Chapter 2

At breakfast, Elliot placed the croissants closest to me.

The buttery scent I had once loved drifted across the table, but now it made my stomach churn. I barely managed to turn away before I started dry-heaving.

"What's wrong, Josie? Are they making you sick?"

Elliot immediately reached over to steady me, his voice filled with concern.

He had always taken care of me like this.

After my parents died and grief nearly drove me to take my own life, Elliot was the one who pulled me back and gave me a home. Once we were married, he loved me with every fiber of his being.

Whenever we had fish, he removed every bone before placing it on my plate. My food was always served at exactly the right temperature, and whatever I liked most would be set within easy reach.

He had once treated me with such care, and we were finally expecting the child we had both wanted for so long.

I closed my eyes and tightened my grip on his hand.

"Elliot, I'm tired of those croissants. The bakery is far away, and stopping there takes you out of your way. Could you come home earlier and spend that time with me instead?" I asked.

Elliot chuckled softly and pulled me into his arms.

"Of course. If those croissants are making you sick, I won't buy them anymore. I'll cut back on working late, too. From now on, I'll come home earlier and spend more time with you."

The instant another notification sounded, I felt my blood run cold.

His promises should've comforted me. Instead, each tender word made the truth beneath it hurt even more.

For a moment, I wanted to scream at him and confront him.

But what difference would it make?

His phone chimed again. Elliot glanced at the message, immediately released me, and hurried out without offering so much as another empty reassurance.

The front door closed behind him, and I let out a bitter laugh.

It was time to let him go.

…

The hospital's harsh fluorescent lights reflected off my swollen, bloodshot eyes.

Before administering the anesthetic, the doctor asked me one final time, "Ms. Cox, the pregnancy is progressing just fine. Are you sure you want to terminate it?"

"Yes."

I nodded calmly, though tears still spilled from the corners of my eyes.

It was enough for me to live with this pain.

My baby deserved a better life, one with two parents who genuinely loved each other.

When I left the procedure room, my body felt strangely empty. The physical pain wasn't all that severe, but it seemed as though a piece of my heart was missing.

I wandered through the hallway in a daze until two familiar figures appeared ahead of me.

Elliot had one hand around Rachel Ross' arm, supporting her with care.

"Easy. Thank God the baby's alright," he chided. "I told you to stop working at the bakery. I can take care of you."

Rachel placed her hand over his.

"Elliot, you've already given me so much. I'm not with you for your money. I fell in love with you the first time you walked into my bakery."

Something shifted in Elliot's eyes.

In the next second, he looked up and met my gaze, the color instantly draining from his face.

"Josie? What are you doing here?" he blurted.

I lowered my eyes to their intertwined fingers and spotted the matching bands. They were the wedding rings Elliot and I had exchanged.

Slowly, I raised my own hand and compared the ring on my finger to the identical one Rachel wore.

A bitter smile touched my lips.

"Congratulations," I said.

Panic flashed across Elliot's face as he hurried after me. "Josie, let me explain."

Rachel looked at me as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Ms. Cox, the doctor said that if I lose this baby, I may never be able to have another child. I know I'm asking for too much, but I promise I won't come between you and Elliot."

After saying that, she gave Elliot a long, meaningful look before stumbling away.

Elliot's hand tightened around mine. Even so, he forced himself not to turn around and follow after her.

I watched the distracted expression on his face and laughed bitterly.

Elliot had always noticed the smallest things about me, yet he never asked why I was at the hospital.

He didn't see how pale I was or how badly my body was shaking, and it certainly didn't matter to him that I could barely stay on my feet.

His heart was with someone else who mattered more.