Ezekiel's eyes widened in shock, and Rebecca quickly stepped between us.

With an aggrieved tone, she said, "Maisie, if you don't want to, that's fine. Don't make things harder for Ezekiel. I'll go to the hospital right now and end the pregnancy!"

Her tone was so determined that Ezekiel immediately wrapped his arms around her waist.

However, the look he gave me was cold enough to send chills down my spine. "Maisie Shaffer, Rebecca is your sister. Do you really have to push her this far?!"

My mom's expression was full of disgust. "I told you we shouldn't have said anything to her. She's been jealous of Rebecca since they were kids and always has to compete for everything. How could she possibly accept this baby?"

As she spoke, my mom shoved me hard. "Get out! You're only going to upset Rebecca further!"

I stumbled back, my heart pounding painfully against my ribs, every beat making my nerves shake. My eyes burned red as I stood frozen in place, shouting, "Mom! Am I not your daughter, too?"

It was the first time I had ever yelled at her, and she froze in place while the others seemed equally stunned by my outburst.

Then, Rebecca began to cry in anguish.

Before I could react, a strong force slammed me against the wall. The cold impact made my entire body jolt forward, and Ezekiel's hand clamped onto my wrist like a vise.

He hissed, "Get out! When you finally come to your senses and agree to accept the baby, I'll think about letting you back in!"

The front door flew open, and a rush of cold wind cut straight through me. I clutched the doorway, tasting blood as I forced the words out through clenched teeth. "This is my home. If someone's leaving, it shouldn't be me!"

I rarely cried, and for a moment, Ezekiel seemed dazed. However, the hesitation in his eyes quickly vanished when Rebecca's sobs reached him from behind.

"I should be the one to leave! Mom, Dad, please take me to the hospital. Ezekiel, I don't want the baby anymore. I don't want you anymore either..." she wailed.

"Are you satisfied now, Maisie?" Ezekiel hissed.

As I met his cold and sharp gaze, my heart broke completely.

The next second, the door slammed shut violently, crushing my fingers in the process. The excruciating pain that shot from my fingertips straight to my heart made me scream. Even so, the pain in my chest hurt even more.

Cold sweat poured down my face as I nearly collapsed to my knees, looking up at Ezekiel's completely indifferent expression.

He felt like a stranger. The man who had once sworn to treat me well seemed to have died somewhere in my memories.

Ezekiel grabbed my jaw roughly. "Maisie, if you don't want a divorce, then apologize to Rebecca. Tell her you'll accept the baby and that you'll treat it as your own after it's born."

I clenched my teeth, the pain making my words come out in broken gasps. "Divorce? I'm the one divorcing you..."

Ezekiel could not make out what I was saying clearly.

Just then, my mom's voice came from behind him. "Ezekiel, I'm Maisie's mother, and I know her. Once she learns her lesson, she'll back down. You're just too soft on her."

Ezekiel frowned, clearly taking her words to heart. Then, he reached for the door again, aiming to crush my fingers a second time.

My eyes widened in horror as I stumbled backward, forgetting that the staircase was right behind me.

Just before gravity took over, Ezekiel lunged forward to grab me. However, Rebecca's calling his name from inside made him hesitate, and he could only watch as I tumbled down the stairs.

Every part of my body was screaming in agony as I curled up at the landing, my entire body drenched in cold sweat. Warm liquid flowed out from beneath me, and I forced my eyes open to see a shocking red flooding my vision.

For a second, it was as if I saw that kitten from my childhood again, the one Rebecca had killed. Its soft little body had gone stiff in my hands, and now I was just like it, broken and helpless.

I could not stop shaking, puking, and crying.

My parents rushed out of their room, and Ezekiel followed them down the stairs.

"Maisie, are you okay? I'll take you to the hospital!" he said urgently.

However, the moment he touched me, Rebecca let out a bloodcurdling scream from inside the room. "Mom, Dad, my stomach hurts so bad..."

Everyone's attention immediately snapped to Rebecca. Ezekiel did not even look back as he abandoned me there and carried the pale-faced Rebecca toward the hospital.

My parents crowded around Rebecca, fussing over her.

"Rebecca, hang in there. I'll take you to the hospital right now!" she said frantically.

"Call the hospital right now and have the best doctor waiting. If both the mother and child come through this safely, I'll donate two research wings to the hospital!" my dad barked.

No one noticed me lying there at the bottom of the stairs, barely clinging to life.

The pain was unbearable, so I reached out and grabbed Ezekiel's pant leg, pleading desperately. "Take me to the hospital... save me... I have a baby too..."

"A baby? You're pregnant too?" My mom's gaze fell on the blood pooling beneath me, and she froze.

"That's impossible! Maisie has had a bad habit of lying since she was a kid. She must be making this up!" my dad scoffed.

How ridiculous. They were the ones who had been lying all this time!

My dad's words not only dismissed my mom's concerns but also Ezekiel's.

He gave me one final look. "When you finally come to your senses, I'll take you to the hospital."

After that, the four of them turned and left without looking back.

My heart was completely shattered. I threw up a mouthful of blood and had no idea how long I lay there before I finally managed to crawl off the floor. Blood dripped one drop after another onto the ground.

Holding onto the railing, I made my way downstairs, every step feeling like my bones were being ripped apart. My body was breaking down, but the baby inside me, the one that was slipping away, was somehow the only thing keeping me going.

Just like that dead kitten.

When the kitten died, I once thought about jumping out the window. However, I did not. I told myself to live, to love myself.

When I met Ezekiel, I had thought the person who would love me had finally appeared, but it turned out to be just another massive lie. The man who had once sworn eternal devotion had become nothing more than a weapon Rebecca used against me.

A kind stranger called an ambulance for me. Sadly, by the time I reached the hospital, the baby was already gone.

When I woke up, the doctor gently informed me that I might never be able to become a mother in the future. I sat numbly on the hospital bed, letting the tears stream down my face.

Just then, Ezekiel burst through the door. When he saw my tear-stained face, his expression faltered.

"Maisie, if you really can't accept this..." he said.

"I accept it," I said, cutting him off.

When he met my empty gaze, Ezekiel's heart must have skipped a beat. However, he quickly convinced himself that I was simply giving in again because I loved him too much.

He held my hand, and, for once, his tone was soft. "Maisie, we'll have our baby one day."

'Ezekiel, we're over,' I thought. I did not say a word as he carried me out of the room and into another department.

When the thick needle pierced my skin, I gave a bitter laugh. I should have known he was lying again. All those comforting words were just to get me to agree to another blood transfusion for Rebecca.

Outside, I heard my parents telling the doctor to take as much blood as they needed, as long as Rebecca was safe. My supposedly numbed heart twisted in pain once more.

I gave Ezekiel a pale smile. "You don't have to keep up the act. I already know the truth," I said.

Before Ezekiel could react, my parents walked into the room looking shocked.

"When did you find out?"

The blood draw finally finished, and I braced myself against the table, swaying unsteadily. "Mom, Dad, I've repaid everything I owe you. I'm leaving."

My dad's face flushed with anger. "Maisie, are you threatening your parents? I'd like to see where exactly you think you can go!"

My mom took a deep breath. "Since you know everything, there's no point hiding it. Rebecca's in love with Ezekiel, and this is the first time she's ever liked someone this much. As her older sister, shouldn't you step aside for her?

"You can leave if you want, and you can come back after Rebecca gives birth. The doctor said her pregnancy is unstable, and we can't risk anything happening to her," she said.

They still did not get that I was never coming back. I would do exactly what they wanted and disappear from their lives completely.

Soon, a nurse came to inform us that Rebecca was awake. The heavy tension in the room faded, and my parents sighed in relief before abandoning me again.

Before Ezekiel left, he suddenly turned back and kissed me roughly. "I'll have someone take you to another city for a while. When you come back, I'll make it up to you."

I suppressed both my disgust and the urge to laugh. After he left, I limped my way home.

I quickly packed my things and headed to the airport. Before my flight took off, I left the family group chat and blocked everyone's contact information.

Before blocking Ezekiel, I sent him one final message.

[What's done is done. We'll never see each other again.]

...

Third-Person Perspective:

Back at the hospital, Ezekiel felt restless after finishing consoling Rebecca. He stepped out into the hallway, suddenly craving a cigarette after years of quitting.

Just as irritation was building inside him, his assistant called. "Mr. Roberts, Mrs. Roberts's hospital room is empty. There's no one at the house either, but we found two things."

Ezekiel's voice trembled without him realizing it. "What two things?"

"A pregnancy report and a signed divorce agreement."