Chapter 5

This was the first time I had openly shown my emotions. In the past, I always looked at Chuck with eyes filled with admiration and warmth. It was as if nothing he did could ever anger me.

Chuck opened his mouth slightly and asked, "Scarlett, are you mad? Is it because you and Quinn miscarried?"

His voice was hoarse, perhaps because the mention of two lives that had never fully formed had finally made him feel guilty toward me.

"It was a pressing decision for Harry and I. You and Quinn are already married to us, but Mel isn't married. If something happened to her, how would she get married in the future?

"Can you be more understanding? When you said you wanted to marry me, I warned you about the risks of my job. You said you weren't afraid of any danger."

I bit down hard on my tongue, and the metallic taste of blood slowly spread in my mouth.

Ignoring the doctor's attempts to stop me, I threw off the blanket. Without warning, I ripped open the huge bandage on my stomach, exposing the ugly, crooked stitches that resembled worms crawling across my skin.

A tear fell as I asked, "Chuck, do you even have a heart? Quinn and I barely survived that explosion. We lost our children, and we lost our ability to have children.

"What right do you have to ask us to be understanding? We're talking about four lives here. But to you and Harry, are they worth less than a scratch on Melinda's finger?"

Chuck was speechless. However, his guilt made him more irritable and impatient. "What do you want, then?" he spat. "You and Quinn have miscarried anyway."

Quinn sat silently in the bed beside mine, but I knew she was a woman of even greater resolve than I was. My words, sharp and fierce, were merely a façade. Inside, I was in unbearable pain.

Harry understood Quinn. He remained quiet, simply watching the unfolding situation.

I didn't know what was going through his mind, but the air in the hospital room felt like it had thickened, making it hard for everyone to breathe.

Quinn and I faced Harry and Chuck. We were sitting, while they stood.

In that moment, it became clear to all of us that the issues between us weren't just about the times they had abandoned us for Melinda or the small compromises we had made. It was about two innocent lives lost.

I noticed Chuck and Harry's expressions wavering. They were about to apologize when Melinda bit her lip and quickly interrupted them.

"Chuck, Harry, don't be sad." She offered cheerfully, "Even though you can't have babies anymore, I can do it!"