Chapter 2

Linda sighed and pulled up my personnel file on her computer.

“Your five years in the desert are recorded here as a voluntary posting to support the border region, with successful completion of the mission despite harsh conditions.”

“That’s true.”

“But...” She lowered her voice. “On the final reports for the three projects you led, every first author is listed as Hayley.”

I was stunned.

“How’s that possible? Those were my…”

“You signed off on it.”

Linda opened a document and turned the monitor toward me.

“Look. This agreement was filed five years ago. You signed it and approved shared ownership of the project results.”

The signature was mine.

However, I had no memory of ever signing such a document.

“You were leaving in a hurry back then. A lot of the paperwork was handled by Mr. Hill on your behalf.”

Linda hesitated, as though considering whether to say more.

“Stella, there are some things... Never mind. You should head to your desk.”

My desk was tucked away in a corner beside the printer. Its surface was piled high with random office clutter.

As coworkers passed by, some pretended not to see me. Others offered a brief nod in acknowledgment before moving on.

Only Susan Brooks came over.

“How are you back?”

“The project ended.”

“Then, you...”

She glanced toward Hayley’s office.

“Be careful. She’s the department head now, and Mr. Hill is her husband.”

I set my bag down.

“I know.”

That afternoon, my phone rang.

Dan’s name flashed across the screen.

I ignored it.

He called again and again.

I answered on the fourth call.

“Stella, we need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Hayley is pregnant with our second child. The doctor says the pregnancy is unstable, and she needs to avoid stress.”

He sounded exhausted.

“Could you stay away from us for a while?”

A child’s voice echoed from somewhere in the background. “Dad! Mom’s throwing up again!”

“Coming, buddy.”

Dan hurriedly spoke into the phone one last time. “That’s all. I’m asking you as a favor.”

He hung up.

I stared at the dark screen and found myself thinking back to five years ago.

The day the transfer order came through, I called Dan in tears.

He had said, “I’m on my way. Just wait for me.”

When he arrived, he pulled me into his arms and said, “Go. Think of it as an opportunity. When you get back, we’ll get married.”

That day, there had been a faint trace of perfume on him. It was not the cologne he usually wore.

I finally knew why. It was Hayley’s perfume.

I went to the hospital for a full medical examination.

The doctor frowned as he studied the report.

“Ms. Elba, your condition...”

“Just tell me.”

“Endometriosis. Your ovarian function has declined significantly.”

The doctor adjusted his glasses.

“The chances of conceiving naturally are close to zero.”

I gripped the report so tightly that the edge of the paper bit into my palm.

“Is it because of my working conditions?”

“Years of high-intensity work, chronic stress, and the climate in the desert…”

The doctor paused.

“You’re still young. If you start treatment now, there may still be a chance.”

I walked out of the examination room and into a hallway filled with expectant mothers.

They sat with their hands resting on their swollen bellies. Their faces were glowing with quiet happiness.

A husband knelt down and pressed his ear to his wife’s stomach to listen for the baby’s movement.

I edged past them and pushed open the door to the emergency stairwell.

The stairwell was empty.

I crouched down and buried my face in my knees.

I told myself not to cry.

If I cried, it would mean they had won.

Three days later, the company held its annual gala.

I had no intention of going, but Susan said, “You’re a longtime employee. It’ll look bad if you don’t show up.”

I wore a simple black dress and kept to a corner of the ballroom.

The lights were bright, and the music was loud.

When Dan and Hayley arrived together, they immediately became the center of attention.

“Mr. and Mrs. Hill, congratulations!”

“A second baby! That’s wonderful news!”

Hayley thanked everyone with a smile. Her hand never left her stomach.

Dan kept an arm around her waist. Every time he looked down at her, his eyes were full of tenderness.

Someone spotted me and subtly nodded in my direction.

The room fell quiet for a brief moment. Then, the chatter resumed as if nothing had happened.

With one hand resting on her pregnant belly, Hayley made her way toward me.

“Stella, it’s been a long time.”