The phone rang—it was Nelson's. Sarah was about to answer when Nelson emerged from the bathroom.

She casually handed him the phone, but Nelson gestured for her to answer it.

Sarah swiped to accept the call and put it on speaker.

A male voice came through, "Nelson, are you here yet? Everyone's waiting for you."

Sarah set the phone aside and went into the bathroom.

Nelson, toweling his hair dry, responded with a short, "Got it."

Then he hung up.

When Sarah came out of the bathroom, she saw Nelson adjusting his shirt in the mirror and applying hair gel—something he rarely did.

Noticing Sarah watching him, he smiled. "Do I look more handsome like this?"

He was naturally good-looking, and with just minimal effort, he could charm anyone. Sarah nodded, "Very handsome."

He gave her a quick hug. "I have something tonight. Need to go out, so I can't stay with you."

With that, he turned and left.

Watching him walk away, Sarah touched her stomach, her feelings complicated.

Lying in bed, Sarah couldn't fall asleep. After tossing and turning, she picked up her phone and started playing games.

After a few rounds, a message from Nelson suddenly popped up on her screen.

[Had too much to drink. Come pick me up. Golden Pavilion Club, Room 401.]

He got drunk so soon after leaving? Sarah frowned but didn't think much of it. She grabbed her jacket and headed out.

Nelson getting drunk wasn't unusual—she'd picked him up before. But this time was much earlier than usual. The alcohol must have been strong.

The address wasn't hard to find. Sarah quickly arrived outside Room 401 at the club.

She was about to push the door open when a conversation from inside froze her in place.

An overwhelming bitterness rose in her heart.

"Nelson, now that Lucy Leedon is back from abroad, what do you plan to do about Miss Paterson?"

"What can he do? She's just a bedmate. You don't expect our Nelson to make her his official girlfriend, do you?" One of Nelson's friends spoke up, his tone full of contempt.

Someone disagreed and defended Sarah, "You shouldn't say that. Miss Paterson has loyally stayed with Nelson for three years. She seems to love him deeply."

"Hah!" someone else scoffed. "Love? So what? Nelson's heart belongs entirely to Lucy. Otherwise, why would he visit Lucy's college every time he went on a business trip, even though he was with Sarah? After breaking up for so long, he still thinks about her..."

"Enough," Nelson frowned, cutting the person off. "Can't the alcohol shut your mouth?"

The speaker laughed awkwardly and said no more.

"Aren't you going in?" A gentle female voice came from behind her.

Sarah turned around and met Lucy's mocking eyes.

Lucy Leedon—Nelson's girlfriend from three years ago who had gone abroad. Or more accurately, his ex-girlfriend.

In an instant, Sarah understood who had sent her that text message.

Clearly, this ex-girlfriend hadn't called her here to pick anyone up.

Pressing her lips together, Sarah looked at Lucy and replied calmly, "No, since he's not actually drunk, I won't disturb your gathering."

Without lingering a moment longer, she left the club and returned to the apartment alone.

That night, Sarah barely slept. Her mind kept replaying the conversation she'd overheard. So for these three years, whenever he went on business trips that lasted weeks, it was to see Lucy?

Still thinking about her after breaking up so long ago—what did that make Sarah these past three years?

A tool for his physical needs when he felt lonely? Or a pet that came whenever called?

No wonder he was unwilling to tell their parents about their relationship. The person he wanted to marry had never been her.

Three years. Her youth and her genuine feelings had merely been his entertainment.

The next morning.

Sarah dialed the number for the women's health clinic.

The phone rang twice before someone answered, "Hello, Southside Women's Health Clinic.

"I'd like to schedule an abortion.

"As soon as possible."

The nurse who answered the phone was clearly surprised, probably because she hadn't seen anyone so eager for an abortion before. But she didn't ask too many questions—just inquired about some basic information and told Sarah to come to the hospital for an examination first.

Sarah's nose stung with emotion as she nodded. "Okay, I'll come as soon as possible."

"Where are you planning to go?" The bedroom door was suddenly pushed open, and Nelson walked to the bedside reeking of alcohol.

Sarah quickly hung up the phone and shook her head slightly. "Nothing. Have you been drinking all night?"

Nelson grunted in agreement, casually unbuckling his belt and removing his alcohol-stained clothes.

As usual, he tried to embrace Sarah, but she instinctively moved away. He frowned. "What's wrong? Do I smell bad?"

Sarah shook her head. After a sleepless night, she felt dizzy. She got up from the bed only to be pulled into Nelson's arms.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his lips lightly grazing her earlobe as he asked in a hoarse voice, "Going out soon?"

"Yes," Sarah replied, avoiding his hot breath.

He seemed not to notice her resistance. His hand rested on her waist, pressing her body against his. "Meeting a friend?"

"No," Sarah was exhausted and didn't want to talk further. She pushed him away and said, "I'm going to take a shower."

With that, she hurried into the bathroom. Watching her retreating figure, Nelson felt something was different about her.

When she came out after her shower, Nelson was already sound asleep on the bed. He must have drunk too much last night—he didn't even stir when his phone vibrated beside him.

Sarah glanced at the phone screen. The caller ID showed "Lucy."

She wasn't going to answer, but the caller persisted. Sarah finally accepted the call.

Before she could speak, a flirtatious female voice came through. "Nelson, did I disturb your rest? I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you that I really appreciated you staying with me last night. I was so happy."

"If you were that happy, why did you let him come back?" Sarah spoke without emotion in her voice.

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by Lucy's sharp voice, "Sarah? Why are you answering? Where's Nelson? Put him on."

Glancing at the deeply sleeping Nelson, Sarah responded coldly, "He can't come to the phone right now. Next time, Miss Leedon, when you keep him overnight, try harder. That way he won't come back with energy to spare for me before he can finally sleep."

"Sarah, have you no shame?" Even through the phone, Sarah could sense Lucy's face reddening with fury.

Not wanting to hear Lucy's unpleasant words, Sarah simply hung up.

Looking at Nelson sleeping beside her, Sarah eventually tore her gaze away.

After a long moment, she silently apologized to the child in her womb.

She needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

Her appointment was scheduled for the afternoon. With plenty of time, Sarah decided to clear out everything that belonged to her from the apartment. Three years together had left too many traces of memories.

During those three years, to make them feel more like a couple, she had gradually filled their small apartment with matching items—matching slippers, pajamas, cups...

Nelson didn't like these things she bought. Sometimes he even found them annoying, thinking she was being fussy.

Back then, she always thought that with time, he would get used to it and accept it.

Now she realized that all these years, she had been forcing her wishes on him.

There were quite a lot of belongings, and Sarah made several trips to throw everything into the dumpster downstairs.

After dealing with all these items, Sarah returned to the apartment. Nelson had woken up at some point and was waiting by the door, his dark eyes watching her. "Where did you go?"

"Throwing out trash," she replied, walking past him into the bedroom.

Noticing that quite a few things were missing from the apartment, Nelson looked puzzled. "You threw out that much?"

"Things I don't need anymore, naturally I got rid of them," Sarah answered casually, her expression unchanged.

Nelson nodded, not making much of it. "Fine. If you don't like the old stuff, throw it out and we'll buy new things."

The rumbling sound of the garbage truck came from downstairs as it carried away the several boxes of items Sarah had discarded.

She glanced down briefly before looking away. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Nelson's handsome face smiling at his phone.

Sarah had always known that Nelson was a cold person. He rarely smiled, and when he did, the smile never reached his eyes.

But now, his smile was genuine—Sarah could tell immediately that it came from the heart.

Was it Lucy on the phone?

Most likely.

She tightened her hand at her side and said, "Nelson, do you have time later?"

"What is it?" Nelson didn't look at her. His eyes remained fixed on his phone, seemingly absorbed by whatever message he had received.

Sarah pressed her lips together. "I need you to come with me to the hospital. I'm pregnant and planning to get an abortion..."

Her words were drowned out by Nelson's ringing phone.

Nelson got up to answer the call. When he returned and saw Sarah staring at him intently, he finally seemed to snap back to attention. "What were you saying just now?"

Sarah choked up, too upset to say anything more. She shook her head. "Nothing."

Seeing this, Nelson didn't think much of it and started to leave. Just as he turned, he suddenly paused.

Looking at Sarah, he asked, "Did you answer my phone?"

Sarah was startled, remembering Lucy's call while he was sleeping.

She met his eyes calmly. "Yes, why?"

Nelson's expression darkened momentarily, showing some displeasure. But it lasted only a second before he said, "Nothing. In the future, don't answer my calls. I'll return them later."

With that, he turned and left the apartment.

Watching his hurried departure, Sarah stood silently for a while, flexing her numb fingers before calmly looking away.

So, what she'd said to Lucy on the phone had upset him?

Was he going to comfort Lucy now?

It seemed the difference between love and indifference was indeed vast.

In the afternoon, Sarah went to the hospital and completed a series of examinations.

The procedure could only be done the next morning. After scheduling the appointment, she returned to the apartment.

Having not slept at all the previous night, she was so tired that she lay down immediately upon returning.

Sarah was awakened by the frantic ringing of her phone.

As soon as she answered, an urgent voice came through, "Sarah, Nelson's been in an accident. Can you come to the hospital as quickly as possible?"

Sarah frowned, instinctively wanting to refuse.

Before she could speak, the urgent voice on the phone pressed again, seemingly in a great hurry.

Thinking of Uncle Richard's care for her over the years, Sarah agreed despite her reluctance.

At the hospital.

Outside the emergency department, Sarah arrived to find George Mendes, Nelson's friend, and Lucy waiting.

George looked anxious, his face pale, while Lucy sat in a chair crying dramatically, repeatedly blaming herself. "It's all my fault. If he hadn't been trying to cheer me up, Nelson wouldn't have had the car accident. It's my fault, all my fault..."

From their scattered conversation, Sarah pieced together what had happened and couldn't help but want to laugh bitterly.

He got into a car accident while trying to cheer up Lucy?

So why had they called her here? To witness their undying love?

Seeing her, George jumped up. "Sarah, the doctors need Nelson's medical history and insurance information. They said we should call family—we didn't want to worry his father yet."

Sarah frowned. So these two had called her here to handle the paperwork and notifications? It seemed neither wanted to take responsibility, so they'd turned to her?

Sarah didn't respond to their request. Instead, she called Uncle Richard directly.

When Uncle Richard arrived, Lucy shot Sarah a resentful glare.

She hadn't wanted George to notify Richard, fearing that if he learned Nelson's accident was because of her, it would damage her image in the Jackson family.

But Sarah had not only called him but also explained the cause of the accident, making Richard look at Lucy with considerable displeasure.

Nelson's external injuries weren't severe, but from the doctor, they learned that in the accident, he had suffered damage to his reproductive organs. He might never be able to have children, though the good news was that he could still have a normal intimate life.

Upon hearing this news, Richard seemed to age ten years in an instant.

Outside the hospital room, Sarah, who had just sent George and Lucy away at Richard's request, overheard the conversation between the doctor and Richard.

She touched her stomach, her feelings suddenly complex.

"Sarah." Uncle Richard saw her standing at the doorway and motioned for her to come in. "Did you hear what the doctor just said?"

Sarah nodded.

Richard sighed, dismissing the doctor. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Don't tell Nelson about this. He's a man. If he finds out, I'm afraid he won't be able to accept it."

Nelson's mother had died when he was young. Though Richard was upset that his son had injured himself, he ultimately cared deeply for him and feared that learning about his condition would devastate Nelson and crush his spirit.

Sarah agreed, but her feelings grew increasingly complicated.

Apart from his reproductive injury, Nelson hadn't suffered any major harm.

But Sarah, who had already scheduled her abortion, suddenly didn't know what to do.

If Nelson could never have children, it meant the baby in her womb would be his only flesh and blood.

After all, she had loved him for years, and Uncle Richard had taken great care of her during this time. If she went ahead with the abortion without telling anyone, it would likely break Richard's heart.

After much thought, Sarah decided to talk to Nelson.

So on the day of Nelson's discharge, she went to the hospital to find him.

But when she arrived, Sarah learned that Nelson had been discharged early. She hadn't received any notification about it.

Uncle Richard also seemed unaware of his discharge.

He called Nelson's phone.

After a few seconds, a standard automated voice came through the line, saying the number she had dialed couldn't be reached.

After several failed attempts, Sarah simply went home. Eventually, he would have to return to the apartment.

Sarah waited in the apartment all day without Nelson returning. However, around midnight, she received a friend request.

It was from Lucy.

Sarah didn't know why Lucy would add her on social media in the middle of the night, but as if guided by some strange impulse, she accepted the request.

As soon as they connected, Lucy sent her a video.

Sarah opened it to see a noisy, lively party scene.

The camera focused on Nelson and Lucy, both elegantly dressed, standing side by side next to a cake tower nearly as tall as a person.