Chapter 2

2

I looked at them. The concern in their eyes seemed so genuine, so untainted by anything else.

But as Logan wiped my tears, I caught a glimpse of something in Lindsey's eyes. Behind the worry, there was a flash of agony and loss.

Her eyes were even redder than mine. I realized I had never truly looked at how they interacted before.

All that bickering and mutual dislike was just a thin veil. Beneath the surface, there was a raging ocean of hidden emotions.

The pain in my stomach intensified, making my whole body shake. As I leaned into Logan's chest, the words from his letters flashed through my mind.

【Lindsey, if I make it back from this mission, I'm going to marry Linnea.】

【I've wasted ten years of her youth; I can't be that selfish. But every time I hold her, I can't help but think of you…】

【Lindsey, you are the love I can never speak of. Maybe if I marry her, I can finally be near you without raising any suspicions.】

【In our next life, I promise I'll grab your hand first.】

I could see the faint tear stains on the paper of those letters. Logan must have been in so much pain when he wrote them.

He was always such a strong man. But those letters were stained with his weakness.

I used to think he loved me deeply because he always put me first. Now I knew the truth: it wasn't love. It was guilt.

He was so good to me because he felt he owed me for the betrayal in his heart.

A wave of nausea hit me, and I couldn't hold it back. I leaned over and retched, the bitter taste of bile filling my mouth.

The sharp scent of sickness filled the air. My stomach felt like it was being twisted into knots, as if the baby was panicking inside me.

Lindsey and Logan's faces went pale. They grabbed me, ignoring the mess on their clothes and shoes.

As my consciousness started to fade, I heard the distant wail of an ambulance. I heard them both sobbing.

"Linnea!"

"Baby, please!"

"Don't scare us like this. You have to be okay."

I felt a sudden, terrifying warmth between my legs. I struggled to open my eyes and saw them both holding my hands tightly.

But with their other hands, they were reaching for each other, as if trying to draw strength from one another. It was a sickening sight.

The hospital smelled of harsh chemicals. I lay exhausted on the bed after the doctor finished the examination.

"The mother is stable for now, and the baby seems okay," the doctor told them.

"But as her family, you need to be extremely careful. She cannot handle any more emotional stress or shocks."

They both let out a visible breath of relief.

Once the doctor left, Lindsey turned and punched Logan in the shoulder. "Can't you just skip this next mission? It's too dangerous! Have you even thought about Linnea and the baby?"

Logan remained silent, dropping to his knees by my bed without saying a word.

I closed my eyes, unable to look at the genuine worry they still had for me. My mind didn't go to their betrayal.

Instead, it drifted back to much older memories of the three of us.