Chapter 1

My husband abandoned me on the roadside, heavily pregnant and in labor, to rush to his first love’s wedding. From that moment on, I vanished without a trace.

He, however, casually joked with his friends:

"She’s just my dog. She’ll come back whenever I wave her over."

Two weeks later, he froze all my bank accounts and left a message:

"If you don’t come back now, don’t bother coming back ever again!"

Three months later, he threw my parents out onto the street, demanding they bring me back. My parents slapped my death certificate in his face:

"You were the one who killed her with your own hands. Even the grave was chosen by you. Have you forgotten?"

---

The pain in my abdomen came in waves, sharp and relentless. I could see my belly rising and falling, the baby inside thrashing with urgency.

"Quick... I can’t take this anymore!" I screamed, summoning every ounce of strength left in me as I yelled toward the driver’s seat where my husband sat.

But Ethan only frowned in annoyance, his expression filled with disdain.

"Is this really necessary? Other women give birth without making such a big deal out of it. Stop being so dramatic."

I had carried this child for ten long months, teetering on the edge of life and death, only to be met with such a dismissive remark. And to think, if he hadn’t insisted on taking me, heavily pregnant, on this reckless joyride, speeding along these bumpy rural roads, the baby wouldn’t have been startled into labor.

Now, I couldn’t even muster the energy to argue. All I wanted was to get to the hospital and end this torment.

Halfway through the drive, his phone suddenly rang. He picked it up, and I could hear the frantic voice on the other end.

"Ethan, where are you? Something big just happened! Lila’s lost it—she’s about to marry another man! They’re at Grand Brookshire right now!"

"You need to come quick! I think she’s serious this time. If you don’t hurry, she’s really going to become someone else’s wife!"

Ethan slammed the brakes so hard the car screeched to a halt. I wasn’t prepared for the sudden stop and was thrown forward, slamming into the dashboard. Pain tore through my abdomen as I gasped for air, clutching my belly.

A warm liquid began to trickle down between my legs. My entire body trembled.

"Ethan... my water just broke..." I stammered through clenched teeth.

But he didn’t hear a word. The veins on his forehead bulged as his face contorted with rage. It was clear he was furious about Lila Reeves getting married.

Fear gripped me as I looked at him, my voice trembling.

"We need to get to the hospital... What are you waiting for? The baby's coming out!"

The next moment, he unbuckled my seatbelt and pushed me toward the door.

"You can take a cab to the hospital. Giving birth isn’t that big of a deal," he said coldly.

I froze, unable to believe what I was hearing. Was this man even human?

I had endured their shameless flirting right in front of me before, but now? This was different. I was carrying his child—our child!

"What are you saying? The baby's coming out! And this is the middle of nowhere. There’s not a single car passing by for miles. How am I supposed to get a cab?"

Even then, I clung to the last shred of hope that he wouldn’t be so utterly heartless. But that hope was shattered when he responded with icy indifference.

"Are you getting out yourself, or do I have to push you out?"

His cold, piercing gaze and the way his hand hovered, ready to shove me, left no room for doubt.

I choked back a sob as despair washed over me. The baby inside me was still kicking furiously, ready to come into this world at any moment. But his father only cared about rushing to see another woman.

My hands trembled as I opened the car door and stepped out. I had barely placed one foot on the ground, not even steadying myself, when he floored the gas pedal and sped off. The car roared down the road, leaving me behind as though I were nothing more than a burden he was eager to discard.

The autumn wind bit into my skin, leaving me shivering uncontrollably. The baby inside me kicked harder, and the pain became unbearable. My vision blurred as the world tilted. Unable to hold on any longer, I collapsed onto the dirt road. The last thing I felt was the cold earth against my body before everything went dark.