Chapter 1

“Kirsty didn’t mean to call me away from your birthday party yesterday. She was a nervous wreck because her Labrador was having puppies. I couldn’t just leave her alone.

“And you want a divorce over something so trivial? You even pushed Autumn to divorce my brother. Is this what marriage means to you?

“When are you going to grow up and be more like Kirsty, Bella?”

I had just barely survived and was transferred out of the ICU when Austin Luther came to my ward, looking grim.

The man who once cared for my every need during my period couldn’t even see my fragility now, even when he stood right in front of me. Instead, he chose to berate me.

Fighting back tears, I looked up.

Still, tears rolled down my cheeks.

I was horrified by the package from Kirsty yesterday. The sight of a dead cat pushed me into early labor.

Autumn rushed me to the ER immediately.

During the frantic car ride, I called Austin in a panic, but my calls went unanswered.

I couldn’t be wheeled in for surgery without consent from a family member. Autumn, also an obstetrician, was willing to take the risk and brought me into surgery.

However, I was hemorrhaging from the amniotic fluid embolism, as if the premature labor wasn’t hard enough already.

The complexity of the surgery was beyond what Autumn or the other doctors could handle.

Gritting my teeth, I called Austin through my tears, hoping for help and to say my last words.

“I have amniotic fluid embolism... I’m bleeding...

“Please help me, Austin... I-I don’t want to die...

“I’m only twenty-five... I still have so much life ahead of me...

“I want to watch our child grow up...

“If I die—”

I hoped for Austin to take good care of himself if my time on Earth was over. He shouldn’t just burn himself out at work.

But Austin cut me off with disdain.

“You have no idea how dangerous it is for a dog to give birth, Bella.

“I’m warning you—don’t harass me with phone calls while I’m helping Kirsty’s dog. Kirsty is very attached to her dog that she has had for two years. I can’t leave them like that just to celebrate your birthday with you.”

Austin hung up on me.

I truly thought my time had come.

However, Autumn shakily assured me not to be afraid and pulled me back from the brink of death.

Still, my baby needed a specific medication to survive.

Autumn’s husband, Aaron, was the CEO of the pharmaceutical company that produced it. Yet he was too busy caring for Kirsty’s dog to save his nephew’s life.

In the end, my baby didn’t make it.

…

“Not again. All you do is cry. What else are you good for?”

Austin was irritated by my tears.

He yanked me. “It’s bad enough that you tricked me into coming here, claiming you were hemorrhaging. I can’t believe your drama continues even in the hospital. There are people who actually need these beds. Get up and get discharged. Medical resources should go to those who truly need it.”

Austin was an obstetrician at the hospital.

He could have asked any of his colleagues to verify if I was telling the truth.

However, he refused to spend even a few seconds of his time on me. He was convinced I was lying.

Autumn stormed into the ward and burst out in rage.

She pushed Austin away, came to my side, and threw the covers off me.

“Drama? What drama? Then explain why her pregnant belly is gone.

“You were busy delivering Kirsty’s puppies while Bella nearly bled out from amniotic fluid embolism. You’re unbelievable, Austin! Bella is lucky to be alive, but your child is dead. Are you happy now?”