Chapter 3

I answered the call. The second I muttered hello, she asked, "Where did you go?"

I leaned against the wall and let out a dry laugh. "I came to see my nephew."

She said nothing.

I asked, "Paige, tell me. Why did you lie to me?"

She was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Just come home first."

"Home?" I laughed, though tears kept running down my face. "Do I even have one?"

"Where are you right now? I'll come get you."

"No." I gripped the phone, my fingers shaking. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Trevor…" Paige mumbled.

"Every time you watched me cry while holding Michelle's picture, did you think I was pathetic? Did you think I was just easy to fool?" My voice broke.

"I didn't."

"Then did you ever, even once, think about telling me the truth?" I pressed.

Paige went completely silent. My heart sank.

At last, she whispered, "Trevor."

It was always the same. She didn't explain, admit, or deny. As if all she had to do was soften her voice, and I'd come running back.

"We're having a little celebration for the baby tomorrow. Just come home first, and I'll explain everything, okay?" she said.

The last bit of warmth in my heart disappeared completely. I hung up, took out the SIM card, and threw it into the drain downstairs.

I wasn't going back. Once I was back, they'd find a way to pull me into that lie all over again.

I hailed a cab and checked into a hotel. As soon as I stepped into the room, my stomach suddenly churned.

A sharp, twisting pain tore through my upper abdomen. My vision went black, and cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

I grabbed the wall, barely able to stay on my feet. My chest tightened, my breaths ragged and shallow. I doubled over, pressing my hand hard against my stomach.

Before the pain could subside, a metallic taste flooded my mouth. I clapped a hand over my mouth.

When I pulled it away, my palm was covered in dark red blood. Staring at the blood on my hand, my mind went completely blank.

My legs gave out, and I nearly collapsed to my knees. I held on to the wall and dragged myself toward the door with the last of my strength.

A hotel staff member turned pale when she saw me and hurried over to help. "Sir, are you alright?"

I grabbed her hand, my voice shaking so badly I could barely get the words out. "Please... Call an ambulance."

She nodded and immediately made the call.

I slumped to the floor. My stomach kept churning, and the taste of blood wouldn't leave my mouth.

Tears streamed down my face, and I couldn't stop them.

Suddenly, I felt like laughing. Five years of my life had just been a complete lie, and when I collapsed, there wasn't a single person I could actually trust.

The paramedics loaded me onto a stretcher and kept asking about my medical history, the medications I was taking, and my emergency contact.

I answered in broken fragments, and suddenly I realized I didn't have a single person I could call.

Right before they wheeled me into the ER, a nurse asked one last question.

"We need to notify a family member immediately. Someone needs to be contacted if your condition gets worse. Do you have a spouse or next of kin?"

My lips were trembling from the pain, but I still gave her the number I knew by heart.

I thought Paige would at least come. Even if the past five years had been a lie, I believed she still felt at least a shred of genuine care for me.

When the call went through, the nurse quickly explained the situation.

There was a brief silence on the other end. Then I heard Paige say, "That's impossible."

The nurse was caught off guard. "Miss, the patient may have acute internal bleeding, and his condition is unstable. You—"

Paige cut her off. "He was fine just now. How could he suddenly be this bad? Are you sure you have the right person?"

I lay on the stretcher, my ears ringing.

The nurse held the phone to my ear, but the moment I opened my mouth, Paige hung up.

I closed my eyes as tears spilled over. She wouldn't even believe I was in serious condition.