03

3

Julian's grin vanished as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He answered, and Sam's voice echoed in the silent room. "Julian, come quick! Anne collapsed on her way here, and we need someone to cover the hospital expenses."

Without hesitation, Julian snatched the bank card we'd been collectively saving from the nightstand.

"Have you lost your mind, Julian?" I angrily blocked his path. "You're going to use the money we set aside for our child to pay for Anne?"

His eyes flashed with irritation as he pushed past me. "That's enough, Scarlett. Someone's life is in danger, and you're worried about trivial matters. Stop being so self-centered!"

I desperately tried to hold him back, but he was too strong and dragged me out of the room. "Self-centered? She's your childhood friend, not mine! Why should I spend my savings on her?"

Something in my words seemed to infuriate Julian, and he shoved me down like a raging beast.

The broken glass on the floor hadn't been cleared away, and my weary body fell onto the shards. Agony coursed through me as I lifted my hand to find my back and arms lacerated.

Julian had already departed, not even glancing back at me.

Gazing at my blood-covered hands, I used my remaining strength to dial for an ambulance before losing consciousness. In my clouded state, I dreamed of the young boy he once was. The one who climbed the hill with me to pray at the old chapel.

He joined his hands, his face sincere. "I'll guard Scarlett for the rest of my days. If I ever break this promise, may I face a dreadful fate."

When I regained consciousness, it was already late evening. I was alone in the dim hospital room. A nurse entered, offered me a glass of water, and helped me sit up.

She looked at my bandaged arms and sighed. "Miss, you just underwent an abortion, and now you're in this state again? Please take care of yourself and get more rest."

I shut my eyes, allowing the sorrow and anguish to wash over me.

After quietly thanking her, I checked my phone. The first thing I saw was a post from Sam on his social media. "Indeed, only Julian truly cares about Anne."

The image showed Julian sitting on a hospital bed. Anne was resting her head on his lap, beaming with joy and satisfaction. A cad and a brazen woman—no wonder people say they're perfect for each other.

The pain in my heart turned to numbness. I forced myself to push aside the grief. They didn't deserve my tears or my suffering.

I accessed my mobile banking app and checked my balance. Fortunately, the $14,000 I had saved for myself was still intact. I calmly transferred the funds to my account.

My marriage to Julian also ended with the loss of this child.

I called the general manager and asked, "Ms. Lily, is the opportunity to transfer to headquarters still available?"

I had been offered a promotion to headquarters due to my exceptional performance a week ago. However, I declined because I was pregnant and didn't want to be apart from Julian. Now, none of that mattered anymore.

"Scarlett, weren't you expecting? Don't worry about work now. Rest well and take care of yourself. There will be other opportunities in the future."

Hearing Lily's compassionate tone, I took a deep breath to compose myself. "Ms. Lily, I lost the baby. I'd like to resume work as soon as possible."

There was a brief pause on the other end before she replied. "I'll add your name back to the list. Losing a child is no small matter. Take a week off, then report to headquarters."

I agreed quietly, my voice slightly quavering. "Thank you, Ms. Lily."