is hand reached out to wipe away Thea's tears w

hea, slow and intimate, his voice warm with devotion. "Sill

th Vivian that day hadn't been delayed by bringing me cake first, you wouldn't have driven so fast, which led to the car cras

softened as he tried to comfort her. "That day... I was hurrying to me

ace. So that was the truth. He hadn't been rushing to see her out of love

er breath every time she thought about it, wasn't some tragedy trigger

e humiliating IVF procedures, and even the nightmare of carrying the wron

lization tore through Vivian so sharply that it felt like something inside he

ment. "Vivian? What's happening?" Ka

ious face. Her voice came out flat, almost freez

bright, uncontrollable spark of satisfaction flickered in her eyes.

d to steady her. "Oh, sweetheart... it's alright. Colin is awake now. Once you're marr

Thea. "Thea, how is Colin

harmless sweetness. "Colin just opened his eyes, but he's s

ook filled with quiet

e sliced through the hallway, col

k, putting on an innocent

two fast steps, she closed the dist

oud and brutal as it lan

pressed a hand to her face as the skin flushed re

hocked gasp. She yanked Thea straight into Colin's room and threw her down in front of him. "Bec

exploded across it. He forced himself out of bed, shoved Vivian

"You're this worked up because I

s he stared at her. "V

u planned a wedding with me while you cheated with my stepsister behind my back? Or do you want to explain how you were racing to meet me tha

not it

ed through the room be

h brutal force, and red marks imm

rted like she wanted to stop it, but the truth behind

nd her voice trembling, "is for wasting thr

ain, even harder this t

assumption that I was the trigger of your car crash. For making me in constant concern fo

xpression twisting between

How could you hit Colin? You couldn't hold onto his hea

her eyes cutting like glas

ut thinking, and that simple instinct st

her hand one last time, gathering ev

rough the room, louder than

ything. For twisting my whole life into a ridiculous, pathetic joke! Coli

and stormed out, slamming the door so hard that

ed corner, and only then did her body finally give in. She pressed her b

rony of a child she never asked for growing inside her. It all shatte

s were raw and swollen, and one decision burned through the haze. This couldn't continue.

ced herself against the wall, forced her legs to move, and walked stra

on, waiting for another report, every minute f

voice as she read the results, "if you choose to end this pregnancy, t

vian murmured, shaken to her co

om one specialist to another, crisscrossing the city, desperate for so

her the same unmovable truth. Ending the pregnan

strength she had left was gone. She dr

ces floated from the half-open study door. Insi

Could you buy me that limited bag I have been eyeing? Everyone

st get a bag. You'll get a car. A new one, something better than anyone else's." She let out a cold laugh. "Your father warned that Devin has a temper with women, but he spends

with a violent streak, the kind of man women feared more than strangers i

r blood seemed to turn to ice. Her hands b

money, they would wrap her up like a package and deliver her stra

ughts spun wildly, searching for an escape

cross the screen from a number she didn't recognize.

lit up Vivian's eyes, cutt

n left to run. It wasn't comforting, and it wasn't gentle, but

had leverage. Whatever choice she made, it had to be

her room and called th

ce, and a low, controlled voic

voice worn down but strangely ste

stretch just long enough for him

olute firmness, leaving no room for negotiation. "B