Chapter 4

"There are clear signs of a threatened miscarriage. Your body is extremely weak right now..." The attending physician frowned as she spoke to me before my discharge. "Did you not know you were pregnant?"

I shook my head.

This was a disaster.

"Please schedule the abortion," I said calmly.

The doctor paused, then nodded. She handed me an appointment slip. "Two weeks from now. In the meantime, you should stay home and rest."

I folded the slip, tucked it into my bag, and walked straight out of the hospital.

It was the day of my discharge. Still, no one cared.

When I got home, my father Richard sat on the sofa scrolling through his tablet. My stepmother Linda was adjusting the centerpiece on the dining table. Not one of them had bothered to even call and check on me.

They heard me come in and glanced up simultaneously.

Just a glance.

"You're back." Richard set his tablet aside. "There's something you need to know."

Not concern for my health. Not a word of comfort.

Just an announcement.

"Vivian is coming home tomorrow," he said.

My fingertips began to tremble uncontrollably.

Richard blew at some nonexistent dust on his glasses. "We're all going to the airport to pick her up."

I stood there, stunned. "I just got out of the hospital. The doctor said I shouldn't be moving around."

Richard looked up, his brow furrowing. "The scandal you caused was embarrassing enough. You want people saying we don't even have basic manners?"

Linda chimed in on cue. "Vivian has suffered so much all these years abroad. The least you can do is show your face."

I looked at them and suddenly found it hard to breathe.

The person who truly needed to be cared for in this house had never been me.

I set my bag on the console table by the door and fought to keep my balance. "I really might not be able to go."

Richard's expression darkened instantly. "You dare refuse?"

In this house, I was never given the choice of "can" or "can't." Only "should" or "shouldn't."

From the moment I walked through the door and heard Vivian's name, my body hadn't stopped shaking.

I hated this physical reaction.

I didn't want them to see me falling apart, so I turned and headed upstairs, shutting the door firmly behind me.

The next morning, I was woken by a violent cramping in my abdomen.

Threatened miscarriage.

I needed to get to the hospital immediately.

The door swung open.

Nolan stood in the doorway.

He was already dressed and ready. He glanced at me, confusion flickering across his face. "Why aren't you up yet? You know what day it is."

I clenched my teeth and forced out a few words. "My stomach... hurts. Badly."

Nolan frowned. Then he let out an almost inaudible sigh, his voice heavy with irritation. "Ella, do you have to be this difficult? Do you still think you're ten years old?"

With that, he turned and walked away.

No pause. No looking back.

From downstairs came Richard's voice. "What's wrong with her now?"

Linda answered softly. "Don't worry about her. Vivian's flight is about to land."

I braced myself against the wall and made my way down the stairs, one agonizing step at a time. The three of them were already standing by the front door.

I gripped the back of the sofa, cold sweat beading on my forehead. "I really am in pain... I need to go to the hospital right now."

Richard didn't even look at me. "Stop the act. You just don't want to go to the airport."

"Ella, don't cause trouble for this family today, all right?" Linda's eyes were full of impatience.

I stood frozen, the pain turning my vision black.

"Enough. Forget her." Nolan opened the door and cast one last look of disgust my way.

The door closed.

I slid down against the sofa and sank to the floor. Pain crashed over me in waves. Blood trickled down my thigh, spreading across the black carpet.

I fought with everything I had to stay conscious and dialed emergency services.

The moment the paramedics arrived, I lost consciousness completely.

When I woke again, my surgery was already over.

"Mrs. Gray, I'm sorry to tell you this, but we couldn't save the baby." The surgeon sighed.

I shook my head.

No. This wasn't something to be sorry about.

I picked up my phone. The instant the screen lit up, a trending headline pushed through—Celebrated artist Vivian Ashford returns in triumph.

In the image, she wore vintage sunglasses and stood at the center of a crowd, practically glowing with her own spotlight.

The camera panned across the scene. Nolan leaned in close at her side. Eric flanked her on the other. Richard and Linda beamed, the corners of their eyes crinkling with joy.

Everyone surrounded her—like stars orbiting the moon, like subjects welcoming their true queen home.

Just then, my phone buzzed.

Incoming call from Nolan.

I answered.

A barely restrained fury crackled through the speaker: "Why weren't you there?!"

I sighed and hung up.