Chapter 2

Paula opened her mouth to say something, but I interrupted her, "When I came home, covered in bruises, why didn't any of you ask about me?

"You didn't come to save me. You just took Eden away. You didn't show up after one day, or two, or even after a whole month. Did you really think the abductors would still believe they could get a ransom?"

The more I spoke, the more hurt I felt, and the tears began to fall uncontrollably. This was the surprise that awaited me upon my return to the Sainsbury family.

"If that's the case, then get rid of the child!" My birth father, Dale Sainsbury, slammed his foot down in frustration, and in his rage, he shattered a cup. "Get rid of it. It has to be done!"

No matter whose child this was, they had been asking me to go for an abortion long enough. Every time, I'd resisted with all my strength.

But this time, I changed my mind.

Seeing them still furiously blaming me for embarrassing the Sainsbury family, I spoke coldly, "Fine, I'll go. We'll go to the hospital today."

The room fell into stunned silence at my words. They all stared at me, wide-eyed.

After a long pause, Craig said, "Alright, I'll contact the best doctor right now." His gaze was a little scattered.

"Ouch, my stomach hurts so much!" Eden screamed all of a sudden. Instantly, everyone rushed to her side.

…

I sat alone in the hospital corridor, waiting for Tyree's diagnosis.

"The results are in, Ms. Larson. Where are your family members?" Tyree asked.

"It's fine. I came alone. My parents are getting old. You can just tell me, Dr. Cameron."

"Alright then." Tyree hesitated for a moment before handing me the diagnosis. "You have a grade four brain tumor. The child can't be saved, no matter what. We'll have to…"

I felt a ringing in my ears, as though I had entered another world. I couldn't hear Tyree's further explanations.

Was I going to die? At 20 years old?

I sat there, my grip tightening on the diagnosis, as if holding onto the last thread of my crumbling world.

The entire hospital was filled with the smell of disinfectant. Amid the flowing crowd, anxious or exhausted faces became the backdrop of the moment.

But my eyes were fixed on the paper in my hands. The words on it exuded an undeniable coldness.

Just then, a burst of chaos broke the silence in the hallway.

I turned my gaze toward the sound and saw Craig forcefully push open the double doors before rushing down the corridor.

Eden, pale and clutching her abdomen, was walking slowly behind him.

Dale and Paula stood by her side, with Paula supporting her shoulder and Dale anxiously making a call, seemingly contacting a doctor.

The loving parents were helping their precious daughter. They were the ones who truly loved each other. They were a family supporting one another.

This scene struck me deeply. Some things just couldn't be forced.

I was Cindy Larson, and I didn't belong to the Sainsbury family. I reaffirmed this in my heart.

I shifted slightly, trying to stay out of sight, but it was impossible to avoid their attention. Especially Craig, whose gaze felt like a blade, cutting right through me.

Did he want to eat me alive?

At that instant, it felt like countless unsaid words collided between us, and it all came out as his sharp question.

"What are you doing here? Eden didn't eat or drink because of you, and now her stomach problems flared up. What do you want now?"

I stared at him blankly, as though he were a stranger.

Behind him came Eden's quiet sobs, almost emphasizing each word he had spoken.

"Please, Cindy. Stop hurting Eden. Please!" Paula's voice, tinged with resentment, crushed my already fragile nerves.

"You're all mistaken." I shook my head, almost as if bidding farewell to the family I once belonged to. "I'm not so free that I'd come here to see you."

Perhaps, after everything, the Sainsbury family had become a gradually fading silhouette to me.

After saying that, I walked toward Tyree's office without another word.

The biopsy results came back, confirming a grade four brain tumor. Surgery wouldn't make a difference anymore.

Tyree's voice echoed in that sterile white room.

At that moment, I felt less fear than before. My mind was unusually calm. It was quite different from what I had expected.

First, I would go for an abortion, and then I would start the chemotherapy and follow-up treatments.

In that decisive moment, I felt strangely relieved.

I tucked the diagnosis back into my bag, preparing to admit myself to the hospital.

Just then, Craig appeared again. His accusatory gaze was harsh under the cold hospital lights. "What are you really here for? I won't let you hurt Eden!"

"Move!" I had already made up my mind. Since I was no longer part of the Sainsbury family, I would sever all ties with them completely—just like they had done to me.

Maybe, deep down, I shared the same cold blood they did.

I shrugged off Craig's hand and turned to leave. The anxiety, helplessness, and fear of the uncertain future turned into a complex emotion I couldn't fully describe, but I knew it was real.

I had to fight this battle alone. I no longer expected help from those who never intended to protect me.

Before, I had envied the way my parents and Craig treated Eden, but now I no longer cared.

The noise of the hospital faded away, and all I could hear was the steady beat of my own heart.

Three days later, the abortion procedure took place as scheduled.

That day, the hospital corridor was eerily quiet. There were no relatives filling the space with their endless advice—just the occasional sound of a cart rolling by and soft whispers.

The operating room lights were on. As I lay on the table, I felt the cold sting of the needle and the rapid numbness spreading throughout my body.