Chapter 4
All I could see was a field of charred lily of the valley.
My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand, the pain making it hard to breathe.
Tears fell uncontrollably, leaving trails in the sooty mess. My research, my family, my life’s work was destroyed like trash.
What did I gain in the end?
I helplessly held the lifeless lilies, feeling lost.
Yet I couldn’t help but think of Nolan from six years ago. He stood excitedly in the front row, catching the bouquet at his best friend’s wedding.
He rushed toward me, his face alight with excitement, kneeling before me with tears of sincerity in his eyes:
“Adeline, will you marry me? I’ll treat you well for a lifetime.”
I was moved by his sincerity and, against my better judgment, took the bouquet.
The passionate youth was something that could never be regained.
The vibrant lilies from the bouquet years ago had gradually turned into the charred land before me.
There’s no going back. Never going back. I covered my tears and cried softly.
Phoebe was still adding fuel to the fire, arms crossed and watching like a spectator: “Adeline, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to set up an outdoor barbecue for Nolan. Who knew these flowers would catch fire so easily?”
“Nolan, I’m really too clumsy.”
Nolan didn’t see Phoebe’s malice, even gently coaxing her.
My anger flared up, and I used all my strength to slap Phoebe hard. She was stunned, covering her face and looking at me in shock.
Nolan’s eyes widened; he hadn’t expected the usually obedient and tolerant me to dare to confront Phoebe in front of him.
He shoved me hard, burning with anger.
“Phoebe already said it wasn’t on purpose. Why are you being unreasonable and even daring to hit her?”
The force of his push made me fall to the ground, small stones embedding into my palm. He stood in front of another woman, completely forgetting who his wife was.
The extreme pain turned into numbness. I no longer hoped for his return, looking at him with exhausted eyes.
Nolan’s eyes flickered at my expression, a huge panic almost unstoppable inside him. But he stood there silently for a few seconds, hoarsely offering a truce:
“Adeline, let it go, okay? We can plant flowers again later.”
After speaking, he bent down to pull me up, but I gently shook off his hand. I shook my head, smiling bitterly.
“No more. They can’t be replanted.”
Just like my brave heart that once rushed towards him, it will never come back.
Nolan’s Adam’s apple moved, thinking he had come up with a compromise.
“I’ll have Phoebe drink three glasses of milk as an apology, okay? She’s always hated drinking milk; it’s the biggest punishment for her.”
Is this a reward or a punishment? I looked at the man before me, feeling like I was seeing him for the first time.
Phoebe pouted and whined. “Nolan, I don’t want to drink milk.”
Nolan turned to negotiate with me.
“Adeline, how about two glasses?”
The scene before me was so absurd it was laughable. I couldn’t hold back and laughed like a madwoman, tears in my eyes. Pain hit me belatedly from where my back hit the stone, followed by a severe ache in my stomach. Warm liquid gushed between my legs.
My face turned pale, the smile frozen. I forgot about the child’s existence, overwhelmed by panic. I clutched my stomach nervously, calling out in distress, looking at the man pleadingly.
“Nolan, my child! The child!” Nolan instinctively moved to help me, but Phoebe called out and stopped him.
Phoebe let out a scream, clutching her calf as she sat on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes. “Brother Nolan, I was just bitten by a snake! I’m so scared. Will I die?”
Following her pointing finger, I saw a small green snake, no bigger than a thumb. It bites but is non-venomous and not deadly.
Nolan gritted his teeth, glanced at me, and decisively turned to pick up Phoebe. She clung to his collar, her lips pale, deliberately acting like a victim.
“Adeline, stop being childish. The doctor said a five-month fetus is stable. It’s not that fragile.”
But my body wasn’t suited for pregnancy from the start. My condition is different from most.
In the intense pain, I couldn’t speak, biting my lip until it bled. Cold sweat dripped down, and tears blurred my vision.
The hesitation in Nolan’s eyes disappeared as he held Phoebe and looked at me coldly. “Adeline, you’ll do anything to bully Phoebe.
I’ll deal with you later!”
With that, he quickly got into the prepared car and left. The pain in my abdomen drained all my strength, and large beads of sweat formed on my forehead. Blood pooled beneath me.
At this critical moment, my mind went blank.
I only remembered the child I had carried for five months and hoped for years.
Driven by a powerful will to survive, I shakily dialed a number.
I felt the life inside me slipping away. The sensation of two hearts beating in unison was gone. My consciousness was blurry, but tears flowed uncontrollably.
“Nolan, it really hurts,” I murmured, feeling the grip on my hand tighten suddenly.
Then I fell into darkness.
In my dream, I saw a petite girl in a purple dress I had embroidered. She waved at me from a field of lilies, her smile radiant.
I moved beside her, crouched down, and inexplicably started to cry.
A deep sorrow engulfed me. The little girl reached out, wiped my tears, kissed my face softly, and spoke gently, “Mom, don’t be sad.”
Tears streamed down my face as I choked, wanting to embrace her small body, only to wake up suddenly, my arms empty.
I clutched my now flat abdomen and finally broke down in tears. The man stood silently beside me for a long time, his eyes red with pain.
I stayed in the hospital for a week. Nolan called countless times but never visited.
On the day I was discharged, the man peeled open a candy and put it in my mouth. “Adeline, it’s all over. It won’t be bitter anymore.”
The sweet grapefruit flavor exploded in my mouth, and I smiled. Sunlight filtered through my fingers, shining on my face, and I finally felt reborn.