Severing All Our Ties

After getting discharged from the hospital, I met Zachary Harrow in the hospital yard.

Sienna Lawson was leaning against him, and the two of them were whispering affectionately to each other. When Zachary saw me, his smile disappeared instantly.

He shielded Sienna behind him protectively, like he was afraid that I would do something to her. "What are you doing here?"

His wary gaze chilled me to the bones.

Sienna tugged on Zachary's sleeve gently. "Zach, don't scare Evie."

Before I could say anything, she looked at me apologetically. "Don't misunderstand, Evie. I was injured, and Zach was just worried about me."

Zachary turned to comfort her in soft tones. When he looked back at me, his expression was once again impatient. "What do you want?"

I opened my mouth, then hesitated. In the end, I just shook my head. "Nothing. I'm just passing through."

Perhaps noticing that something was off with me, Zachary approached me and said with surprising gentleness, "If so, go home. You're pregnant. You should be careful."

Behind him, Sienna looked at me with displeasure.

I nodded. "Okay."

With that, Zachary left with Sienna, who looked triumphant as they walked away.

I turned around, my hands instinctively resting on my stomach. Bitterness welled up inside of me.

Right now, my husband was with another woman. And standing right behind him, I—his wife—had just lost our child.

If he had only turned back to look at me that day or even visited me once at the hospital, he would've known.

I pulled a bitter smile. Slipping my hand into my pocket, I suddenly felt the small glass jar inside. My fingers tightened around it as memories flooded my mind.

The first and only time he had accompanied me to the hospital for my prenatal checkups, his first love had found him. Ever since then, he stopped coming home. He even skipped work just to spend time with her.

When I begged him to spend just a day with me, eyes red with desperation, he told me, "Sienna has always been frail, and now, she's lost her memories. She needs me.

"Don't worry. I'm just helping her recover. There won't be anything between us."

He promised me that he would only help Sienna fulfill 99 wishes. After that, he would come back to me and stay with me forever, just like he'd vowed in the first place.

Every time he fulfilled one of Sienna's wishes, I would make a paper star.

Seven days ago, I made the 99th star. If he could grant Sienna 99 wishes, could I exchange these 99 stars for just one of mine?

With hope in my heart, I brought the jar of stars with me to search for him.

When I found him, I saw him in a tight embrace with Sienna. On the table before them was a birthday cake and blown-out candles—Sienna had made more wishes.

I heard Zachary tell Sienna gently, "I will make all your wishes come true, no matter how many you have."

I couldn't remember how I walked up to him. At that moment, all I wanted was an answer.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, my voice trembling.

Hearing my voice, Zachary let go of Sienna immediately, looking panicked. "Evie, what are you doing here? Don't get the wrong idea. We weren't—"

Before he could finish, Sienna began apologizing to me, her eyes brimming with tears. "Please don't get the wrong idea, Evie. Zach just wants to fulfill my wishes."

Zachary comforted her as gently as ever, but when he turned to me, his eyes were full of reproach.

"Sorry for interrupting you," I said, turning away before he could say anything. I walked out without looking back.

In my hurry, I did not notice the small truck speeding toward me.

I was knocked to the ground.

I thought Zachary would run out after me, but when I fell, I saw him holding Sienna, who had fainted in distress, in his arms. He sounded panicked as he called for emergency services.

I was only saved because an ambulance happened to pass by. Meanwhile, Sienna was sent to the hospital by Zachary himself.

When I woke up, they told me that my child was gone.

All I had left was tears and grief.

I would let Zachary have what he wanted. They could both have what they wanted, just like I would.