Chapter 3

Chris and I tumbled to the ground after he yanked me away from the guardrail.

He grabbed my shoulders with bloodshot eyes and snapped, "Have you lost your mind, Hannah? What will happen to your parents if you jump now? What about Queenie? They'll never live down the shame and backlash!"

I was stunned. It turned out that Chris had saved me just so Queenie wouldn't get dragged through the dirt.

Chris panicked when I burst into tears. "Why are you suddenly crying?"

He reached out to me, then withdrew his hand halfway. "Queenie and I talked it over. She has agreed to let you become Jennie's godmother. That should be enough, right, Hannah?"

Chris' condescending, almost charitable tone made me burst out laughing.

I grabbed his wrist and demanded, "When did you get involved with Queenie?"

Chris instinctively looked away, unable to meet my eyes. "Please just drop it, Hannah…"

I stared intently at him and snapped, "You'd better tell me this instant! I deserve to know what actually happened!"

Chris remained silent for a moment before tightly closing his eyes. "On the day you had the miscarriage, I was drinking alone, just trying to numb the pain. Queenie stopped by and said she'd pack some clothes for you and take them to the hospital. I had too much to drink, and then…"

He lowered his head, sounding terribly hoarse. "I had to take responsibility for what happened. Queenie found out she was pregnant soon after. I couldn't bring myself to give up the baby, so I had to…"

"You had to give me up instead, huh?"

I was surprisingly calm. I kept thinking about what happened at the hospital back then—Chris tending to me and Queenie driving him away.

I used to think she was just dissatisfied with how he was taking care of me. It turned out she was simply worried about him getting tired.

I staggered to my feet, holding onto the guardrail beside me.

Chris eyed me warily. "Please just hear me out, Hannah. Queenie and I are having a wedding ceremony in three days. You have to show up when the time comes.

"Otherwise, everyone will think Queenie is the homewrecker. I'm begging you, Hannah!"

I looked at Chris and smiled wryly. He had never begged me for anything before this.

Chris' phone suddenly rang. Queenie's voice came through from the other end, sounding sweet and clingy. "I just finished my prenatal checkup, Chris. Please come pick me up!"

Chris glanced at me before turning away.

I, on the other hand, sat by the river all by myself through the entire night.

I returned home the following day and packed up all my belongings.

Mom suddenly pushed open the door and said, "Come with me, Hannah—I need your help with something."

It wasn't until Mom dragged me into a bridal shop that I realized she wanted me to accompany Queenie while she tried on wedding dresses.

"Queenie is your sister, so stop making such a big deal out of it, Hannah."

Queenie was applying her lipstick in front of the mirror. "You can't really hold it against me, Hannah. You see, love isn't about who came first—it's all about mutual attraction and willingness to be with each other."

I clenched my fists, fighting the nausea rising in my stomach. "You already have everything I was denied, Queenie. Why did you have to take Chris away from me, too?"

Queenie suddenly let out a laugh and whispered, "Did you really think your miscarriage was an accident, Hannah?"

I stood rooted to the spot, a chill running down my spine.

Queenie looked at me pointedly and continued, "You were always traveling and staying late at work with your boss back then. Chris had long suspected the baby wasn't his. If I recall correctly, you only started bleeding after you drank that soup he made for you, didn't you, Hannah?"

I jerked my head up and met her pitying gaze. "You're lying!"

I stormed out, determined to track Chris down and get the truth out of him.

Mom walked over to Queenie and asked softly, "Is what you said really true, Queenie?"

"How else was she supposed to completely give up on Chris if I didn't say that, Mom?"

I stumbled out of the bridal shop in a daze. I looked up when I heard the blaring horn and spotted Jennie standing in the middle of the road, less than 30 feet from the incoming bus.

I instinctively charged forward, grabbed her, and lunged toward the sidewalk.

Those in the crowd shrieked while my back narrowly grazed the passing tires of the bus.

Chris dashed out from across the street and yanked Jennie away.

I hadn't even gotten up when Chris' voice bore down on me. "If you really want to die, leave my daughter out of it, Hannah!"