Chapter 3

3

At this moment, I smelled the scent of tobacco filling the air.

It was Vance lighting a cigarette. Ignoring the fact that Macy was pregnant, he just started puffing away.

He snorted with amusement. "You're pregnant too. Aren't you afraid of an accident that might hurt your body?"

Macy's voice carried shyness and ambiguity. "I'm not afraid, and... I've already started producing milk."

Vance laughed deeply, his tone slightly vicious. "Rory is a pure saint, and you're the dirtiest slut. Keeping you as a pet dog to play with isn't bad. Just one rule: don't let any of this get to Rory. Understand?"

Macy nodded, looking like she was about to cry. "I won't let her find out about us."

Vance sighed low, his voice carrying some genuine emotion. "If it were any other woman, I'm confident I could handle it. But you're the best friend Rory values the most. If I took care of you, she would be heartbroken..."

Perhaps it was hearing Vance's so-called "true feelings," or maybe the smoke in the stairwell was too thick. I turned my head and threw up.

For a moment, I really couldn't tell if Vance loved me or not.

If he didn't love me, his words consistently defended me.

But if he loved me, why would he so easily sleep with another woman?

And that woman was my best friend...

A passing nurse happened to walk by and supported me.

"Miss, are you okay?"

I waved my hand. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Oh my gosh, why is there blood on your pants!"

I touched my pants. My fingertips were wet and bright red.

I was sent to the emergency room by the nurse. Soon, the test results came out.

"Miss, you're pregnant."

I froze.

This world really had some dark humor.

I had just said I was pregnant merely as a prank to test Macy and Vance.

I didn't expect to actually be pregnant.

"But Miss, your current situation is very precarious. You're bleeding, and there's a risk of a threatening miscarriage. Quickly call your husband to come over. We need to save the pregnancy as soon as possible."

"No need to save it," I clenched my hands, my body trembling slightly. "Just clear it out."

The doctor and nurse both froze for a moment. "Are you sure?"

I smiled a bit, but I knew my smile right now was definitely uglier than crying. "I'm sure."

...

An hour later, I walked out of the restroom.

In my hand, I held a wad of tissue soaked with blood.

It was cold and sticky.

Not far away, someone shouted in pleasant surprise, "Madam! It's Madam! We found her! Go tell Mr. Vance quickly!"

Before I could react, I was enveloped in a broad, warm embrace.

Vance held me tightly, his voice trembling. "Rory, where did you go? You scared me to death!"

I looked up and only then saw that the hospital, which should have been filled with medical staff, was swarming with men in black suits.

Right now, they were all standing behind Vance, respectfully bowing their heads.

But I looked around and didn't see Macy.

I asked, "Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Macy."

Vance was still frowning, checking me from head to toe.

Seeing that I was in one piece, he finally relaxed completely.

He let out a heavy breath and pulled me into his arms again. "I had someone send her home first. But what about you? Weren't you going to buy water? I searched all the nearby convenience stores and coffee shops, but I couldn't find you anywhere."

I smelled the faint scent of tobacco still lingering on him.

I asked him, "Did you smoke?"

Vance froze for a moment, then immediately denied it. "Rory, you know I never smoke."

"You smell like smoke."

"...Maybe I just bumped into someone who was smoking and it rubbed off on me."

I nodded. "Oh."

In the stairwell just now, it was only me, Macy, and him. It wasn't me, and it definitely couldn't be the pregnant Macy. It went without saying who the smoker was.

Vance, you're still lying to me.

Suddenly, he frowned. His dry palm felt the cold sweat on my forehead.

The nurse had said that the reaction to the medical clearance process varies from person to person.

For some, it's just like having a period, but for others, it feels like a meat grinder churning in their stomach.

Unfortunately, I was the latter.

I gritted my teeth and endured it in the women's restroom for an hour. Sweat had long soaked through my underwear.

I forcefully batted away the large hand wiping sweat from my forehead. Frowning, I said, "I'm fine. Macy likes iced caramel macchiato, and there are no coffee shops nearby. I ran for a bit while going to buy her coffee, so I broke a sweat."

Vance's eyes were full of heartache. He turned out the softest fabric from his shirt and gently wiped the sweat from my forehead. "Exhausting yourself like this for others, silly Rory. Running off so far without a word, do you know you scared me to death?"

The men in black nearby chimed in. "Yes, Madam. Mr. Vance was worried you had an accident and almost turned the whole hospital upside down."

Another said, "Thank goodness you're okay. Mr. Vance almost called the cops just now."

Right at this moment, Vance felt the wad of tissue I had been clutching tightly in my hand.

He immediately pried open my fingers and saw the glaring bright red on the tissue. He instantly became alert. "Rory, what is this bloodstained tissue?"