chapter 3

The moment I got to the hospital, the doctor Caleb had arranged started running tests.

Caleb must’ve gotten an update right away, because my phone rang almost immediately. He said softly, “The doctor says you’re fine. You can go ahead with the procedure.

“Just be good and do what they say. Don’t be scared. I’ll come as soon as I finish up here.”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I asked, “Where are you? Still looking for Lila’s cat?”

Caleb didn’t seem to expect me to say that. He paused for a moment, then said, “Not yet. Still looking.”

Like it was no big deal. Calm, certain.

He’d probably pulled that excuse on me a hundred times already.

When I didn’t say anything, he asked, “Why aren’t you talking?”

I took a breath and said quietly, “Caleb, I don’t want to get rid of this baby. Can’t we just keep it?”

His voice went cold instantly.

“No. The baby has to go.

“Just be good. We can have another one later, okay?”

And with that, whatever hope I had left for Caleb disappeared.

Tears ran down my face again, but I knew it would be the last time I ever cried over him.

No, Caleb.

There was no future for us.

I hung up. A female doctor walked in and said, “Please lie down. We’re ready.”

I looked at her and asked, “Can you do me a favor?”

The doctor thought I was about to bolt and cut in quickly, “I’m sorry, but Mr. Morgan specifically asked us to make sure this happens. Please don’t make it harder than it already is.”

I shook my head and said, “That’s not it. I’ll go through with it. I just hope you can do me a favor. I want to run a DNA test between this baby and Caleb.

“He told you to make sure I go through with the procedure, but he never said I couldn’t ask for a test, right?”

The doctor hesitated. “That’s…”

I looked at her, pleading. Eventually, she nodded.

I handed her the hair I’d taken from Caleb’s pillow. She let me lie down, then quietly took a sample from me for the test.

I told her, “When the results come out, don’t call me. Call Caleb. Let him come get them himself.”

Let him drown in guilt for killing his own child.

I lay back, breathed in the anesthesia, and slipped into darkness.

When I woke up, I was already in a hospital bed.

My stomach felt empty, and I knew exactly why.

I checked my phone. Six hours had passed since the procedure.

Caleb had said he’d come once he was done.

But I looked around and didn’t see any sign of Caleb.

I thought of the baby I’d lost and cried again, this time in silence.

I turned on the TV. A gossip show was on, “Morgan Group CEO Spotted Escorting Mystery Woman to Hospital—Caught in a Sweet Moment!”

The screen showed Lila clinging to Caleb’s arm, snuggling into him like she was scared of a little vaccine shot.

I zoomed in and spotted a few faint scratches on Lila’s hand.

A lost kitten had Caleb dropping everything to help.

I was carrying Caleb’s baby, and he told me to get rid of it. Like it meant nothing.

Lila got scratched by a cat, and Caleb drove her to the hospital.

But for something as serious as ending a pregnancy, he just sent his assistant to be with me.

I meant less than Lila, and so did the baby in my belly. Even her cat mattered more.

What a joke.

Still, him not showing up made it easier.

The moment I lost that baby, I made up my mind. I was done with Caleb.

My body still hurt, but I didn’t want to waste another second.

I went home and quickly threw some clothes into a bag.

Then I printed out a copy of the divorce papers and signed my name at the bottom.

I knew Caleb would never sign it himself.

So I walked into his study, grabbed his office stamp, and sealed it for him.

I placed the divorce papers inside a box and left it on his desk.

That was the parting gift I prepared for him.

Then I texted him one last time, “I left a gift for you on your desk. Don’t forget to open it.”

Caleb replied right away, “You’re awake? I’m sorry, Emilia. I’m still dealing with a few things. Try to eat something.

“I’ll come see you as soon as I can.”

No, Caleb. I didn’t need you anymore.

Not today. Not ever again.

I booked a flight to Cloudridge.

It was a place I’d begged Caleb to take me to, over and over again, but he always said work came first.

Then one day, he told me he was on a business trip, and I saw him in the background of one of Lila’s Instagram posts from Cloudridge.

Not that it mattered anymore.

From now on, I’d see all the beautiful places by myself.

I grabbed my bag and headed straight to the airport.

Right before takeoff, I sent Caleb one last message, “It’s okay. You’re busy. You don’t need to come.” Then, I blocked and deleted his contacts, and turned on airplane mode.

Caleb stared at the message on his phone. Something about the silence didn’t feel right.

He sat on the villa couch, unease creeping in.

I’d always been terrified of pain. Even the smallest bump would have me crying for ages, but now I wasn’t crying or complaining at all.

It was nothing like how I usually was.

Caleb could tell something was seriously wrong.

Caleb called the doctor and asked, “How’s Emilia?”

The doctor rushed to check the room, only to find it empty.

Panicked, she said, “Mr. Morgan, Mrs. Morgan… she’s not in the room. It looks like she’s already left.”