Chapter 2

I was instantly dumbfounded.

I then heard Mia's voice message. "I'm really not feeling well from the cold, so I asked Anthony to take me home. You couldn't possibly still be waiting outside the company, right, Helena?"

In that instant, all the grievances I had been holding in finally burst forth. I was breathing heavily as I asked, "Did you forget your promise to take me to the hospital today? Why couldn't you bother to drop me a quick message before heading off, even if you couldn't make it, Anthony?"

Mia complained with a huff. "How was anyone supposed to know you'd stay there waiting the whole time? If no one came after a while, you should've left on your own!"

Anthony spoke up to defend Mia. "That's enough, Helena. None of us meant for this to happen. You should head to the hospital first. I'll come pick you up later."

Upon seeing the messages in the group chat, Queenie spoke with a hint of apology in her voice.

"It's all on me! I'm the one who forgot to pass it along! Please don't hold it against Mia, Helena!"

I closed the group chat, feeling completely disheartened.

…

During the examination, the doctor's brow furrowed deeply. "You're not just having menstrual cramps. You had a miscarriage! You're so deathly pale. Why didn't you come to the hospital sooner? Have you come into contact with anything cold lately?"

I was stunned for a moment.

I had come into contact with cold water two days ago when our boat flipped during our company team-building trip at a farmhouse resort. Anthony had waited until the last moment to rescue me to avoid suspicion.

I had bled after that, but I figured I was just having bad menstrual cramps. I numbly rested my hand over my lower abdomen—it turned out a tiny life had once existed right here.

Anthony had arrived by the time I picked up my preion.

I noticed the matching couple plushie I had gotten from the blind box hanging from his rearview mirror. Anthony had never used matching couple items with me before, at home or out in public, because he wanted to avoid suspicion.

I felt strangely moved as I asked, "Didn't you always say matching couple items were too flashy and refused to use them, Anthony?"

Anthony was about to speak, but before he could get a word out, Mia chimed in from the back seat.

She pointed at her handbag, which was decked out with the matching couple plushie, and said nonchalantly, "I was the one who hung that up for Anthony! I've been eyeing this matching set for ages, so Anthony just handed them over to me when he saw how badly I wanted them, Helena!"

Anthony nodded along casually. "You've never used it anyway, and honestly, you're past the age for this kind of stuff, Helena. Mia really liked it, so I gave it to her."

My blood ran cold as I listened to their exchange. Those matching couple plushies were the hidden variant in the blind box series, symbolizing unspoken love.

Anthony had spent three months pulling blind boxes to get it after he found out I liked the hidden variant. I had actually given Mia every single one of the other plushies when she came by last time and asked for them.

I couldn't help but tighten my grip on the seatbelt. Anthony had promised to safeguard everything I loved when he found out Mom and Dad had always favored Mia.

That was why handing over the rest of those plushies hadn't bothered me. I had held onto just this set as our keepsake—proof that though our love couldn't be spoken, it was always there.

Yet Anthony had handed the other half of the matching couple set to Mia as well.

I forced a smile, my lips pale. "You already gave it away, so forget it. I don't like it anymore anyway."

It wasn't just the matching couple plushies that I no longer wanted—I didn't want Anthony anymore either.

Anthony didn't notice anything unusual about me and drove on. He seemed to recall something while he waited at the red light.

He turned to me and asked, "Didn't you say you've been having severe menstrual cramps these past couple of days? How did the checkup go, Helena?"

I couldn't help but tear up after seeing how concerned he looked.

I hadn't even had the chance to speak up when the music in the car suddenly changed from something slow and mellow to rock.

Mia yelled from the back seat, "Your taste in music is so boring! You should listen to what young people listen to, Anthony!"