Chapter 3

Cody burst into the police station, his face alight with joy, and swept Summer into his arms.

His expression was filled with barely containable excitement and happiness.

A long moment passed before he finally noticed me sitting nearby. He guiltily came over and took my hand.

"Rebecca, you heard it too. Summer's pregnant. If I hadn't saved her just now, both she and the baby would have been in danger."

Right after he said that, two police officers walked past, talking amongst themselves.

"Did you hear? Earlier, a girl was violated by a few thugs at a bar. She was brought to the station..."

Cody's expression changed into one of horror. He held Summer even more tightly and turned to me.

"Did you hear that? If I hadn't gotten there in time, that could have been Summer. You're a woman too, so you should understand."

Watching him being so protective of Summer, a bleak, bitter laugh echoed in my heart.

I looked at him expressionlessly and said, my voice hoarse and broken, "Cody, what if I told you... the girl who was violated... was me?"

The air seemed to freeze.

Cody paused, then frowned. Undisguised impatience rose in his eyes.

"Enough, Rebecca! I know you're upset because Summer's pregnant, but to make up a story about being violated purely out of spite… You're being utterly unreasonable!"

Seeing him turn on me so viciously for another woman, I couldn't bear it anymore. I turned and ran away.

But memories of Summer flashed uncontrollably through my mind.

My parents died when I was young. I had long considered Summer my only family in the world.

One time in college, thugs cornered me in an alley. Summer rushed forward with a brick and stood in front of me, refusing to retreat a single step even after her head was cut open.

That day, I held her blood-soaked body and cried until I nearly fainted.

She still managed to smile and comfort me. "Anyone who wants to touch my Rebecca will have to step over my dead body first!"

And now, the person who was once willing to die for me was carrying my fiancé's baby.

A fierce gust of wind hit me in the face.

Without realizing it, I had wandered onto the edge of a rooftop.

"Rebecca!"

Summer's panicked voice came from behind.

She yanked me down hard, her eyes red with urgency.

"Why are you throwing your life away for a scumbag who can't keep it in his pants?! Are you stupid?!"

I looked at her, unable to utter a single word. My heart ached as if it was being sliced apart.

Summer pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a fierce drag.

Then, looking me right in the eye, she said, her voice utterly serious, "Don't worry. Without your permission, I absolutely will not give birth to this baby. I told you, no one is allowed to hurt you except for me."

When I said nothing, Summer threw away her cigarette. Without a shred of hesitation, she bent down, picked up a steel pipe, and smashed it down hard on her own abdomen.

Summer's face turned deathly pale. She collapsed stiffly to her knees clutching her stomach.

"Summer!"

The rooftop door was kicked open.

Cody saw Summer kneeling amidst a pool of blood, as well as the bloodied steel pipe next to my feet.

Eyes blazing with murderous rage, he charged forward and kicked me viciously, sending me flying.

"How dare you hit her?!"

I crashed heavily onto the cement floor. A tearing, agonizing pain erupted from my lower abdomen.

He didn't ask me a single question. He instantly decided I had hurt Summer and struck me with such lethal force without any hesitation.

The pain was so intense my breath carried the taste of blood. I used the very last of my strength to speak.

"Cody, the engagement is off. We're breaking up."

Cody carefully lifted Summer into his arms. The look he threw me was vicious and cruel.

"Stop threatening me with breaking up. I don't have time for your tantrums!"

"This time... it's for real..."

Before I could finish, Summer fainted.

Cody anxiously carried her away and didn't spare me another glance.

I curled up on the floor like a dying fish. Beneath me, a large, shocking pool of crimson spread out.

It was our baby – one we had waited for, for three years – that I hadn't yet had the chance to tell him about.