Chapter 2

I even deliberately played up my attentiveness and said, "According to the waiter, these were all flown in this morning. I remembered how much you love seafood, Rita, so I specifically ordered the most expensive dishes on the menu."

I noticed Ryan and Rita stiffen after those words fell from my lips. I also caught a flash of guilt on Ryan's usually calm and composed face.

I couldn't help but sneer.

In my previous life, I had assumed that he had no idea that Rita was pregnant. Now, it seemed that he'd known about it all along.

He had lied to me.

He had been lying to me right from the start!

Worse, he allowed Rita to use the incident to ruin me.

I balled my hands into fists, my nails biting into my palms. However, the stinging pain barely managed to cut through my rage.

If I lost it here, I might just grab a knife from the table and cut them up just to see whether their hearts were as black as coal.

Rita picked at the food before shooting a look at Ryan with a pout.

Ryan immediately turned to me and berated me sternly, "Rita has never liked eating all raw seafood. Why would you even treat her to dinner at a Heaulonian restaurant?"

I didn't want to waste my time arguing with him over this. Plus, there was no need for me to do anything to put Rita's baby at risk.

So, I sheepishly apologized. "Guess I remembered wrong. I'm going to pay the bill."

I rose to my feet to settle the bill. Just then, a gust of wind blew past me. It was a little chilly, so I figured I'd turn back for my coat.

That was when I saw Ryan pull Rita into his arms and tenderly kiss her cheek.

Rita had tears in her eyes as she whined, "Ryan, you know I'm frail, and the doctors have repeatedly told me not to eat any raw food. I also told Cleo that I wasn't feeling well and I can't eat this kind of stuff, but she insisted on bringing me here anyway."

"It won't happen again," he said solemnly.

I stood there in utter disbelief.

I had genuinely thought that Rita was just his adopted sister. So, I never figured that there was anything amiss whenever she left his bedroom. If anything, I just assumed that they were very close.

Now, it seemed that they'd long gotten involved with each other without me ever knowing about it.

So… who was the father of Rita's child?

Could it be…

I staggered, clinging to the table for support.

If that was the case, then what about me? What about all the things I'd done for them over the years?

I'd given up so many opportunities for Ryan's sake. I'd even considered Rita a sister and had treated her with utmost care.

Once, I'd braved the rain and taken her to the hospital when she said she'd sprained her ankle. I'd ignored the fact that I'd been suffering from a high fever myself.

However, the CT scan later showed that she was fine. Only then did Rita casually say, "I was faking it. I just wanted to see whether you were really that sick."

I had been furious, but Ryan had comforted me and told me to let it go. He claimed that Rita had grown up lonely, and that was why she was acting out.

I had endured it all, and that was why I'd fallen into such disgrace!

I clenched my jaw and turned away, choosing not to expose them right then and there.

When I got home, I immediately texted Ryan to end things between us. He didn't reply. I didn't care. Our relationship was over with or without his say-so.

Then, I placed my phone aside and went to sleep.

The following morning, I was woken up by my phone ringing up a storm. It was the hospital.

"Cleo, did you prescribe amoxicillin to a pregnant patient yesterday? Were you not aware that she's allergic to amoxicillin? She's in the ER right now due to a possible miscarriage!"