There's a ten-car collision on the highway, and I'm trapped in one of ten. For some reason, none of the ambulances can get to us.

I desperately call my boyfriend to ask for help. I expect him to immediately come to my rescue, but he merely snaps at me. "Yvette didn't even make a sound when she sliced her finger. Couldn't you have just dodged when the accident happened? You're not crippled or anything! Stop being so childish at your age!"

He doesn't want me to disturb him anymore, so he blocks my number. Fortunately, a kind soul saves me and takes me to the hospital. I survive the ordeal.

When I leave the hospital, I see a breaking news report on the screen in the lobby.

"Love exists in the world! Mr. Fenton spends a fortune to gather the city's ambulances to save his true love when she slices her finger!"

The news report makes my heart ache. I pull out the ring I was going to use for my proposal and throw it away without hesitation.

Henry Fenton and I have been together for 14 years, but I don't want the relationship anymore.

The cold wind pierced through my skin. I instinctively wrapped my damp clothes tighter around my body. As I exhaled, my breath turned into fog. I couldn't help but shiver from the freezing temperatures.

I had just gotten home when I received a video call from Mom. I answered the call and immediately spoke before she could say anything.

"I changed my mind, Mom. Don't promote Henry to the director of the company."

She looked shocked. "What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing much. He's just marrying someone else."

I noticed how pale my complexion was from the camera. I smiled resignedly.

In order to ensure that Henry had a successful career, I utilized my family's connections and resources to provide him with countless opportunities. Thanks to my help, he managed to become a manager within three years of joining the company.

I even begged Mom to appoint him as the director so he could fulfill his dreams. Mom had agreed to my request.

I was planning to surprise him with the news after we got married. However, I had decided that he didn't deserve it.

I happened to run into Henry Fenton and Yvette Samson when I got home. Henry was holding a wedding dress up to Yvette to see how it'd look on her. He looked overjoyed. It seemed that he couldn't wait to marry the woman before him.

When he heard the door open, he turned around. Our eyes met for a brief moment before he looked away.

"Yvette feels like having your slow-cooked ribs for dinner. Do prepare it right this instant," he instructed. He had always treated me like I was a household maid.

Yvette looked sickly, but I caught her smiling mockingly. Her smile felt sinister. I hated it.

"Thank you, Natasha," she chirped.

I ignored their request. Instead, I walked into my room and began to pack my bags.

The house was mine. Henry and I were supposed to move in here after we got married. His pictures were even displayed everywhere. The entire house smelled like his cologne, too. Now, I've grown to hate this place and the people who occupy it. On the way back home, I decided to sell the house.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Henry suddenly yelled irritably from behind me.

I got up and walked over to him. After pushing him out of the way, I took my clothes from the closet and put them in my suitcase. I didn't look at him. I couldn't even be bothered to respond to him.

When he finally noticed the suitcase, his face contorted with anger.

"What kind of trouble are you trying to stir up this time?" he barked.

Whenever an argument occurred, he'd pin the blame on me without even trying to understand the situation. If I voiced my opinion, he'd claim that I was trying to cause trouble.

Back then, I had loved him and was afraid of losing him. Hence, I was always the first to apologize after a fight.

This time, things were different.

"If that's what you think I'm doing, I have no comment on the matter," I replied blankly.

Henry and I were childhood friends. He'd been special to me since we were kids.

In our first year of high school, Henry met Yvette. Yvette was a delinquent who wore heavy makeup and smoked cigarettes. She was the first girl who didn't give Henry any attention.

He instantly became infatuated with her. He stopped being a well-behaved student and started to smoke, drink and skip classes. He even stayed out late and didn't return home.

When his dad learned the truth, he immediately gave Yvette's family a considerable sum of money and sent her out of the country. Henry and I wouldn't have ended up together if she hadn't been sent away.

To everyone's shock, Yvette reentered Henry's life after a decade. Her return caused him to end our 14-year relationship without a second thought.

"Are you angry because Henry and I are getting married?" Yvette asked when she returned to the room.

She changed into the wedding dress Henry had picked out for her. She even pinned the wedding brooch to her dress, evidently trying to show off.

She wore an apologetic expression before lowering her head. "If that's the case, please allow me to apologize. I'm sorry."

She continued, "You don't have to be angry, though. Because of my terminal disease, I only have about two years left to live. You can still marry Henry after I pass away."

I felt bitterly disappointed. Henry would rather marry a dying woman than be with me.

He took Yvette's hand and said gently, "It's not your fault you're ill, Yvette. Why do you need to apologize to her? Natasha is only breaking up with me because I'm not marrying her anymore. I broke a promise and stood her up. That's why she's upset."

He continued, "However, this is exactly what she deserves for being so vile and shameless."

I immediately stopped packing and snapped my head toward Henry. I felt angry and confused. "How am I vile and shameless?" I demanded.

When he chose to be with Yvette, I accepted the situation as it was and didn't even try to stop him. How dare he call me names!

"Explain yourself, Henry!"

Henry suddenly glared at me with seething hatred.

"Let me just ask you this, Natasha. Why on earth did my dad show up the night of Yvette's birthday ten years ago? If you didn't tell him, who did?"

When Henry's behavior started getting worse, I tried my hardest to talk some sense into him. Initially, he claimed that he occasionally acted out because he was bored with his high school life. As time went on, he became annoyed by my constant nagging.

He said that I was too clingy and that it made him feel disgusted. To drive me away, he kissed Yvette in public and claimed that she was his girlfriend. Then, he told me not to bother him ever again.

Heartbroken, I chose to give up on him.

Despite everything, I had never told his father what happened back then. I only discovered that Yvette had been sent out of the country the following day. I didn't know that Henry had assumed that I was the one who told on him.

Still, if he had been harboring these suspicions all this while, why did he choose to date me for many years?

"It's okay, Henry. It's been ten years, after all. There's no point in bringing everything up now," said Yvette. "Natasha probably acted out of love. You can't blame her for wanting what's best for you."

I had a powerful urge to slap Yvette across the face. It was just as I expected. She was the one who had been telling Henry all these lies about me.

She shot me a look full of hostility and provocation, her words coming out fake and insincere.

"Please don't take Henry's words to heart, Natasha. This is all my fault. I just missed him so much. If I hadn't come all the way here just to see him, the both of you would probably be married by now," she cried.

"I should never have returned. I should just go. I won't ever bother the two of you again." She shrugged off Henry's hand and turned to leave.

Shocked, Henry immediately dashed forward and grabbed onto her hand.

"You can't leave," he said. "The one that should be leaving is Natasha. She's the one that tore us apart!"

I couldn't believe it. The boy I loved since we were kids wholeheartedly trusted Yvette's claims. He actually believed that I was a terrible person.

I wasted 14 years of my time and effort on this man. Unwilling to defend myself further, I turned around and continued packing up my clothes.

"I'll go. I'm about to sell off the house anyway," I said emotionlessly.

Henry froze. He whipped his head around to look at me. He looked shocked and angry at the same time.

"What are you talking about? Is that a threat?" he snapped. "Do you think we have nowhere else to go? I'm a manager of the company, Natasha. I'm due for a promotion soon as well. I have tons of money coming my way."

He continued, "I grew sick of this shabby house long ago. If you want to break up, that's fine by me. In the future, I won't take you back even if you get on your knees and beg."

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Do you think the company would still consider your promotion after everything you've done? Please don't be so shameless."

My words seemed to have struck a nerve. Humiliated, Henry jabbed a finger at me and started yelling furiously.

"Who are you calling shameless, Natasha?" he barked. "If you weren't such a tattletale back then, I wouldn't have had to part ways with Yvette for an entire decade. Maybe if we had stayed together, she wouldn't have developed a terminal disease. This is all your fault!"

I scoffed. Nothing I said would have mattered at that point. If he claimed that I was at fault, then so be it. After the day was over, I never wanted to see his face ever again. His business would no longer concern me at that point.

I didn't even step out the door when Yvette suddenly started retching.

Patting her back, Henry asked worriedly, "Is it the morning sickness again? Let's go sit down in the living room. I'll get you a glass of water."

Yvette was pregnant?

My mind went blank as I watched Henry and Yvette walk into the living room. The entire room went silent as I stayed rooted to the spot with my luggage in tow.

Henry used to tell me that he didn't like children. He even asked if we could lead a childless, dual-income lifestyle in the future. Since keeping each other company for the rest of our lives didn't sound too bad, I agreed to his request.

I marched toward the living room.

Henry handed Yvette a glass of water. She seemed to be feeling better after taking a few sips.

"Didn't you tell me that you disliked children? Why is she pregnant?" I approached Henry and questioned him furiously.

Henry deliberately chose to ignore me when he saw how worked up I was. Instead, he continued to rub Yvette's back and disregarded me.

Yvette set the cup down and hastily began to apologize to me. "I'm sorry, Yvette. This is all my fault. I couldn't stop myself. Please don't blame this on Henry," she pleaded.

"As a man, I should be responsible for my own actions," Henry declared. "The baby is mine. Do you have a problem with that, Natasha?"

His words made my blood run cold. I instantly froze in place.

The autumn breeze that seeped through the balcony felt cold. I was heartbroken.

I had anticipated this response. However, hearing the actual words come out of his own mouth was still gut-wrenching nonetheless.

He didn't actually dislike kids. He just didn't want to have them with me.

"Shameless!" I yelled before slapping him across the face. He didn't avoid it or even fight back. He simply stood there and allowed me to do as I pleased.

Yvette let out a startled yell before gently caressing Henry's face.

"Are you okay, Henry?" she asked, her eyes pooling with tears.

"This is all your fault!" I screamed again.

I reached out to slap Yvette, too. If it weren't for her, things wouldn't have gotten so complicated between us.

Before I could touch her, Henry grabbed me. He held onto my wrist so tightly that I thought it would break.

"You can hit me all you want, but don't you dare lay a finger on Yvette!" he barked and shoved me aside.

I fell onto the couch. His cold and steely expression felt incredibly foreign. Was this still the same boy I grew up with?

I willed myself not to cry. Then, I pointed at the door and started screaming at him.

"Pack up your belongings and get out, Henry. Get out now!"

Yvette, who was still tending to Henry's bruised cheek, had started sobbing.

"I'm sorry, Henry. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten slapped," she cried.

"Don't apologize." Henry shook his head and started comforting her instead. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be with you. Don't cry, Yvette. I don't want this to affect your health. Don't worry. I'll take care of you and our baby no matter what."

Yvette frowned and lowered her head. After briefly hesitating, she said, "I have less than two years left to live. Will our baby be without a mother right after they're born?"

Henry lowered his head to think. A while later, he abruptly looked at me. Once he got to his feet, he started speaking to me in a more civilized manner.

"I can consider staying with you, Natasha. I can also marry you after Yvette passes away. However, I have one condition."