I was just pregnant for a month, and the abortion procedure was painless and quicker than I thought.

It was only then that I remembered adding Sean's number in the next-of-kin section the last time I came for a checkup—the hospital might inform him that I came for an abortion!

As such, my heart skipped a beat as several voice messages came all at once.

"What is this text I received?! You were just fine in the morning, and now you're sending me lies?!

"I know you're upset about the wedding being cancelled, but you didn't have to go that far."

The endless blaming and lecturing left my eyes welling up with painful tears.

I had learnt his family's rules and housework, taking good care of his family just to deserve him.

But in his mind, I was always at fault.

When I returned home exhausted, he was already sitting on the living room couch, clearly having waited for some time.

However, I demanded before he could, "What's the deal with the party? Is a wedding something you can cancel whenever you like?"

Seeing that my eyes were puffy from crying, Sean immediately apologized, "You knew? Just calm down and listen."

"The hall and the luncheon had been booked and couldn't be refunded, so I thought we could just change the occasion."

Breathing a long sigh, he continued exasperatedly, "The child is mine, but I have no feelings for Sally at all. She wanted a child but didn't want marriage. So I helped her. After that, she went abroad.

"I wouldn't even know that she returned with the baby if she didn't text me last week."

That was when Sean smiled, putting a hand around my shoulder while caressing my belly, "Don't worry. You're the only one for me—we will have our marriage registered soon."

My ears were left ringing while bile churned in my gut.

Those sweet words used to be music to my ears, but it only left me sick now.

Sean watched me as I quickly picked up a bucket to retch, and brought a box of candies, smiling, "Morning sickness, I take it? I bought you some fruit candy—open wide, here's a lemon gummy."

The sourness couldn't clear off the bitter taste in my mouth, however.

That night, I couldn't sleep even though I kept my eyes closed.

Sean seemed to think that I was asleep, and went to his parents' bedroom.

I quietly followed and leaned against the door, and heard him say, "Sally was alone abroad when she got pregnant, and took care of him on her own. I can't just let her suffer out there alone."

His parents were beaming and nodded repeatedly at his words.

"Oh, Sally's much more mature than Rachel, not to mention that she's not greedy and always obedient.

"Once the child is a year old, let's buy her a house for her to settle down. She raised your child all on her own—she worked really hard."

My molars were gnashing so hard they almost broke, as I could never forget the last two years that had been sheer agony.

My parents were asking for 400 grand for the wedding, but the Wickhams refused and would only agree to give 40 grand, and that money was supposed to be used for Sean only on top of that.

The Wickhams were not rich, but his parents both taught at universities, and the money wouldn't have been issued for them.

I even got into a big fight with Sean on top of that, and our relationship had been on the brink while our wedding kept getting postponed.

Even when my parents died, they never got to see me marry.

My friends envied me for marrying into a scholarly family, but they wouldn't know the pain I had lived through.

I was planning to visit my parents' grave before I left, and was returning with their favorite flowers the day after I booked my flight.

That was when I heard a child's laughter in my bedroom, and opened the door to see a sight that sent my breath rushing out of my lungs.

My parents' favorite fruit I prepared was knocked over, and Sean's son had nibbled on every single fruit.

Sally was laughing and clapping for the boy, and bringing him more fruits that he hadn't nibbled.

"Eat up, baby! It's free anyway!"

I saw red, and didn't hesitate to rush up, pushing her off. "Stop! I bought those for my late parents! You have no right touching my stuff!"

Hearing me yelling, Sean—who had been outside chatting with our neighbors, rushed inside and pushed me to the floor, snapping impatiently, "Stop being so stingy! It's just some fruits—forget starting a fight for money, you're now doing the same over a few fruits?"

Seeing that Sean was leaping to her defense, Sally didn't snap at me. She sobbed miserably. "I-I'm sorry, I really didn't know. Have I caused you trouble, Sean?"

Sean shook his head, gently wiping her tears as he assured her, "No—you can have anything you like in this house. Those fruits are the cheap stuff anyway. If you want the good stuff, I'd even take you abroad."

My belly was left aching, while my hands and posterior were bruised.

There were pieces of fruit caking my stark-white dress, but what hurt more was the sight of the broken watermelon strewn all over the floor.

I carried it all the way back from the north ten days ago—it was my parents' favorite, and unavailable in the market.

My parents had been so worried about me when I moved south for work, insisting on moving here with me even if they weren't used to this place.

They missed the watermelons back home, but I couldn't even afford to let them have a taste of home before their passing.

My hands shook in rage even as I watched Sally and Sean dote on each other, and as I wobbled out of the room, Sally leaned on Sean's chest and asked, "Don't you think Rachel will leave you because of me? I knew it—I should stay abroad with our son. I'd be an eyesore here."

"It's fine, don't worry," Sean promptly replied. "She got pregnant without being married at thirty—no man will want her if she leaves me."

After that, Sean and I both gave each other the silent treatment.

He even moved my blanket and pillow to the living room, telling me that Sally needed the room to take care of the child, and couldn't do that outside.

And with that, the room I had designed meticulously became Sally and his son's property.

-

Three days later and presuming that I had calmed down, he drove to the bridal shop we had chosen before.

He smiled as he showed me a yellowed photo album, asking, "Check out these dresses. See anything you like?"

I frowned as I saw that the designs were all ancient.

Before I could ask for newer designs, Sean's phone rang, cutting me short.

He answered it, asking loudly, "The investment's not enough? Well, I'll try to make up for it, but I don't have much money either."

I pursed my lips, picking the cheapest dress and giving him a look.

I expected that he would tell me to pick something better, only for him to nod without hesitation. "Sure, let's go with that—it suits you. Let's take the photo soon too, or it'd look bad if you have to wear it heavily pregnant."

I thought I could at least take a bridal photo with Sean to remember it by, only for him to call the next day, saying that he was busy and I should go alone first.

Three hours after he was supposed to show up and even the staff started gossiping quietly about me, my phone shook as a friend in the City Hall sent me a photo.

It was a concealed angle, but I still remembered that this was the most expensive bridal gown that I had seen the other day.

And the photo was captioned: [Is that your fiance? I saw him here getting registered with someone else, and the broad's wearing a gown worth a few hundred grand!]

Devastated, I started to take off my wedding dress and turned towards the cameraman, shaking my head awkwardly. "I'm sorry. My fiance isn't coming."

-

When I arrived at the City Hall, I found Sean holding an arm around Sally, endlessly intimate and the envy of many.

I stood at the doorway, looking completely like I didn't belong.

Fighting back the tears in my voice, I growled quietly, "What's the meaning of this? You canceled our wedding, and now you're registering with Sally?"

Sally promptly hid behind Sean, tugging on his tuxedo as her eyes turned puffy with tears. "I'm sorry… I just wanted to try wearing a bridal gown! And we're getting registered for our son's sake!"

She only looked all the most guileless and innocent in that white gown, and Sean's fingers were interlocked with hers, before turning on me with a hostile glare.

"Quit causing a scene," he snapped. "I'm just doing Sally a favor here—the baby needs a family.

"Once we're done here, I'll register with you on another day. Stop getting so worked up too, you'd hurt the baby in your belly."

However, that was when I saw Sally wearing the ring my mother had left me.

Sean was supposed to put it on my finger during the exchange of rings, and I didn't remember to ask for it when the wedding was canceled.

So, he simply handed it off, and Sally was even wearing it unabashedly.

I strode past Sean, grabbing Sally's hand as I bellowed. "Take that off! That's my mother's ring!"

"S-Sean gave it to me…"

As we wrestled, we missed a step on the stairs and screamed as we rolled down.

After I landed, I felt blood flow freely from my forehead, clouding my vision in redness.

My hands and feet were all bruised too, and I was still gasping for air when I heard Sally sob. "I tried to catch her because I saw her going to fall… but she's so terrible, like she wants me dead too!"

In reality, she just had a sprain, but Sean came up to me, glowering and grabbing my neck as he growled threateningly, "You had better watch your back if anything happens to Sally!

"I have a son already anyway—your baby is completely inconsequential to me. He could die from that fall for all I care!"

And with those words, he turned and scooped Sally up in his arms and ran toward the nearest hospital.

I felt a chill inside me as I watched them disappear, and I limped toward the hospital, running out of tears along the way.

By the time Sean got home, I headed to the airport from the hospital, sending him a text telling him I was breaking up with him before I boarded my flight.

He rushed to our bedroom right away.

He frowned when he found it empty, until his face turned ashen when he saw the receipt on the bed. "Abortion?! And she said she's breaking up with me… Where did she go?!"