Chapter 1

I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance for a C-section. My mother, Rose Tate, and my sister, Sasha Gray, went with me.

Fortunately, Sasha was an accomplished doctor. I'd been in the middle of administering an IV drip for one of the patients at our family's clinic when I suddenly felt something warm trickle down my legs. Then, Sasha pinned me to one of the patient beds and used a pillow to elevate the lower part of my body.

My pants were already drenched by then. As for my husband… I didn't have one. I was a single mother who'd gotten pregnant out of wedlock.

Unexpectedly, the anesthesiologist during my C-section was my ex-boyfriend with whom I'd called things off eight months ago and the father of my child. If I'd known this would happen, I would've negotiated with my baby and asked him not to be in such a hurry to leave the womb. He was only 38 weeks along, after all.

I had an ultrasound done upon arriving at the hospital. My baby wasn't yet in the right position to be born, but there wasn't enough amniotic fluid anymore. The fetal monitor showed signs of fetal distress and a high risk of asphyxiation.

The doctor immediately concluded that I needed a C-section. In the operating theater, Ian Sadler administered the epidural and stood aside. He monitored the medical equipment while glancing at me. After a while, he forced through gritted teeth, "You have no idea how much I want to increase your dosage, Sadie Gray."

"Don't do it. It's illegal," I said weakly.

He sneered. His voice was icy as he said, "If my memory serves me right, it's only been eight months since our breakup."

I'd already been close to a month pregnant when I unilaterally ended our relationship. I couldn't bear to get rid of the baby, though, especially since it was one Ian and I shared.

"Uh-huh."

Ian could misunderstand me all he wanted. I had no idea how to explain the situation to him, anyway. I wouldn't know what to say if he were to ask me why I'd kept the child, either.

While other people had surgery, the anesthesiologist would chat with them, but Ian seemed wholly against talking to me. We didn't interact throughout the rest of the C-section. Even the rest of the medical personnel could tell something was wrong between us.

Dating Ian was a happy accident. When in my junior year of college, an online game had suddenly skyrocketed in popularity. Like everyone else, I'd followed a high-level player, SaltFist, around, asking him to show me the ropes. Surprisingly, he'd agreed.

He helped me complete my daily missions, level up, and even annihilate enemies from other guilds who were out for my blood.

One day, SaltFist messaged me and said, "Maybe we should meet. I'm in Jilton City, too."

I'd paced my dormitory for half an hour, unable to make up my mind. Ultimately, my dormmates had snatched my phone and replied, "Sure!"

One dormmate, Monica Court, said, "SaltFist has an amazing voice, Sadie. I bet he looks good, too!"

Another dormmate, Pansy Snow, said, "I think so, too! If you're scared something will go wrong, we can sneakily follow you."

Just like that, I was half-forced into meeting SaltFist at a cafe near college. When Monica, Pansy, and I arrived at the cafe and saw Ian there, we were stunned. He sat at a table by the window while sipping his coffee and enjoying the view.

Ian was a graduate student in the department of anesthesiology in the medical faculty and a prodigy. He was renowned on campus for being unattainable. Rumor had it that he'd never dated anyone throughout his seven years in college.

Ian Sadler, who had never been involved with other women, was my in-game partner!

Pansy pushed me from behind, giving me a thumbs-up for encouragement. I staggered forward, appearing before Ian. "Uh… Are you SaltFist, Ian?"

"Yeah. Are you Souffle?"

"I am."

The legendary Ian Sadler, the unattainable campus beau, was seated across from me and sipping his coffee. We chatted about the game and our studies. I sat there like a child, my back straight and feet together. I didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

We chatted happily for a while. When I got up to leave, Ian suddenly called my name.