Chapter 3

“At the hotel.”

I kept my reply brief.

Graham immediately called me.

“Audrey, Sophie got burned. She’s in the hospital now.

“Go home and pack a few changes of clothes for me and Mara. And make some soup and a few dishes. Mara’s been busy all day and hasn’t eaten a thing. She can’t stomach the hospital food.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Pressing my fingertips against my throbbing temples, I reminded him as calmly as I could,

“Graham, I’m pregnant. The smell of cooking makes me sick.”

There was a brief pause on the other end.

Then Mara’s hesitant, tearful voice came through.

“Graham, maybe don’t trouble Audrey. I’ll be strong. I’ll rest for a while and go home to cook for myself…”

“With me here, what do you need to be strong for?”

Graham hung up immediately.

Another text came through.

“Just bear with it for now.”

“The house code is 0718. Room 1456. Bring Mara an extra blanket. The hospital keeps the air conditioning too cold, and I’m worried she’ll get cold.”

I stared at the familiar string of numbers.

It was our wedding anniversary.

Now, it only felt painfully ironic.

I entered the code and went to Graham’s house.

A handwritten note was stuck to the refrigerator in the kitchen.

“Mara, I made lunch and left it in the fridge. Just heat it up when you and Sophie are hungry. I’m heading out. Get some rest and sleep in.”

So Graham knew how to cook.

A sharp pain pierced my heart.

I forced myself to push the thought away.

Suppressing the nausea churning violently in my stomach, I tied on an apron and turned on the stove.

Halfway through, I couldn’t hold it anymore.

I doubled over by the sink and vomited until my entire body shook, but all that came up was bitter bile.

I splashed cold water over my pale face and packed the food into containers one by one.

Then, still forcing myself to endure, I went to Mara’s closet.

The moment I opened the doors, I saw piles of gifts Graham had given her stacked at the bottom.

They were carefully sorted by date, with even the gift boxes preserved in pristine condition.

The oldest was from seven years ago—the day after Graham arrived here.

The newest was from yesterday.

A note was attached to it in Graham’s handwriting:

“I saw this and thought it would suit you, so I bought it on a whim.”

I shut my eyes.

I searched my memory carefully.

In the end, all I could do was give a bitter, self-mocking smile and shake my head.

After we got married, Graham had never given me a single gift.

One phone call every five days.

One video call a month.

And seeing each other depended entirely on the few precious days of leave he was allowed each year.

Gifts?

For me, those had always been an extravagant luxury.

I packed the clothes and closed the closet.

Before leaving, I still took the divorce agreement sitting on the coffee table.

I was going to have him sign it today.

Seven years was long enough.

I didn’t want to drag this out any longer.

When I arrived at the hospital with everything, Mara was asleep with her head resting on Graham’s shoulder.

I glanced at the empty visitor’s bed beside them and lowered my eyes.

I quietly set everything down on the table.

The movement was barely noticeable, but Mara still woke up.

She hurried to her feet and immediately began explaining.

“Mrs. Whitlock, please don’t misunderstand.

“I was just scared and exhausted, so I leaned against Graham’s shoulder for a while.”

I didn’t answer her right away.

Instead, I looked at Sophie lying in the hospital bed.

Her shoulder was wrapped in thick layers of gauze, and judging by the way she slept restlessly, she was clearly in a lot of discomfort.

Only then did I respond to Mara.

“It’s fine. How is the child?”

“She has severe burns on her shoulder. She may need a skin graft later, and the doctor said there’s a high chance she’ll be left with a scar.”

Mara’s eyes filled with tears again.

“Mrs. Whitlock, can I ask you for a favor? Could you let me borrow Graham for a while? I really can’t handle this alone.”

As she spoke, she began crying again.

Graham pulled her into his arms and murmured a few words to comfort her.

Then he frowned and looked at me, his expression troubled.

“Audrey, with Sophie’s condition, I can’t just stand by and do nothing.

“Please. Just think of it as doing me a favor. Let me stay here with them for now.”