I got into a car crash, slamming into the guardrail on my way to deliver medicine to my firefighter husband. The car doors were jammed, and smoke billowed from outside. I called Leo for help, but he was out on a mission. To keep him from worrying, I swallowed my fear and tried to free myself. The moment fire erupted, I pushed the car door open with all my might, but my leg was trapped, unable to move. Just as despair set in, Leo’s supervisor, Ben Carter, arrived with his team. Unintentionally, I overheard Ben Carter questioning Leo. “Skylar is pregnant! How could you choose Chloe’s kid over saving your own wife?” “Lily has pneumonia, and Chloe can’t manage her alone. I trust you guys to handle it here… ” Disappointed, I decided to join a remote teaching program in a mountain village. But the husband who had defended Chloe, tirelessly searched for me after I left. “Besides, if Chloe’s husband hadn’t saved Skylar back then, I would have been the one to suffer the pain of separation.” “Helping Chloe and Lily now is my way of atoning for Skylar.” Ben Carter ran a hand across his forehead, clearly exasperated, his voice laced with accusation. “No one truly knows what happened at that fire. Are you really willing to risk your future based on just a single word from Chloe? Is it worth it?” “Yes, it is. If the baby was gone today, or Skylar was seriously hurt, my guilt would be even less…” The water glass slipped from my trembling hand and shattered on the floor. Tears instantly welled up, and I clamped a hand over my mouth, desperate to stifle the sobs escaping me. I couldn’t believe this was my husband, the father of my child. I lunged forward, wanting to snatch his phone and demand an answer from Leo: which was more important, his wife and child, or his childhood friend? I forced myself up, bracing against the pain, but a sharp agony in my abdomen made me gasp. In moments, blood had soaked through my white dress. Ben Carter heard the commotion and rushed over to me. His face turned grim the moment he saw blood dripping onto the ground. He scooped me up and hurried towards the arriving ambulance. After examining me, the doctor shook her head with a helpless expression. “The patient is injured and highly emotional, with severe bleeding. It’s very difficult to save the baby. Please contact her family as soon as possible.” My gaze was filled with a deep sorrow, and my hands slowly caressed my swollen belly. This child was a blessing I had waited three long years for. Before I left home, I had just ordered his crib and clothes online for when he was born. Now, barely an hour later, they were telling me my baby was in danger. “Doctor, I’m not afraid of pain. Please, just help me. My… my baby is already over seven months. Even if you can just save him for one more month…” I pleaded with the doctor, my voice breaking into a sob. The doctor only gave me a fleeting glance, continuing her work. No one spoke in the ambulance. The only sounds were the medical instruments beeping and Ben Carter’s phone ringing. Watching his tightly furrowed brows, I knew Leo wasn’t answering. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke, my voice tinged with disappointment. “Use my phone. My baby and I need him.” I wouldn’t give up. Even if Chloe’s husband had been the one to save me, at a critical moment like this, Leo should have been by my side. Besides, it wasn’t Chloe’s husband who saved me, it was Ben Carter. We had explained this to Leo countless times, but he only ever believed Chloe. The phone rang for a long time before Leo finally picked up. His voice, though, was laced with impatience. “Skylar, you’re not seriously hurt. Lily is scared right now and wants me here. I’ll come back to take care of you tonight.” Ben Carter shot me a glance, his voice involuntarily rising a few decibels. “Your wife is hemorrhaging right now, and the baby is in danger! You need to get to City Hospital immediately!” Leo didn’t respond directly, but I heard Chloe’s soft voice in the background. “Officer Carter just said she had minor injuries. Now, all of a sudden, she’s in danger? Is Skylar just upset that you’re here, and she’s faking it?” “No, it doesn’t matter if it’s true or not, you should still go see her.” Leo’s anger flared, and he sharply told Ben Carter to hand me the phone. I didn’t care whether Leo was coming or not; I just desperately needed someone to lean on. My voice choked as I began, “Honey, I’m in so much pain, I just want…” “Uncle, Lily wants strawberries!” My words were cut short by the little girl’s whining voice from the other end. My heart plummeted into a chasm of despair. I knew Leo wasn’t coming. The next second, he impatiently brushed me off. “Skylar, I know you’re scared after the accident, but you can’t take it out on the baby. Chloe lost her husband and it’s so hard for her to raise Lily alone. I’ll come back to be with you once Lily feels better.” I thought if I just humbled myself, Leo would find an excuse to come. But now I understood. When it came to Chloe, all his reason vanished. My plea was a fragile whisper, begging him to come be with me. The only reply was the click of a hung-up phone. My eyes, brimming with agony, searched for Ben Carter’s gaze, and I asked the question burning in my mind. “Has Leo been staying with Chloe and Lily for the past five days, not returning to the unit?” He saw he couldn’t hide it from me and simply nodded. I laughed, tears spilling from my eyes. Five days ago, Leo had wanted to bring Chloe and Lily home to live with us. I had refused, and we’d had a huge fight. He hadn’t come home since that day. Today, he called to say he ran out of stomach medicine. I thought it was an olive branch, a sign he wanted to reconcile, but instead, he had just pushed me further into the abyss. A scorching anxiety consumed me, and I kept pinching my arm, trying to numb the pain. The resentment festering inside me finally buckled under the weight of my weakening body, and I slipped into darkness. Faintly, I heard the doctors working to save me. I also heard Ben Carter’s furious shouts after calling Leo. Then, gradually, silence. But I still felt something leave my body. When I woke up, looking at my slightly deflated abdomen, I burst into heart-wrenching sobs.
I couldn’t save the baby. The doctor said that due to my emotional distress and the impact causing a third of my placenta to detach, I had lost him. When I heard the news, I nodded numbly. The searing pain in my heart had already spread to my limbs, making even breathing an agonizing chore. “You’ll have other children, you need to take care of yourself…” “Where’s Leo?” I interrupted Ben Carter’s comforting words, my voice hoarse. His face hardened, and his eyes darted away, avoiding my gaze. I knew then. It had been two full days since the accident, and Leo still hadn’t shown up. I let out a bitter laugh, tears falling freely. “He’s still with Chloe and Lily, so what am I? What was our baby?” Unwilling to tolerate it any longer, I called Leo. The moment the call connected, I heard a call bell ring on his end. My voice tinged with displeasure, I asked, “Are you at the hospital?” “Yeah, Lily’s still not feeling great, so we came to City Hospital to get her checked. I’ll head home once they’re settled.” My heart immediately ached, but I still managed to tell him I was hospitalized in the obstetrics and gynecology department. The words had barely left my lips when Leo exploded. “First you’re hemorrhaging, now you’re in OB-GYN? Skylar, what exactly are you and Ben Carter trying to pull?” “I already called the dealership. The car’s badly damaged, but there’s no blood. You’re spinning such lies just to stop me from helping Chloe!” “Skylar, remember this: you owe Chloe and Lily. I’m atoning for your sins.” My heart sank to rock bottom. He could call the car dealership to verify, but he couldn’t be bothered to come to the hospital and see if I was okay. I threw off the covers, enduring the sharp ache in my abdomen, and walked towards the pediatrics department. Seeing the word “Pediatrics,” I couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle. The furthest distance was just one floor, yet he couldn’t bring himself to take a single step up. I followed the sounds and walked towards the infusion room. Leo was dotingly coaxing a red-faced Lily, who was crying. Chloe, meanwhile, leaned on his shoulder, her eyes closed in repose. The sight was a dagger to my eyes. When I first found out I was pregnant, Leo had looked at my belly with that same doting expression. His eyes had been filled with longing for a happy life as a family of three. But now, my baby was gone, and he was reveling in the joy of being a family of three with them. With a broken heart, I pushed down the doorknob. My eyes met Chloe’s as she opened hers. She hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Leo. “Leo, Lily’s stable now. You should go home and be with Skylar tonight. I’m worried about her…” “Worried about what? Ever since she got pregnant, she’s been so paranoid, always thinking something’s going on between us. Now she’s even ganging up with Ben Carter to lie to me. She deserves to be left alone for a few days until her emotions stabilize, then I’ll go back.” His dismissive tone made my hand tremble, and tears immediately streamed down my face. I had thought that after five years of love and three years of marriage, we were inseparable partners. But now I realized this love was only my unwavering devotion. He was merely an actor playing a role. Leo placed the sleeping Lily on the bed, then reached out and pulled Chloe into his arms. He looked down at her with an apologetic gaze: “While she hasn’t given birth yet, I have time to take care of you and Lily. Otherwise, I’d feel too guilty.” Chloe got the answer she wanted, and her eyes, filled with triumph, challenged mine. My heart utterly died. The urge to demand “why” had completely vanished. I let go of the door and slowly walked upstairs. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I saw Ben Carter frantically searching for me. “Did you see Leo?” “I did, but I don’t want him anymore.” With those words, I closed my eyes. My mind began to map out my future path. Before marrying Leo, I was a high school teacher. To take care of him, I had resolutely quit my job and moved to his city. Now that I was sure he didn’t truly love me, I wouldn’t waste my heart on the wrong person any longer. Firm in my decision, I pulled out my phone and applied for a remote teaching program. I would set off with the new graduates in half a month.
A week later, I was discharged from the hospital. Looking at our familiar apartment complex, memories of Leo and me flooded my mind. Leo and I met during a fire drill at school. As a freshman, I was a bit reckless. I shoved aside a student guarding the path, thinking I could take a shortcut. Instead of a shortcut, I pushed myself straight towards the railing. Just as I was about to fall, Leo grabbed my arm. His single phrase, “You’ve got me, don’t be scared,” instantly captured my floating heart. From that moment, I embarked on a three-year journey to pursue him. Fortunately, my perseverance paid off, and he actually proposed. I had thought we would live happily ever after like any normal couple, but then, in our second year of marriage, an accident happened. I was at a shopping mall getting a massage when a fire broke out. Coincidentally, Chloe and her husband were there too, though I didn’t know who she was at the time. I simply followed Leo’s safety advice and found a relatively safe spot. Chloe’s husband disagreed with my assessment and tugged at her, insisting they leave. Just then, a signpost next to us toppled over. I pulled Chloe out of the way, but I wasn’t quick enough to save her husband. Chloe watched her husband fall into a pool of blood and blamed me for the accident. She believed I was responsible for his death. Seeing her spiral into hysteria, I didn’t want to engage; I just wanted to escape that terrifying place. When we met again, Chloe twisted the truth. She told Leo that her husband had died trying to save *me*. From then on, I became Chloe’s personal scapegoat. Anytime Chloe felt wronged, Leo would bring up that incident to confront me. No matter how many times I explained, Leo refused to believe me. Just then, a flicker of light sparked in my mind, and a mocking smile touched my lips. It wasn’t that Leo didn’t believe me; it was that he *didn’t want* to admit Chloe was lying. I should have understood this long ago, but to maintain our marriage, I chose to turn a blind eye. He wasn’t the only one acting. With renewed resolve, I walked towards our apartment. After packing my things, I seized a moment while drinking water to print out the divorce papers. I glanced at them, then signed my name. Just then, I heard the front door open. Leo walked in, holding Lily in his arms. Chloe followed behind, pushing a suitcase, her left hand draped over Leo’s jacket. They looked like a family returning from a trip abroad. Leo stared at me, frozen, then spoke, his voice low. “Clear out the master bedroom. Lily just recovered from being sick and needs more sunlight. You’ll have to make do for a few days.” I didn’t speak, didn’t move. I watched Leo meticulously arrange things for Chloe and Lily, like watching a pathetic clown show. Chloe, not getting a response from me, looked a bit awkward. She then took Lily from Leo’s arms. “Leo, Lily and I should just go home. It’s not convenient.” She said, glancing at me. Leo immediately caught the unease in her eyes and turned, sharply barking at me. “Skylar, what exactly are you trying to pull? Chloe was worried you wouldn’t be safe during late pregnancy and offered to take care of you. Who are you putting on this lifeless act for?” His words made me laugh out loud, my eyes brimming with tears. *For my good*? He walked in and didn’t even notice my abdomen was flat. *For my good*? He’d let someone who destroyed our relationship move into our master bedroom. If this was what he called love, I’d rather not have it. Leo’s face darkened at my hysterical laughter. He stepped forward and firmly gripped my shoulders. “Skylar, there’s a limit to your tantrums. This unreasonable behavior is making me look bad.” “Your embarrassment has nothing to do with me. Who are you to me anyway?” I shoved him away with force, wiping the tears from my face. Leo was infuriated by my actions. His face flushed, he glanced at Chloe, then leaned in close to my ear, his voice low. “I’m your husband, and the father of your child. I’ll send them away once Lily is better, then I’ll hire a nanny to take care of you and the baby…” Leo’s voice instantly stopped. He stared disbelievingly at my stomach, where his hand had touched. He stood there stunned for a long moment, then tentatively touched it again. It was still flat. His voice trembling, he looked at me. “The baby? Why is it flat? Did that day…” Chloe, hearing Leo’s distraught mumbling, gasped, covering her mouth. “Oh my goodness, Skylar, I know you’re upset Leo wasn’t with you during the car crash, but you couldn’t have just aborted the baby, could you? This was the child Leo longed for…” Leo glared at me, his eyes bloodshot and filled with resentment. “Skylar, are you crazy? If it wasn’t to atone for *your* sins, would I be running myself ragged between two places? And now you’ve gotten rid of my child? You’re absolutely too much!” Leo’s accusation made me laugh out loud. He didn’t believe anything Ben Carter and I said, but Chloe’s fabricated story became his excuse to blame me. Any last shred of love I had for him completely vanished. I placed the divorce papers directly in front of him. “You only hear what you want to hear. There’s nothing I can do to change that. So, Leo, let’s get a divorce.” Without waiting for his reply, I pushed my suitcase and turned to leave.
As soon as I closed the door, I heard Chloe’s voice, trying to persuade him. “Leo, no matter who’s right or wrong, it’s not safe this late. You should go find Skylar and bring her back.” “Let her go. Let’s see how much backbone she has. Someone with no family to fall back on, I don’t believe she’d dare divorce…” I let out a cold scoff, taking long strides towards the elevator. I had once seen him as my only salvation, sharing with him my childhood story of being raised by the community. I never imagined it would become his leverage against me. Eight years of my youth wasted on such a man. It truly wasn’t worth it. After calming myself, I hailed a cab and headed towards a secluded retreat. I had waited three years for my baby, and now he was gone. I wanted to pray for him. And to completely free myself from this relationship. The first thing I did upon arriving was turn off my phone, cutting myself off from the outside world. For seven whole days, my heart felt purified, emerging from the dark cloud that had hung over me. It wasn’t until the morning before I was due to leave for the teaching program that I turned my phone back on. Hundreds of messages and missed calls flooded in. Some from Ben Carter, some from Leo. I went straight to Ben Carter’s messages. [Skylar, I know you’ve been through a lot this time. The higher-ups will give you an explanation.] [Skylar, no matter what, you need to take care of yourself. Don’t hurt yourself because of certain people or things.] [Skylar, where exactly did you go? Are you safe?] … Every message was filled with concern, bringing a fleeting warmth to my wounded heart. Since meeting Leo, Ben Carter and I had become close friends, able to talk about anything. Over time, I learned that whenever he unexpectedly appeared, it was always at Leo’s request. Leo wanted to help Chloe but didn’t want me to know, so he used “being busy” as an excuse. To make it more convincing, he used Ben Carter as a shield, making me believe he was genuinely busy. At first, Ben Carter worried it would affect our relationship. He tried to stay away whenever possible. When I was pregnant, Leo took Lily to the zoo, leaving me to brave the snow and go for my prenatal check-up alone. We ran into each other halfway there, and he drove me to the hospital, which is how we exchanged contact info. This simple act, however, brought me an unexpected source of concern. Unwilling to let Ben Carter worry, I quickly sent him a message. After letting him know I was fine, I headed towards the train station. All the messages Leo sent me were deleted; I didn’t even open them. From now on, he and I were strangers. As soon as I sat down on the train, my phone rang. It was Ben Carter. The moment I answered, I saw his face was flushed, sweat beading on his forehead. He must have just finished training and called as soon as he saw my message. Seeing my vibrant spirits, he shook his head and chuckled helplessly. “You, you really scared Leo half to death this time. He’ll probably be obedient from now on.” The teasing in Ben Carter’s voice made me confused. I asked him why, and then I learned that Leo was searching for me everywhere. When I first left, Leo thought I was just throwing a tantrum. My angry phases usually only lasted two days, and he expected me to come back and apologize afterward.
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