Chapter 3

Faye's face went deathly pale, swaying as though she might collapse at any moment. "Emily," she said in a trembling voice. "How could you say that…?"

At once, Tristan reached out to support her, his voice soft and coaxing. "Faye, you're pregnant. Please, don't let this upset you."

The two of them looked like a picture-perfect couple, perfectly matched and harmonious.

Watching Tristan's gentle, protective expression tore into me, igniting a raw, familiar ache.

During the first three months of my own pregnancy, I'd been so cautious, moving with slow, deliberate steps even as we shopped for baby essentials together. And how had he responded? With a dismissive sneer. "I've never met anyone as delicate as you," he'd scoffed, exasperated by my slower pace.

Then there was the day he'd asked me to bring him some important documents. A raging storm swept through the city, lightning crackling against the sky, as I called him to say I felt unwell, asking if someone else could make the trip instead.

His voice, sharp with annoyance, rang through the line. "You're usually so healthy—what could possibly be wrong? Or are you just jealous of Faye again? Emily, must you really be this petty?"

In his eyes, I was nothing but small-minded and hypersensitive. And yet, one gentle word, a single apology, and I would forgive him and fold under his demands. "Emily, please. Just bring me the documents—I need you."

Terrified that my refusal might somehow jeopardize the company, that my father's legacy might go up in smoke, I buried my own frustrations, combing through the house to find the files before braving the storm.

Unluckily, as I crossed through a low-lying area, the floodwaters broke through the dike, sending torrents of water surging around me. Protecting my stomach, I called him for help. He showed no concern at all.

Even afterward, his only reaction was to criticize me for failing to deliver the file on time. Not once did he ask if I’d made it home safely that night, or if the baby was unharmed. Lowering my gaze, I felt the sharp ache of that painful procedure flash through me.

Faye was the first to break the silence, her eyes shimmering with red-rimmed tears. "Emily, I'm so sorry if I somehow gave you the wrong impression. Really, Tristan only came to the hospital with me because he was worried about my health."

Her voice was soft, cautious, as if stepping carefully around shards of glass. "If you're upset, I'll apologize to you right here, if that's what you want."

She had the kind of looks that made people instinctively want to protect her—delicate and dignified, she seemed as if a single gust of wind could sweep her away. No wonder Tristan was so mesmerized by her from the very start.

I met her gaze and replied, my voice calm but cutting. "Apologize? Alright then."

Faye blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Emily…" she murmured, confusion etched into her features.

I looked over at Tristan, noting the faint flicker of irritation in his eyes, and spoke coldly. "If you're really so sincere about apologizing, then why don't you get down on your knees? Isn't that the least you could do to show some true remorse?"

The old me would've turned the other cheek, pretending her countless jabs were beneath my notice. But today, I didn't feel like playing the saint.

Her eyes widened, her lashes damp and trembling as if I'd dealt her an unbearable humiliation. Biting her lip, she forced the words out. "Fine… if that's what it takes…"

Tristan's face twisted with disbelief. "Emily, this is absolutely absurd!"

Then, turning back to Faye, his tone softened into a hushed murmur, "Faye, ignore her. I'm here—no one will make you do anything as long as I'm by your side."

He shot me a warning glance.

A single teardrop landed on the back of his hand, right in his line of sight, and she looked up at him with those hurt, vulnerable eyes, simultaneously fragile and defiant. "It's fine, Tristan. If Emily wants me to kneel, I'll do it. All I ask is that she no longer questions your loyalty after this."

If he wasn't my husband, I might actually be moved by this little performance. But he was my husband. And he was the reason I had lost my child. The bitterness seared through me, deeper than any guilt or shame she could elicit.

"Faye, no. Get up. You're pregnant," Tristan coaxed.

"Ah!" She cried out suddenly, clutching her belly with a tremor. "Tristan, my stomach hurts. Do you think… is the baby alright?"

Tristan's entire demeanor changed, his ruthless business persona discarded as he bent to her side, frantic. "Where does it hurt? Here?" His hands hovered over her stomach, his voice now dripping with tender concern. "Don't be afraid—I'm here. I'll make sure nothing happens to our baby."

The words hung heavily in the air, a knife twisting into the heart of my already battered soul.

Both Faye and I froze. Though I had expected it, hearing him admit it with his own lips was like an invisible fist clenching around my heart, wringing out whatever hope remained until nothing was left but a raw, aching void.

Faye stammered, glancing at me with wide eyes. "Tristan, please… don't…"

But Tristan had had enough of pretending. Without so much as a glance my way, he lifted her into his arms, looking down at me with a glacial glare. "You've truly disappointed me, Emily."

And as they turned away, I caught the look in Faye's eyes—a victorious, smug little smile, meant only for me.