Chapter 7

Harvey pulled me into his arms, his voice sweet:

"Isabella, you're so kind, so innocent."

"I'll protect you forever."

Birds on the branches, originally sleeping in the snow.

Scattered and flew away because of his voice.

Snow and frost fell from the trees.

The branches were bare, fragile and vulnerable.

The man from that New Year's Eve was dead.

The pendant necklace shattered into pieces, shards piercing directly into my palm.

Strangely, I didn't feel any pain at all.

I trembled all over, staring at Harvey:

"Lydia admitted she killed my brother."

"Didn't you hear?"

"Lydia hit me, causing me to bleed."

"I'm still carrying your child in my belly."

"Why don't you check the dash cam to confirm?"

Harvey's body stiffened.

Lydia stared at me, her eyes wide open, tears streaming down.

She looked heartbroken, her lips quivering as she said:

"So, Isabella is pregnant with your child."

"No wonder she never liked me, she was afraid I'd affect your relationship. "She gave Harvey a sorrowful glance, then reluctantly took out her phone, pretending to search for flights:

"If I could, I'd book a ticket out of the country right now."

"I'd accept the marriage my parents arranged."

"I swear, I'd never see you again."

Harvey looked as if he'd been dealt a crushing blow.

His voice was filled with panic:

"Don't listen to Isabella's nonsense, it's impossible."

"There's no way I could have gotten Isabella pregnant."

He grabbed Lydia's hand, wiping away her tears.

His gaze turned fierce when he looked at me.

It was a look I'd never seen from him before.

Harvey spoke coldly:

"Isabella isn't pregnant. If you don't believe me, I can rip out her uterus and show you."

I was terrified by Harvey's words. He was willing to go to such lengths for Lydia.

Harvey walked towards me, his face etched with grim determination.

Frightened, I backed away, protecting my belly as I confronted Harvey:

"I'm a living, breathing person."

"What you're doing is illegal."

Just then, I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen.

The bleeding that had just stopped started again. In a daze, I recalled the last Christmas of my college years.

Harvey put on a Santa hat, and placed one on my head too.

He gently tapped my nose affectionately:

"Next Christmas, we'll have our first child."

"The year after that, we'll have another."

"When our kids grow up, Christmas will be even more festive."

"Don't you think so?"

I nodded with a smile, leaning on his shoulder.

Back then, we were still very much in love.

I was naive enough to believe we could be together forever.

Later, Harvey suggested:

"If our first child is a boy,"

"Let's name him 'Sean', how about that?"

"Isabella, you're so beautiful, I have to commemorate this somehow."

At that time, I happily agreed.

"Sean", this name suddenly surfaced in my thoughts.

I unconsciously murmured:

"Sean..."

Blood kept flowing, staining my entire body red.

Suddenly, I felt my child move for the first time.

As if kicking me.

As if begging for help.

This gave me a glimmer of hope.