Three years ago,at our engagement party at the Plaza Hotel,my future sister-in-law,Scarlett,made a flippant bet.She dared her godfather—my fiancé,Julian Thorne—to give me an unforgettable“surprise”in front of all of New York’s high society. To make his precious goddaughter laugh,Julian walked out in the middle of my speech.He chuckled to his friends: “She’s a pushover.Let her cool off for a few days,buy her a bag,and she’ll get over it.” His friends whistled and jeered,mocking me as just another gold digger trying to marry into a rich family,claiming I could never survive without the Thorne family’s protection. Scarlett even walked onto the stage and“accidentally”spilled red wine on my white Vera Wang gown,then exchanged a knowing smile with Julian across the room. Amidst countless looks of pity and contempt,I was unnaturally calm. From a distance,Julian raised his glass and mouthed to me: “That’s the kind of poise a Thorne matriarch should have.Wait for my call at home.” Hearing that,I just felt a sense of absurdity. Poise? No.I was just numb. Three years later,Julian blocked the street in front of my art gallery with a fleet of black Cadillacs and a massive yellow diamond,staging a grand,dramatic proposal: “Are you done being angry,darling?I’m here to keep my promise.” I didn’t even spare him a glance,carefully shielding my very pregnant belly. “Excuse me,please move.My husband is waiting for me at my prenatal appointment.” … “Hiring someone to make a custom silicone belly for this act?Is this really necessary,Evelyn?” Julian Thorne stood with one hand in his trouser pocket,his gaze casually sweeping over my swollen abdomen. His tone was full of certainty and the kind of innate arrogance that came with being a Wall Street titan. I met his gaze without flinching. “Mr.Thorne,please move.” The entrance to the Sotheby’s building,where I worked,was completely blocked by his six gleaming black Cadillacs. Drones flew overhead,holding a giant banner that read“Evelyn,Marry Me Again”in a fancy script. A crowd of office workers and tourists was gathering,their whispers reaching my ears. Julian didn’t care.He stepped forward,holding out a bouquet of Ecuadorian red roses. “It’s been three years.Your cooling-off period should be over.” He stared at me.“You know I hate it when women make a scene,but for you,I’ve already made an exception and given you three years.”
I looked at the vibrant roses. Three years ago,when I was at a private clinic getting an IV for a pollen allergy,he had his assistant send me the exact same flowers. He’d said on the phone that Scarlett picked them out and told me not to be ungrateful. I didn’t reach for them. I just placed a hand on my belly and took a small step back. “Julian,I’m not throwing a tantrum.” I looked him in the eyes,my voice soft. “I’m married.And I’m five months pregnant.” Julian let out a short laugh. He casually tossed the bouquet to his assistant. “You’d even make up a lie like this just to get me to bow down?” He took a blue Tiffany box from his suit pocket and snapped it open. Inside was a yellow diamond ring worth an estimated ten million dollars. “I owe you a ceremony from the engagement party three years ago.I’m making it up to you today.” He didn’t even get on one knee.He just held the box out. “Put it on.My assistant will take you to pick out a wedding dress tomorrow.This time,I promise I’ll see it through to the end.” He said it so matter-of-factly,as if he were doing me a huge favor. I looked at the brilliant diamond,feeling nothing. At the party three years ago,he abandoned me on stage for Scarlett’s childish bet,in front of all our business partners and the city’s elite. His goddaughter,Scarlett,had stepped on my gown with her high heel,leaving a clear footprint. What did he say then? He said I had poise and told me to wait for him at home. That night,I took off the dress alone,cut off the stained hem,and threw it,along with the engagement ring,into the Hudson River. From that moment on,the name Julian Thorne was dead to me. “I don’t need it.” I walked around him,heading for the street.
Julian’s brow finally furrowed. He reached out to grab my wrist. I sidestepped,and his hand met empty air. “That’s enough,Evelyn.” His voice grew heavy with a warning tone. “My patience is limited.Who are you putting on this act for?” Just then,his phone rang. It was a special ringtone.A girl’s saccharine voice whined,“Julian,did you get Evelyn?I think I have a fever,I feel so dizzy…” It was Scarlett. Julian’s expression softened instantly. He replied with a voice message. “Sweetie,take some medicine.I’ll bring her back to see you soon.” After sending the message,he looked back at me. “Scarlett is sick,and she’s still worried about you.You shouldn’t be so hostile towards her.” His tone was chiding. “What happened three years ago was just a joke.She’s young and doesn’t know any better.As her sister-in-law,are you really going to hold a grudge this long?” I looked at his self-righteous expression and suddenly felt a wave of nausea. It was a normal part of pregnancy,but this man’s presence made it worse. I took a deep breath,trying to calm my stomach. “Julian,do you not understand English?” I pointed to a Lincoln sedan waiting for a passenger by the curb. “My husband is waiting for me at the clinic.Get out of my way.” Julian’s face turned to ice as he stared at my stomach. “Evelyn,are you ever going to stop?Do you have to use such cheap tricks to humiliate me?”
“Cheap tricks?” I repeated the words,finding them laughable. “Think whatever you want.” I was done arguing with him.I walked straight to the Lincoln. I opened the door and eased myself in,protecting my belly. Julian quickly slammed his hand on the door to stop it from closing. “Which clinic?I’ll take you.” He looked down at me. “I want to see for myself which bum you hired to play this part with you.” I stared coldly at his hand on the car door. “Let go.” “Evelyn,don’t push it.” His patience seemed to have run out.He opened the passenger door and sat down. Defeated,I gave the driver the name of a top-tier private OB-GYN clinic on the Upper East Side. The driver glanced at me,then at the imposing figure of Julian,and hesitated. Julian pulled a few hundred-dollar bills from his wallet and tossed them on the dashboard. “Drive.” The car pulled smoothly into the Manhattan traffic. The silence in the car was suffocating. Julian leaned back,turning his head to look at me. “You used to be afraid of needles.Now you’re wearing a fake belly just to spite me?” His gaze scrutinized my abdomen. “Take it off.Aren’t you hot in that thing?” I zipped my coat up to the collar and closed my eyes,ignoring him.
Half an hour later,the car stopped in front of the clinic. I got out,and Julian followed close behind. The private clinic’s lobby was quiet and luxurious. I went to the front desk and gave them my appointment information. Julian stood behind me,watching as the nurse handed me my maternity chart. His eye twitched,but he quickly regained his composure. “You’ve really committed to the act.” He sneered. I took the chart and walked to the elevator.He followed me,step for step. On the third floor,in the VIP waiting area,I found an empty seat. Just as I sat down,the elevator doors opened again. Scarlett emerged,wearing Jimmy Choos and carrying a bouquet of white lilies. She spotted us immediately and hurried over. “Julian,Evelyn.” She held the bouquet of white lilies—the flowers of mourning—in front of me,a look of innocent delight on her face. “I heard you were pregnant,so I came to congratulate you.” The strong scent of the lilies hit me,and I couldn’t help but sneeze. Julian immediately frowned at Scarlett. “She’s allergic to pollen.Get those away from her.” Scarlett bit her lip,looking hurt. “Oh,I’m so sorry,Evelyn.I forgot.I was just so happy for you.” She placed the flowers on the empty seat next to her and sat down beside Julian. “But Evelyn,getting married so quickly?” Scarlett eyed my stomach. “The baby’s already so big.You didn’t just marry some random guy to get back at Julian,did you?” She giggled,covering her mouth. “And for such an important appointment,why isn’t your husband here with you?” “He didn’t just leave you here all alone,did he?How irresponsible.”
Julian listened without saying a word. Instead,he looked at me,as if waiting for my reaction. “Her husband’s busy.He doesn’t have time for her,”Julian answered for me,his voice dripping with mockery. “How dedicated can you expect a hired actor to be?” I watched them,their words a coordinated attack,and felt surprisingly calm. This was the man I had loved for seven years. He watched as others humiliated me,not only refusing to help but joining in. “Is there an Evelyn Reed here?”a nurse called out,holding a chart. “Here,”I said,standing up. The nurse looked at me,then at Julian and Scarlett behind me. “A family member needs to be present to sign some forms.Who is the patient’s family?” Julian instinctively stepped forward. “I am.” I turned and cut him off coldly. “He’s not.”
The nurse paused,her eyes darting between Julian and me. Julian’s hand,which had been reaching for the chart,froze in mid-air. His face darkened. “Evelyn,stop it.” He lowered his voice,a clear warning in his tone. “This is a hospital,not a place for you to throw a fit.” I didn’t look at him.I addressed the nurse. “I don’t know them.They’re just strangers.My husband is on his way.” The nurse nodded and took the chart back. “Okay,then please wait out here for your husband.Some of these documents must be signed by your spouse.” The nurse turned and went back into the exam room. Julian slowly lowered his hand,jamming it into his pocket. He looked at me,his eyes turning dangerous. “Strangers?” He let out a cold laugh. “Three years and you’ve grown bold.Now I’m not even allowed to be your family?” Scarlett saw his anger and quickly stood up,grabbing his arm. “Julian,don’t be mad.” She turned to me,her eyes instantly welling up with tears. “Evelyn,are you still upset about that joke from three years ago?” She sniffled,her voice full of grievance. “I just made a little bet with Julian that day to liven things up.” “Who knew you couldn’t take a joke and would just run away from home.” She called his abandonment a joke,and my heartbreak an inability to take one.
I looked at her pitiful face and found it absurd. “Using an engagement party for a bet was a joke?” I looked at Julian. “Leaving me alone on stage in front of all of New York’s high society and the media was a joke?” I turned back to Scarlett. “Staining my dress,pulling off my veil,and mocking me for being a social climber was also a joke?” Scarlett flinched and hid behind Julian. Julian’s brow was tight as he protectively shielded her. “That’s enough,”he snapped. “Scarlett was spoiled growing up;she can be thoughtless.You’re older than her.Can’t you be a little more generous?” He looked at me with disapproval. “It was a small thing,and you’ve held a grudge for three years.Evelyn,you were never this petty.” Never this petty?I stared at him. I had spent two weeks working sleepless nights to plan that engagement party,personally overseeing every detail. I waited until two in the morning for him to try on his suit,only to be told he was“too busy.” I thought our engagement was the start of our happiness.Instead,it was a cup of poison he handed me himself. “Julian.” I said his name softly. “Do you really think that all you have to do is snap your fingers,and I’ll come crawling back with no self-respect?” Julian’s gaze flickered. “I never said that.I just don’t think you needed to marry some random guy to spite me.” He paused,his tone softening slightly. “This supposed husband of yours can’t even show up for a prenatal appointment.Does he really know you better than I do?” He even remembered my old habits. “You’re afraid of getting your blood drawn;you always needed someone to coax you.Does he know that?” I looked at his self-proclaimed deep affection and found it pathetic. “He doesn’t need to know.” I touched my belly. “Because he would never make me face these things alone.” The exam room door opened again. The nurse came out with a stack of papers. “Ms.Reed,this is your initial intake report.Please confirm the information.” She handed the file to me. Julian,using his height advantage,glanced over the report. His eyes suddenly froze on the signature line for the spouse. A name was signed there in a strong,confident script. It was undeniably a man’s name.
The color drained from Julian’s face. “You’d even forge medical records to trick me?” He looked up,his eyes filled with disbelief and rage. “Forging medical documents is a felony,Evelyn.Have you gone insane?” He reached out,trying to snatch the report from my hands. I turned,protecting the documents against my chest. “Mr.Thorne,have some self-respect.” I looked at him coldly. “This is my private information.It has nothing to do with you.” Julian’s hand hung in the air,his fingers twitching slightly. He gritted his teeth,his chest heaving. “Fine.Great.” He laughed coldly again and again. “I’m going to see for myself what kind of coward this is,who doesn’t even dare to show his face.” At that moment,Scarlett,who was standing nearby,suddenly cried out,“Oh!”and stumbled towards me. “I twisted my ankle!” She yelled,her arms flailing as she fell directly at me. The waiting area hallway wasn’t wide. Behind me was a row of hard,wooden chairs. Seeing her fall towards me,I instinctively wrapped my arms around my protruding belly and tried to back away. With a dull thud,my lower back slammed hard against a chair’s metal armrest. A searing pain shot through me.
Immediately after,my abdomen began to tighten. I gasped,a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. Clutching the chair,I slowly slid to the floor. “Evelyn!” Julian cried out. He didn’t move to help me first. Instead,he instinctively caught the falling Scarlett,holding her securely in his arms. “Julian,it hurts so much…”Scarlett whimpered in his embrace,tears streaming down her face. “I didn’t mean to.I just lost my balance.” Julian soothed Scarlett while frowning at me. “Evelyn,you knew she twisted her ankle.Why didn’t you help her?” His voice was thick with blame. “Why did you dodge?So what if you got bumped?Did you have to sit on the floor and be so dramatic?” I clutched my stomach,too much in pain to even speak. The tightening in my abdomen grew more intense,and a terrible sense of foreboding washed over me. The nurse heard the commotion and rushed over. “What happened?Why is the patient on the floor?” Seeing my pale face,the nurse immediately hit the emergency button on the wall. “We need help in here!Get a gurney!The patient is showing signs of premature labor!” The hallway instantly descended into chaos.
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