Three days later, I finally walked out of the hospital.

Aimlessly, I wandered down the street until a sudden force shoved me to the ground. Startled, I turned to see Mike's furious glare.

"Where have you been these three days? Why didn't you answer your phone? Because of you, Lucy attended the banquet without a necklace and became a laughingstock. How dare you show your face here?"

I clutched my aching stomach, feeling the raw sting on my arm where the gravel had scraped the skin. Cold sweat broke out all over me.

Noticing me clutching my abdomen, a flicker of regret passed through Mike's eyes. He stepped closer as if to help me up.

I pushed his hand away, fighting back the pain. "Don't touch me."

Seeing the pallor of my face and the sweat beading on my forehead, he exhaled deeply, forcing himself to speak with restraint.

"Lucy hasn't been back in three years. This banquet was filled with old friends. What will people think of her now because of you?"

Before I could respond, Lucy appeared from behind him, her smile faint yet mocking as she approached. Pretending concern, she bent slightly as if to help me up.

"Ava, don't be angry at Mike. He's just upset for my sake." Her voice was syrupy sweet as she turned to Mike, playfully poking his head.

"Mike, even if you're standing up for me, you can't really lay a hand on Ava. She's still carrying your child."

His anger reignited at her words. Ignoring me, he snatched my bag from the ground, his sharp words cutting into me like knives. "Lucy is slender, young, and elegant—someone who truly deserves this necklace." He rummaged through the bag, pulling out the item he sought.

"Look at you now. Ugly and sloppy. Rather than making this necklace look bad, you might as well give it to her."

Once he found the necklace, he approached Lucy with care, carefully placing it around her neck.

My vision blurred with tears as I watched him, memories clawing their way back to the surface. I remembered how, when I first became pregnant, he'd touched my belly with cautious reverence.

He had promised to learn how to cook meals for expectant mothers, urging me to gain weight, to grow strong, so we could have a healthy baby.

Lucy's exaggerated gasp pulled me back to the present.

"Mike, this is the most beautiful necklace I've ever seen," she said, her voice dripping with delight.

His expression softened as he gazed at her. "If you like it, it's yours."

Lucy hesitated theatrically, stealing a glance at me. "But… Ava seems reluctant to part with it."

Mike's eyes turned cold as they landed on me. "She looks like this now—it is a waste on her. Don't worry about her. You keep it. I'll get you something even better next time."

The two walked off arm in arm, their closeness making it seem like they were the ones truly engaged.

I didn't look back. I retrieved my bag from the ground, pulled out my phone, and called for a car.

But as I swiped at the screen, a post in my feed caught my eye. My finger had slipped, unintentionally opening it.

In the post, Lucy was seated in the passenger seat, my necklace shining around her neck. Mike's profile was unmistakable beside her.

The caption read: "The one who loves me most [heart emoji]."

Without thinking, I tapped the like button.

Tears blurred the screen, distorting the image, as they rolled unchecked down my face.

On my way home, my phone rang. It was Mike.

"Ava, what's the meaning of this? It's just a necklace. Do you really have to make such a fuss? When did you become so petty?"

His tone was sharp, almost scolding.

Before I could respond, Lucy's voice, trembling with feigned guilt, chimed in, "Ava, I'm sorry. It's just… Mike treats me so well. I shouldn't have posted that photo online. I'm really sorry."

In the background, I heard Mike's quiet murmur as he comforted her, "Don't mind her. She's always like this, blowing up over trivial things."

The line went dead before I had the chance to say a word.

The cab driver seemed to sense the tension. To break the awkward silence, he turned on some music and stole a glance at me through the rearview mirror.

"My fiancé played boyfriend for someone else and even took her to a banquet," I said calmly.

The driver froze for a moment, then offered an awkward laugh. "Uh… well, that doesn't seem right…"

Even strangers could see the absurdity of it, yet Mike remained oblivious. I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.

When I arrived home, Mike was already there. His expression was cold as he turned to me.

"Why were you at the hospital today? And where have you been these past two days?"

Before I could answer, the bedroom door swung open. Lucy stepped out.

"Ava, please don't be upset about today. I'll talk to Mike. It's all my fault. He shouldn't have lost his temper with you."

Her words drained any desire I had to respond. My gaze shifted to her—draped in one of my pajamas. I waited for an explanation.

Mike didn't even spare me a glance. Instead, he said flatly, "Lucy just got back to the country. It's not safe for a young woman to stay elsewhere, so she'll stay here for now."

He cast me a sidelong look. "Besides, you can't wear your old clothes anymore. Why not just give them to Lucy?"

It felt as though my heart sank to the ocean floor, weighted and aching. Without a word, I turned to head upstairs.

My silence seemed to catch Mike off guard. He stepped forward, blocking my path.

"Why are you acting like this? I'm not saying anything unreasonable. You weren't this petty before," he said, his tone almost admonishing.

"Lucy returned alone. If I don't take care of her, who will? And you're carrying my child. We're going to get married anyway."

His words, spoken so matter-of-factly, struck me with their hollowness. Instinctively, I rested my hand on my stomach, his patronizing tone almost too much to bear.

Seeing my expression, his gaze softened briefly. He reached out as if to take my hand, but before he could, Lucy's voice, tinged with a sob, cut through the air.

"It's all my fault, Mike. I never meant to hurt your relationship," she said, her tears perfectly timed. "If my presence is unwelcome, I'll leave."

With that, she spun around and ran toward the door.

Mike's face darkened. Gripping my arm, he barked, "Come with me to apologize to Lucy. If anything happens to her today, I won't forgive you!"

I raised my voice in defiance. "She ran off on her own! What does that have to do with me? Why should I apologize?"

Mike didn't bother to acknowledge my words. Instead, he yanked me toward the door.

The sharp pain in my abdomen forced me to clutch at it, and the flood of frustration and despair that had been simmering within finally broke free.

We had barely stepped outside when I saw Lucy sprawled in the middle of the road. Her eyes were red-rimmed, brimming with a pitiable sadness as she gazed at Mike.

Without hesitation, he rushed to her, cradling her as though she were some fragile treasure.

Then he turned to me, his expression dark and unforgiving. "Apologize."

I stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend the absurdity of it.

Lucy leaned against him, her tears shimmering but not falling. "Mike, please don't. I'm fine. Really."

His anger flared, and before I could react, he kicked me hard in the stomach.

"Are you mute? If you don't apologize to Lucy today, this isn't over."

With that, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back inside. He didn't spare me even a glance as he threw his final words over his shoulder. "Since you're so evil, stay out here and reflect on yourself."

The door slammed shut in front of me.

He didn't know I'd already lost the baby. In his mind, I was still carrying his child.

The biting wind lashed at my face as I sank to the ground. The cold seeped through the earth, chilling me to my core. I felt as though I'd been plunged into an icy abyss, numb and devoid of warmth.

All my hopes, every last one, vanished.

Only a single thought remained: I had to leave.

I began walking down the roadside, the wind cutting against me, stripping away the last remnants of my strength. Somewhere along the way, I stumbled and fell, unable to summon the energy to rise again.

At some point, a blurry figure approached and helped me into a car. My consciousness wavered as the sound of the wind and snow faded into silence.

...

Inside the house, Mike gently laid Lucy down on the sofa. Once she was settled, he exhaled a breath of relief. But an unshakable sense of fear and emptiness crept into his chest.

Ava was still outside. She would give in eventually—he was certain of that. He'd teach her a lesson, let her cool down for a while, and then bring her back in.

He was firm in his resolve. She had to understand that he cared for her, too.

Satisfied with his plan, Mike shifted his focus back to Lucy. Tonight, she seemed particularly fragile. Her reddened eyes filled with tears as she clung to his sleeve.

"Mike, I was so scared. I thought you'd abandoned me. No one treats me as well as you do. Could you stay with me? Just for tonight?"

Her trembling voice and vulnerable demeanor made him falter.

"I know you and Ava will get married," she continued, her tone soft, almost pleading. "You'll have decades together. But just for tonight, can't you stay with me? Just tonight."

Mike sighed, torn, but eventually relented. "All right. Whatever you want. Go to sleep—I'll stay with you."

His hesitation faded. Ava was right outside. Nothing could happen to her. She could wait until morning.

With that thought, he and Lucy lay down together.

But the quiet didn't last long. His phone buzzed, shattering the stillness.

The voice on the other end was urgent.

"Are you Ava Miller's family? She recently suffered a miscarriage and was found unconscious on the roadside. She's just been admitted to our hospital."

Mike froze, then sat up with a jolt.

"A miscarriage? When?"