With Adeline's help, I finally managed to get into the passenger seat. I had just fastened my seat belt when a runaway truck came hurtling toward us.

I had no time to dodge. All I could do was shove Adeline away with everything I had.

In the end, I was trapped inside the wreckage myself. Almost immediately, warmth spread between my legs, and I felt my baby slipping away.

I trembled, desperate to scream for help. Tears blurred my vision, yet I couldn't make a sound.

In the haze of unconsciousness, I heard Adeline's frantic sobs and Elliot Caldwell's voice.

"Stop messing around, Adeline!" Elliot barked. "So, anytime I'm with Veronica, you just make up whatever lies you want?

"A car accident? Seriously? You're ridiculous. Do you have any idea how rare something like that even is?

"I'm warning you. Stay away from that crazy best friend of yours! Don't start getting jealous like her. Veronica's hurt right now, and I'm in the middle of dressing her wounds. Stop bothering me!"

Eventually, passersby called the police and an ambulance, and Adeline and I were rushed to the hospital.

…

Although Adeline and I survived, both of us lost our babies forever.

I looked at Adeline as she clutched her phone tightly. The surgery had drained the color from her face.

"I'm sorry. I never thought Elliot could really stand by and do nothing," she said, tears streaming down her face.

I needed emergency surgery after losing too much time. It was a high-risk procedure that only Elliot could perform.

However, he was convinced that Adeline was simply jealous of Veronica. He dismissed it as a lie and blamed her for everything instead.

In the end, my uterus had to be removed. I would never be able to have children of my own again.

I let out a sigh. Just as I was about to speak, Elliot's call came through.

"Have you lost your mind? A car accident yesterday, and now you're telling me you had a miscarriage? What's next? Are you going to jump off a building tomorrow?

"Worse, you've learned to threaten me with divorce. Birds of a feather truly flock together. You've picked up nothing but bad habits from Emilia!"

Elliot went on, "If it weren't for the fact that I still have to change Veronica's bandages today, I'd come teach you both a lesson!

"Rowan's a psychiatrist, and his job is stressful enough. Not only is Emilia inconsiderate, but she stirs up trouble every day. Honestly, they should just get a divorce. Having a sister-in-law like her disgusts me!"

The call ended abruptly.

I looked at Adeline. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she was trembling uncontrollably.

I reached out to pat the back of her hand, saying, "Don't listen to him. Get some rest. After that, we'll file for divorce together."

All at once, tears streamed down Adeline's cheeks.

Looking at her tear-streaked face, I couldn't stop crying either. The love we had once dreamed of had pushed us both into an abyss.

Ever since Veronica had been diagnosed with depression and attempted suicide at home, the Caldwell brothers had revolved around her every waking moment.

Rowan had even stopped seeing other patients altogether, treating only Veronica.

To help her sleep, he called her every night and told her bedtime stories.

Meanwhile, I was suffering from severe morning sickness. I could barely sleep, yet he dismissed me as being dramatic.

"Everyone else is doing just fine. Why are you the only one with so many problems?" Rowan had snapped.

He'd take Veronica to the amusement park but refused my simple requests for walks.

"You have Adeline, don't you? Veronica only has Elliot and me."

I watched my body change during pregnancy and sank into anxiety. Before long, I was consumed by depression.

But when Rowan learned about it, he shot me an impatient glare. His voice dripped with barely concealed disgust as he spat, "Veronica has depression, and now you're copying her? Emilia, do you think lying is funny?"

Truth was, I had actually been diagnosed with depression and had once wanted to end my life. It was only with Adeline's help that I slowly began to recover.

The baby had been my only source of comfort in this marriage. But now, the baby was gone.

As the child's father, Rowan should have at least called to see how I was doing, even if he didn't care about me. Yet, in the end, all he did was blame me.

Perhaps, in his mind, I was no longer the woman he saw by his side for the years to come.

I lay on the hospital bed, scrolling through Veronica's social media feeds. Her latest post showed her and Rowan with their cheeks pressed together.

One of her fingers was bandaged with a pink plaster. The injury Rowan and Elliot claimed she had from cutting herself was so minor that it didn't even need gauze. If the photo hadn't been high-resolution, no one would have noticed the faint mark at all.

In the background, Elliot was cooking in the kitchen.

Veronica's caption read, "Thank you, Rowan and Elliot. You always drop everything to be with me when I'm at my lowest."

The comment section was flooded with praise and envy.

One person wrote, "I'm so jealous of you!"

Another comment read, "I heard you're struggling with depression. Stay strong and get better soon!"

Beside me, Adeline scoffed. "Well, trash belongs with trash. They're perfect for each other.

"Emmy, stop looking. This has nothing to do with us anymore. I've already contacted a lawyer to start drafting the divorce papers. Do you want to file for divorce together?"

I tore my gaze away from the screen and nodded.

…

It didn't take long for the divorce papers to be ready. By the time I received them, Veronica had already posted another update.

This time, the photo showed the food Elliot had prepared for her. The caption read, "Dr. Caldwell is an amazing cook. Everything he makes is delicious!"

Beside Veronica, a hand reached over to place food on her plate. I knew that hand far too well.

The finger, once adorned with a wedding band, was now bare. All that remained was a faint indentation where the ring had rested.

I pressed my lips together and blinked hard.

After signing the papers, I had a courier deliver them to Rowan's office.

I wanted to end things properly. So, when I saw that the package had been signed for, I called him.

Rowan seemed busy. I had to call several times before he finally answered.

But before I could speak, he launched into a tirade. His voice was sharp with anger as he yelled, "Emilia Reynolds! Are you out of your mind? What's the meaning of sending me divorce papers?

"Do you want a divorce? And you even sent them to my office! Are you trying to show everyone how jealous and unreasonable you are?"

My eyes stung with unshed tears. I had deliberately used the hospital's address on the package. All he had to do was glance at it while signing, and he would have known that I was still here. Yet, he didn't ask a single question.

I fought back tears and was about to speak when Veronica's sweet voice came through. "Ro, I really love this dress. But you didn't have to spend so much on me."

Rowan clearly hadn't expected her to speak.

A faint rustle followed, then he explained sharply, "Veronica liked the dress, so I bought it for her. Don't overthink it.

"Where are you right now? Come over and apologize to Veronica. She's sick, yet she's still worried about you. She's such a kind woman. Stop being so overbearing and be reasonable."

There was a smug edge to Rowan's voice as he spoke. It was as if the world would collapse around me if he didn't forgive me.

I laughed in exasperation. "Apologize? Why should I apologize? You were the one who left me alone on the highway in the middle of a downpour!

"You knew my stomach was hurting, yet you still dumped me there. And now, you have the nerve to ask me to be reasonable?"

I added, "Don't worry. As long as you sign the papers, I'll make space for you right away. Then, you can buy as many dresses as you want for Veronica. It has nothing to do with me. I won't get in your way."

I didn't want to speak to Rowan anymore. Just as I was about to end the call, his furious voice erupted through the phone.

"Are you out of your mind, Emilia?" he roared. "I only bought the dress for Veronica because she was sick! Little things like this were meant to cheer her up. But you're pregnant and fat as a pig! What dress could possibly fit you?

"I put a roof over your head, pay for everything you eat, and you're still not satisfied? So what if I didn't take you to the hospital? You seemed perfectly fine. Fine enough to send me divorce papers from your hospital bed!

"What? Cat got your tongue? Let me warn you. You can act out all you like, but don't drag Adeline into this. If Elliot divorces her because of you, I won't let it go. Do you hear me?"

The more Rowan spoke, the more worked up he became. His voice turned colder by the second, and my chest twisted in pain.

Before I knew it, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

He was a psychiatrist himself and knew that I was emotionally sensitive during pregnancy. But now, he called me fat and told me I didn't deserve to wear nice clothes in front of Veronica.

I had carried his child. Moreover, I had gained weight to make sure I could take good care of our baby.

Yet, in his eyes, this had become my greatest sin.

Beside me, Adeline couldn't take it anymore. She snatched the phone from my hand and screamed into it, "You useless jerk! Who the hell do you think you are, insulting Emilia? I hope you and that home-wrecker Veronica are stuck with each other forever! May you rot together!"

I watched as she hung up, a wave of pain crashing over me. My chest clenched tightly, and I couldn't stop myself from crying aloud.

…

Adeline and I stayed in the hospital for a full two weeks. During this period, we didn't receive a single call or message from either of the Caldwell brothers. It was as if we had been forgotten.

Veronica, on the other hand, was never without the two of them at her side.

Rowan and Elliot—both workaholics—had set everything aside to travel with her, indulging her in anything she wanted to do.

I saw Rowan, who had always been terrified of heights, ride roller coasters with her. He even went bungee jumping by her side.

On Veronica's social media, she was always flanked by the two brothers, smiling radiantly. In every photo, Rowan looked at her with a tenderness I hadn't seen in a long time.

Meanwhile, Elliot used his carefully tended hands to prepare a seafood feast for her, even though he was allergic to seafood.

The comments on her posts were flooded with praise and envy.

Adeline and I sneered as we scrolled through post after post. Veronica's carefree, radiant smile was a sharp contrast to our pale, miserable faces.

I rubbed my eyes, feeling them sting with unshed tears. Then, I dialed Rowan's number again.

"Have you signed the divorce papers? If you keep refusing, I'll take this to court."

Rowan retorted, "Emilia, are you serious? You're pregnant and haven't come home in two weeks. You even blocked me! What exactly do you want? I'm a doctor. I'm busy, so don't make things harder for me."