"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."