Chapter 3

It felt as though an invisible hand had closed around my throat.

I forced my knees not to buckle. My eyes were bloodshot. My teeth bit into my lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

Finally, I stepped into the living room.

Unable to contain my anguish any longer, I snatched a glass from the table and hurled it to the floor.

Shards scattered in every direction.

Daniel shot to his feet. There was panic in his voice.

“Gem…”

Becky turned pale when she saw me and hurried forward to grab my arm.

“Gem, I am sorry. The pregnancy was an accident. I never meant to take him away from you.”

The pain was so overwhelming that I could barely breathe, let alone speak.

I fought desperately to hold back my tears.

Then, I raised my hand and violently shook her off.

I signed several questions.

“Why? Why did you make a fool of me? Why did you all lie to me?”

“Enough! Stop waving your hands around!”

Mom shoved me aside.

“If you can’t speak, just keep quiet. Stop upsetting Bec.”

I stumbled and nearly fell.

Daniel froze for a second. Then, he raised his hand as if he wanted to reach for me, but in the end, he looked away.

Sobbing, Becky pulled out her phone.

“Gem, this is my fault. I’ll call the clinic right now and get an abortion.”

Before she had even finished, everyone rushed to stop her.

Daniel began soothing her.

“Bec, don’t do anything you will regret. I’ll take full responsibility for you and the baby.”

My mother pointed at me furiously. “Gemma, Becky is your sister! You’ve gone far enough! Daniel and Bec have loved each other ever since they were children.

“They gave up their own happiness because they wanted to protect you. What right do you have to make a scene now?”

Mrs. Pearson sighed as well. “Gem, I know you’re a good person. You wouldn’t want Bec’s baby to be born out of wedlock, would you?”

Everyone was pressuring me to nod while telling me it was time to step aside.

I raised my hands and signed.

“Why should I?”

A crushing pain seized my chest and left me gasping for air.

Daniel came over and pulled me into his arms. His voice softened.

“Gem, I’m sorry, but I promise that once the baby is born, I’ll divorce Becky.”

I was too devastated to speak.

I could only struggle against him and pound my fists against his chest.

He only held me tighter and apologized over and over again.

Eventually, I went completely still.

They took my silence as surrender.

The entire sick charade had finally reached the happy ending they wanted.

Becky smiled through her tears. “Don’t worry, Gem. Once the baby is born, Daniel and I will get divorced. Then, you can have your husband back.”

Mom’s attitude softened. She stopped hurling insults at me.

She made me a grilled cheese sandwich and, for the first time, added two slices of bacon.

Mine had always been plain. Only Becky ever got bacon in hers.

I was finally getting some too.

But it no longer meant anything to me.

During the drive to our new house, Daniel apologized endlessly.

He said Becky had always been physically fragile and that an abortion could seriously harm her.

Then, he said his parents had dreamed of becoming grandparents for years. He could not bear to disappoint them.

After that, he insisted that his love for me would never change and that he would spend the rest of his life making this up to me.

However, love was not a debt he could repay.

What he had done could never be undone.

Daniel walked me to my bedroom door and hesitated as though he wanted to say something.

“Gem, you… You should take some time to calm down. I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.”

With that, he hurried into the guest room, looking almost as though he were fleeing.

As soon as the door closed, my tears began to fall.

I thought back to the day Daniel proposed. He had taken me for a walk along the waterfront.

Halfway through, fireworks lit up the night sky.

He dropped to one knee and pulled a ring box from his coat pocket.

“Gemma, I love you. Will you marry me and let me take care of you for the rest of your life?”

My heart had pounded wildly. I had been so happy that I nearly cried.

I truly believed I was the only woman he wanted.

However, while claiming to love me, he could not bear the thought of Becky suffering or ending the pregnancy. He would rather marry her than let her give up his child.

My phone lit up on the nightstand.

My overseas assignment had been approved. I was leaving in two days.

The reporting team would be based in Selvaria for at least three years.

I changed my request from a temporary assignment to a permanent transfer.

A relationship built for two had no room for three. I chose to walk away.