Chapter 6

The crowd slowly grew bigger. They threw and hit her with various things. Wendy couldn't dodge all of them. She had no choice but to ask the driver to help her lift Candace's parents into the car and rush them to the hospital.

As soon as the two elderly people entered the emergency room, Candace charged over and fiercely slapped Wendy!

"You said you didn't hate me, yet you tried to kill my parents behind my back!" Candace's face was covered in tears. "How could you be so vicious, Wendy?!"

Wendy opened her mouth and was about to speak when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a familiar figure.

Jackson strode over quickly and steadied the tottering Candace. "Candace, don't be upset, it's bad for the baby."

Supporting Candace, he looked up at Wendy with a deep frown, undisguised disappointment in his eyes.

Wendy was chilled to the bone.

Couldn't he see the terrible state she was in?

He… he didn't believe her either?

"Wendy, I'm so…"

Before he could utter the word "disappointed", Wendy suddenly laughed.

She laughed until her whole body shook, until tears rolled into the cuts at the corner of her mouth.

He sentenced her to death without even listening to a single word she had to say.

"Yes! I'm vicious! I'm a slut! I'm horrible! I'm completely evil and deserve to die!"

Her voice suddenly rose, echoing in the corridor. "Are you happy now?!"

Jackson was clearly stunned, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes. "Wendy, I…"

"Jackson!" Candace suddenly collapsed limply into his arms. "I… I don't feel so good…"

Jackson caught her out of instinct. When he looked up again, all he saw was Wendy walking away.

She walked very fast, the hem of her white trench coat tracing an arc in the air, like a butterfly with broken wings.

A sudden panic rose in Jackson's heart. Just as he was about to chase after her, Candace let out another pained moan in his arms.

"Don't go…" Candace weakly clutched his collar. "The baby… our baby…"

Wendy heard the commotion behind her, but she didn't look back.

The moment the elevator doors closed, she finally allowed herself to slide down to the floor, burying her face in her palms.

It turns out when one's heart dies, even crying becomes silent.

After returning home, Wendy buried herself under the covers.

That night, she had a very long dream.

She dreamed about the way Jackson used to love her.

Under the jacaranda tree on the college campus, Jackson held her hands and said, "In this life, it's you or no one else". At the wedding, his eyes were teary as he tremblingly placed the ring on her finger. When he learned she was pregnant, he hugged her and spun three circles in the living room.

But in a flash, the scene changed to him protecting Candace.

He took drinks for her, bought medicine for her, and declared in front of everyone, "Candace's baby is mine."

Bang—

A loud noise jolted Wendy awake.

She opened her eyes to find it was already dark outside.

Noisy footsteps came from downstairs, along with Candace's commands.

"Move this couch to the sunroom, I want to sunbathe~"

"I might trip on this plant. Hurry up and move it away."

"This curtain needs to be changed to a blue one. That's my favorite color."

Wendy dragged her weary body out of the bedroom and ran straight into Jackson, who was carrying Candace's pillow up the stairs.

When their eyes met, he visibly stiffened up.

"Candace's parents are hospitalized because of you," he explained stiffly. "They worry about Candace living alone, so I asked her to move in until she gives birth."

Wendy listened quietly, her face completely expressionless.

She didn't even look at Jackson properly. Her gaze passed through him vacantly, as if she was looking at an insignificant stranger.

So this was what extreme pain felt like.

Numb. Hollow. She couldn't even muster the strength to feel angry.

She turned to leave, but heard Jackson suddenly call out, "Wendy…"

His voice carried a familiar hesitation. It was the tone he used to have after every fight, when he wanted to apologize but couldn't bring himself to swallow his pride.

"Jackson!" Candace's sweet voice chimed in at just the right moment. "The baby is kicking me again! Come here and feel it~"

Jackson, who was about to take a step forward, stopped.

Wendy heard him sigh softly, then heard the sound of footsteps walking away.

She knew what he was thinking.

Everything would be fine once the baby was born, so just indulge Candace for now.

In the past, he would always say things like: "Bear with it a little longer", "Things will get better soon", "After this is over", etc.

But this time, Wendy no longer felt like waiting.