Chapter 0002

"My baby!" Riley woke up with her hand on her belly, her heart beating wildly. "My baby -"

"Riley, calm down—" Riley turned to a man who was calling her name. She was shocked by his presence and initially could not grasp what he was saying.

Next to her hospital bed was Adrian King, the first son of the wealthiest family in the city of Halliport. Though there was a noticeable change in him, Riley immediately recognized him. He was a figure from her past, someone who had become a stranger to both her and her husband.

On a normal and happy day, Riley was like a ray of sunshine. She possessed long, wavy blonde hair, a heart-shaped face, and dazzling green eyes. However, that day, Riley did not have to look in the mirror to know she was a mess. Hours earlier, she had been crying her heart out in her car, only to be saved by a stranger. After undergoing medical evaluations and treatments, she passed out due to emotional stress. And now, she found herself back in her miserable state, panicking in an unfamiliar hospital room.

"Riley, the baby is—" Adrian’s voice was barely audible as he attempted to explain.

Riley was still bewildered at seeing Adrian, but after he spoke, she faintly asked, "What? What is it, Adrian?"

Adrian heaved a sigh, shook his head, and said in an unhappy tone, "You lost the baby, Riley. I'm sorry."

At first, Riley just sat there. The words he said rang in her head, 'You lost the baby, Riley. I'm sorry.'

Tears stung her eyes before she uttered, "No… No. No!"

"I'm sorry," Adrian said.

"No! It can't be!” She screamed. “I wanted this so bad–for so many years!”

"I don't care about Brian; I just want my child! Adrian, please tell me it's not true," Riley exclaimed. She recalled all her efforts in trying to conceive: the hospital visits, the surgery, the injections, and all the supplements she had to take.

She was finally pregnant, but she lost her child. Why was the world so unfair?

"It can’t be true. It can’t!" Her nose flared, and she threw her pillow out of anger. Riley didn't care that she was unknowingly aiming at Adrian King. Right now, all she cared about was her grief.

"Calm down, Riley," Adrian suggested.

“No!” Riley's tears clouded her sight. She exclaimed, “I can’t calm down! I can’t–”

Riley did not know when or how it happened, but the next thing she knew, Adrian’s arms were tightly wrapped around her frame. He ordered, "Calm down, I said! Calm. Down.”

"I hate Brian! I hate him! This is all his fault!" Riley expressed. She cried even more, so much that her tears stained Adrian's expensive suit.

Out of nowhere, she recalled her hopes after getting the surgery. She carelessly spoke her mind as her tears continued to flow down her delicate face, “I–I was going to take care of my baby, sing him a song, put him to sleep, bring him to school–this–this was finally my moment.”

Riley was inconsolable. Her body shook with each bitter word that left her lips, and her cries echoed with raw emotion. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were swollen from the torrent of tears.

While Riley continued to pour out her heart, she felt Adrian's embrace tightening around her waist and back. Despite not understanding why he was there and offering her support, she didn't object. At that moment, Riley was open to accepting comfort from anyone.

Riley also strengthened her hold around Adrian. She cried and cried until her tears ran dry. She did not know how long she remained in his arms until she fell silent. Her hold loosened around Adrian, and he pulled away. Her arms gently landed on her lap, her eyes looking distant.

There were a good few minutes of silence with Riley just thinking about her pregnancy. She didn’t utter a word, and neither did the man before her.

When she finally looked at Adrian, she wiped her face carelessly with her hands and asked, "Did - did they try everything to save my baby?"

"Of course,” he replied confidently. “But–”

Adrian gulped and spoke in a deep yet soft voice, "I should let the doctor explain this to you."

With his strong arms, he maneuvered himself from the bed and settled into his wheelchair. It took a moment, but eventually, Riley reacted, frowning. She thought, 'Wait, what? Adrian King is still in a wheelchair?'

Riley remembered how Adrian King was in a skiing accident many years ago, which led to his inability to walk without support. However, she certainly did not expect Adrian to be in a wheelchair until this day.

"I'll go get the doctor," Adrian said before moving his motorized wheelchair out the door. "Doctor Martin? Zia? She is awake! Come here immediately! Talk to her. I can't–I can't with the baby."

'Zia?' Riley winced at the name. 'Zia Martin?'

The last thing she needed right now was to see another Martin, but could Zia be someone she could confide in? Yes, Zia is a Martin, but a distant cousin of Brian, an obstetrician-gynecologist.

Shortly, Zia walked into the hospital room. Guilt reflected on her face as she slowly paced toward Riley. Before Riley could say anything, Zia embraced her tightly, crying for Riley. "I'm sorry about the baby, Riley. I'm sorry about my stupid cousin! I will never forgive him for hurting you like this."

Unable to hold back her emotions, Riley cried again.

***

"Usually, miscarriages before thirteen weeks do not require hospitalization, but you were bleeding more than expected, so I wanted to keep you here for at least two days to ensure there are no complications," Zia cautiously explained to Riley. "I suspect it wasn't just the fall. You were emotionally stressed, and that wasn't healthy."

It had been more than an hour since she learned of the miscarriage, but Riley still did not want Zia to leave her side. So, as her doctor, Zia explained everything that had happened to her.

Holding Riley's hand, Zia said, "There is a reason for everything, Ri. Just believe. I pray that someday you will have another child with the right man. Obviously, Brian isn't the right man for you. You deserve better."

With a sad expression painted on her face, Riley gazed at Zia and weakly responded, "Thank you, Zia."

Just then, Riley turned to the door and saw Adrian staring at her through the small opening. Riley was so consumed by her sadness that she did not notice Adrian had been outside the door the whole time. And, of course, the door was left ajar.

"Adrian–why is he here?" Barely a whisper, Riley asked.

Zia looked perplexed. She turned to the door before looking back at Riley. She reluctantly replied, "It was Mister King who brought you to the hospital—well, his assistant carried you to the Emergency Room."

"Oh," Riley weakly responded.. With a downward glance, she murmured, "I should thank him."

Zia looked out the door and suggested, "Well, let me give you a chance to do that. I also need to attend to other patients, but I'll be back."

After Zia excused herself, Adrian entered. Riley felt the temperature in the room drop like the man brought Antarctica with him. Her throat was paper dry at that point, but she managed to say, "Thank you for bringing me here."

It wasn't just any hospital; it was the best in Halliport, The King's Medical Center, a facility owned by Adrian's family.

"We happened to pass by your car, and I noticed that you were in distress. Of course, I had to help," Adrian spoke calmly, his eyes staring straight at her.

"You must have missed a very important appointment," Riley remarked, scanning the room. When her eyes fell on the wall clock, she was stunned to see that it was already past ten in the evening. It was noon when she left the Martins’ mansion, which meant that Adrian had spent ten hours helping her!

Riley's lips parted, but she struggled to find the words. It took another moment for her gaze to return to Adrian. "One day, I will return the favor. I hope you will let me."

Adrian raised his chin, his expression determined. "Remember your words, Riley Allen, because I will collect. For now, you take your rest. Eat well. I will be back."

A heavy silence filled the room as Adrian left, lingering for a good minute.

When Riley was all along, she gulped, her heart racing a little. She wondered what Adrian meant. “He will collect?”