Chapter 1
When the doctor shook his head, I heard something shatter inside me. With trembling hands, I signed the death certificate.
His friends rushed into my hospital room, cursing when they saw my swollen body.
“Tch! How unlucky, we lost the bet!”
“I told you Zach is a god. Look how bundled up she is, cherishing that child so much.”
Hearing this, I forced a smile. With multiple fractures all over my body and my abdomen wrapped in bandages, I looked about five months pregnant.
Zachary’s long fingers tapped on the table. He hadn’t looked at me once.
Until there was a knock on the door and a document was thrown onto my bed.
“Sign it! Just say how much you want!”
“You’re a professional skier, not as fragile as Lily. A fall won’t kill you. Stop pretending, it’s getting old!”
I looked at the “Voluntary Waiver of Injury Assessment” on the floor and laughed.
“Zachary, the baby is dead,” I said, my eyes hollow. “What if I don’t sign?”
He froze for only a second before bursting into laughter: “Trying to make me feel guilty? Do you think I’d believe you? Stop wasting time and sign. My dear Lily is waiting for me.”
I stared at him, my face ashen. He had sat in the hospital room for half a day without once asking about my wellbeing. He was afraid I would hold Lily responsible.
When he knew skiing was dangerous, he once used his life to make me quit the ski team. Now he forced his pregnant wife onto the slopes for Lily’s sake.
Zachary’s eyes were cold, flashing with impatience. He dumped a whole package of cash on my head, stinging my face.
“Is this enough? If not, I’ll give you more!”
My fingers clutched my clothes tightly. Through the money, I saw my own humiliation.
“Zachary,” my voice was hoarse, “let’s stop this. Let’s get divorced.”
If you asked what my wish was at 22, it would have been to spend a lifetime entangled with Zachary Smith. But now I was truly numb.
Zachary’s expression froze for a moment, then burned with anger.
“I’ll let you go when I’m dead. You can only endure my torment!”
His hand pressed hard on my wound, making me cry out in pain. He didn’t know how many steel pins were in my body, nor that I had nearly died. He certainly didn’t know the baby was already gone.
I didn’t dare say it hurt. I couldn’t forget how last time I cried in pain, Zachary called me dramatic. He had switched my allergy medication for vitamins, nearly suffocating me in the elevator.
“Claire Johnson, you’re using the wrong tactics. If you want to leave, cut out that child! If you think you can take the baby and run away, dream on.”
“If you don’t dare, crawl on your knees to Lily’s room and apologize. Then I’ll forgive you.”
I stopped in my tracks. My body felt filled with shattered glass, every movement cutting into my flesh.
As soon as he finished speaking, his friends cheered excitedly. Just like years ago when our love was passionate and known to all.
We had been through life and death together. Back then, I desperately protected him, nearly not waking up. He, who had never bowed his head, knelt before Buddha and transcribed scriptures in blood.
Everything changed on our wedding day. There were no questions, no arguments. We quietly finished the ceremony. From then on, he found new ways to humiliate and torment me.
Even our marital home that we designed together was completely transformed into themed rooms for his affairs. Going home felt like entering a sleazy motel.
He forced me to clean the toys they had used, to tidy up the mess they left behind.
Thinking of this, I looked at him with red eyes, pain overwhelming my reason.
“Alright.”
I didn’t want to live like this anymore.
As I spoke, I shakily unzipped my coat. When I picked up the knife on the table, he stormed out, slamming the door so hard it made my whole body ache.
After he left, his assistant came forward.
“Mr. Smith instructed that you are to go serve in Miss Evans’ room. Otherwise, he can’t guarantee that person’s grave will remain undisturbed.”