Chapter 2

His words cut straight through an old wound I’d never managed to heal.

I hadn’t caused the miscarriage.

That day, Chloe had suddenly sent me a photo.

Adrian was sitting at a table during a business dinner, with a woman in a spaghetti-strap dress practically pressed against him.

Her hand was almost resting on his thigh.

Then Chloe sent me a furious voice message.

“Hailey, that cheating bastard is messing around with another woman! Don’t panic. I’m getting someone over there to deal with him right now!”

My heart had leaped into my throat.

Even though I was pregnant, I rushed out into the rain to stop things from getting out of hand.

On the way there, I missed a step and fell down a flight of stairs.

When I woke up, my baby was gone.

Later, Chloe held me while I cried and blamed herself for telling me.

She said she’d only done it because she cared about me too much.

And I believed her.

Back then, it never occurred to me that her supposed concern had been calculated from the very beginning.

And now, I was pregnant again.

I’d planned to bring the pregnancy test results to Adrian’s grave and tell him about our baby.

Except Adrian wasn’t dead.

And by the time I had the chance to tell him myself, Chloe was already standing beside him, pregnant with his child.

There was no point in telling him anymore.

An airport operations manager hurried over with two security officers.

“What’s going on here?”

Adrian immediately pulled Chloe behind him, his expression turning grave.

“Her name is Hailey Chandler. She lost a baby before, and she never recovered from it. She hasn’t been mentally stable since.

“I don’t know how Customs could allow someone like her to conduct inspections.

“She’s stopping a pregnant woman from boarding her flight. If something happens to the baby, which one of you is going to take responsibility?”

The manager frowned at me.

Ignoring the pain still throbbing through my lower abdomen, I pointed at Chloe’s bag.

“I suspect that heart-shaped stone contains part of one of our country’s most important ancient treasures, the Stone Drums.”

The moment I finished speaking, Adrian burst out laughing.

“Hailey, you’re getting more delusional by the minute.

“I studied history. I’m the deputy director of a museum now.

“The Stone Drums you’re talking about are real. They’re among the country’s greatest national treasures, and they’re carved with inions dating back thousands of years.

“But they weigh nearly a ton.”

He gave me a mocking look.

“So tell me, how exactly did Chloe stuff a one-ton artifact inside a tiny polished stone?”

Laughter erupted around us.

Adrian continued coldly, “I understand that losing the baby messed you up. But you don’t get to bring your delusions to work.”

Chloe’s eyes filled with tears again.

She pulled out her phone and opened her social media profile.

It was filled with videos she’d made about traditional arts and cultural heritage.

She had hundreds of thousands of followers.

“Sir, I create content about traditional cultural heritage. I’ve spent years promoting and preserving our country’s traditions.

“Hailey is publicly accusing me of smuggling a national treasure out of the country. She’s trying to destroy my career.”

The crowd immediately turned against me.

“She makes cultural heritage videos. Why would someone like that steal an artifact?"

“This woman is terrifying. Just because she lost her own baby doesn’t mean she has to hate every pregnant woman she sees.”

“Someone get her out of here. She’s holding up everyone else.”

Adrian turned to the manager.

“Have security remove her.

“I want to file a formal complaint for abuse of authority and harassment of a passenger.”

I opened my mouth.

“Adrian, actually, I’m pregnant too…”

But before I could finish, one of the security officers clamped a hand over my mouth.

The two of them grabbed my arms and started dragging me away.

Then an announcement came over the speakers.

“Final boarding call for the flight to Australia. The aircraft doors will be closing shortly. All remaining passengers should proceed to the gate immediately.”

I watched helplessly as Adrian supported Chloe and led her toward the jet bridge.

No.

I couldn’t let that artifact leave the country.

I bit down hard on the security officer’s hand.

He cried out and instinctively let go.

I tore free and sprinted down the jet bridge.

Just as the aircraft door was about to close, I reached the emergency mechanism and yanked it down.

Bang!

The emergency slide deployed.

Screams erupted throughout the plane.

Adrian completely lost it.

He raised his hand to slap me.

“Hailey, how many people do you have to hurt before you’re satisfied?”

But his hand never reached me.

My parents got to me first.

My mother slapped me across the face.

Then my father kicked me hard enough to drive me down onto one knee.