Chapter 3

3.

The ambulance arrived safely at the hospital, and the nurses rushed me out.

"Make way, make way! Patient needs emergency treatment!"

Everyone automatically stepped aside, clearing a path for the medical staff.

The surgery required a family member's signature. The doctor repeatedly called my emergency contact.

But after over a dozen calls, no one picked up.

When I was brought in, I clearly saw him accompanying Amberley.

He was right here in the hospital, just a few hallways away from me.

But even across such a short distance, he never showed up for me.

Just as I was about to give up, the doctor excitedly held the phone to my ear. "It connected!"

I was just about to open my mouth when Colton beat me to it.

"Blair, are you out of your damn mind? Calling me this many times is so fucking annoying."

"Hurry up and clean the house. Amberley needs to stay with us for a couple of days. And cook a few dishes. Oh, she's burned, so avoid seafood and spicy stuff. Write that down and don't embarrass me."

Before he hung up, I even heard Amberley using a sickly sweet voice beside him.

"Colton, my hand is burned too. It can't leave a scar, or it'll look so ugly!"

Colton coaxed her with a gentle tone, blowing softly on her wound.

In the past, when I got hurt, Colton used to gently blow on my injuries too, as if that would magically make the pain go away.

But when did everything change? The Colton who used to love me deeply was long gone.

Everyone stood frozen at the door of the emergency room. Perhaps they hadn't seen someone so disgusting in their entire lives.

I no longer held any hope for him.

Already incredibly weak, I suddenly felt a heavy, dragging pain in my lower stomach.

The throbbing agony made my face turn completely pale.

I grabbed the doctor next to me in a panic. "My baby..."

"The patient is hemorrhaging! Get her into the OR, now!"

When the surgery was over, I slowly woke up.

As I opened my eyes, I was greeted by stark white walls and the heavy scent of bleach. A continuous, intense pain radiated from my back.

I was just about to press the call button to ask the nurse about my condition when I heard whispering outside the door.

"The patient in this room is so pitiful. After the procedure to clear her womb, no family members have shown up at all. I heard she's a firefighter's fiancée, too."

"I guess her partner must be out on a mission. He has to be busy, otherwise why would he ignore his woman and his lost baby?"

Yes, he was definitely busy.

Busy taking care of another woman.

My eyes felt dry as I slowly raised my hand and placed it over my flat stomach.

My baby... was it really gone?

A single fire burned away all my love for Colton, and it took my baby away too.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh, marveling at my own terrible taste in men.

He didn't even care about this child he had looked forward to for so long.

I still remember Colton saying before that he loved kids and was so excited for us to have one.

He even picked out two names. If it was a boy, he'd be Orion, for the vast stars.

If it was a girl, she'd be Dawn, for new hope.

I originally wanted to give him this surprise before our wedding.

But looking at it now, there was no point in ever telling him.

Just then, Colton found his way to my hospital room.

He kicked the door open violently, scaring the little nurses gossiping outside so much that they scrambled away.

"Blair, I was only gone for a little while and you trashed the house like this! You really are a vicious bitch. I told you to put the fire out, but I bet you did this on purpose! The curtains Amberley gave us are burned to dust!"

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