago and he'd said it was our special dish now he was sharing that with Kira.

“Come with me,” he said sternly.

He took me to our bedroom and locked the doors.

“Kira has to stay here till she gives birth. I can't risk her staying alone beside, you owe her. She took a trip to the hospital yesterday thanks to you,” Andrew said.

I scoffed, “Yeah, like she was the only one in the hospital.”

Andrew sighed, “I’m sorry for not picking up your calls, Lily, but I was upset. Kira is pregnant and I'm sure you don't know how that feels because you've never been pregnant.”

His words cut so deep I bit the insides of my cheeks to choke down a sob as the doctor’s words echoed in my head again.

“We tried everything but we couldn't save the baby.”

“Lily, Kira’s father, helped me with my business years ago before he died and made me promise to look after Kira. I didn't do that and that was why she returned to us, beaten within an inch of her life. Every day I blame myself, maybe if I had helped her and kept my promise to her father she wouldn't have gone through that. Now we have a chance to help her, don’t you agree, Lily? It’s just for a few months,” Andrew’s voice pulled me back to reality.

I blinked back the tears and looked away, the same old story he's been telling me anytime I complained the last few months that he's paying more attention to Kira than me.

“She’s pregnant, Lily!”

“I let her father down, Lily!”

“Without her father, I wouldn't be the man I am today and you wouldn't be enjoying my wealth, Lily.”

“She’s been through hell, Lily, sympathize with her!”

“Yeah, whatever!” I snapped.

He hugged me and kissed my forehead, “You’re the best!” Then he wrinkled his nose and stared at me, “Why do you smell like antiseptic?”

“Drew!” Kira’s voice sounded from the sitting room and just like that the concern that had been on Andrew’s face a few seconds ago faded as he rushed out of the bedroom.

I stayed in the bedroom until I heard the sound of Andrew’s car as he drove off. I'm sure he was heading to work.

A few minutes later the door opened and Kira walked into the room with a haughty expression on her face.

“I love this room, Lily, I’ll tell Andrew to give me this room when he returns,” she said.

I smiled coldly at her, “Whatever you want, Kira.”

Kira giggled, clapping her hands excitedly, “Yes! You've finally accepted the fact that I'm superior to you and the woman your husband loves.”

“Keep dreaming, Kira,” I stated.

Kira laughed, “Oh, and by the way, Drew didn't see any of those messages. I made sure of it.”

My eyes widened in anger, “You monster, I could have died!”

Kira shrugged, “It would have made things easier for my son. I'm sure he wouldn't want to share Drew with anyone else.”

“Just wait, I’ll tell Andrew about this and he’ll know you’re just putting on an act,” I threatened but Kira merely laughed.

“You still don't get it, do you? Andrew is mine! Maybe you need a lesson for you to realize that,” Kira said.

I ignored her and walked out. I needed to stock up on groceries now that we had another mouth to fill plus I didn't want to spend a second with Kira in that house knowing that she knew I lost my baby and didn't say anything, I might throttle her!

I was determined to tell Andrew the truth tonight, he didn't know anything and he was being manipulated by Kira.

I finished shopping and went to the library to read and clear my head. I must have lost track of time because when my phone beeped it was already evening.

I frowned when I saw it was a message from Kira. I opened it and saw a picture of Andrew kissing her. The phone fell from my head with a clatter as I shook my head.

No… it can't be… Andrew will never…

Gasping for breath I hailed a taxi and headed back home certain Kira was playing a prank on me. But when I saw Andrew’s car in the driveway my heart sank.

I rushed toward the house as I heard the unmistakable sound of moans coming from my bedroom.