hapter 2
I curled my lips into a faint smile.
My eyes fell on the sticker across the passenger seat-“Princess Paula’s Reserved Spot.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Last night, while I was miscarrying, one of my girlfriends sent me an Instagram Reel.
“Marina, isn’t this Emmett’s car?”
In the photo, Paulina lounged barefoot on the dashboard, a bouquet of crimson roses and a diamond ring beside her
This book had been added on your bookshelf.
Three live photos, each with a caption.
“My 22nd year–only riding shotgun
In a Mercedes.
“Thanks to the woman who spent all those years on his scooter’s back seat. Glad that wasn’t my struggle.”
Yeah. I’d spent ten years riding behind Emmett on his beat–up scooter.
YA
We worked our way up, pinching every penny, finally deciding to buy our own car before the wedding.
This car was brand new–picked up just yesterday. It was my first time riding in it.
hall.
But one call from Paulina, and Emmett
litched me halfway to the city
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Chapter
December’s drizzle had turned to biting sleet.
I fell by the roadside, dark red blood slowly seeping from my body.
He spent the night celebrating with his buddies, getting a marriage license for fun, and never came home.
After the heavy bleeding from the miscarriage, I was already weak. Now, I could feel fresh blood trickling down again.
Face pale, I opened the door and dragged myself inside. Emmett, guilty and silent, trailed after me.
“I’ll stay with you,” he murmured.
He helped me to the sofa, brought hot water to soak my feet, washed fruit, and sliced it into neat little pieces–just as attentive as ever.
I could barely tell if the This book had been added on your bookshelf. n night, or if either version was real.
me as the one from last
He’d always been thoughtful and meticulous–until he made it big.
Then the photos started coming in, one after another, of him with other
Women.
He’d always insist he was innocent, and those women were either fired or made to keep their distance.
But the wedding license kept getting pushed off, year after
woman’s best years are fleeting.
Ten years slipped by.
And finally, I didn’t want any of it anymore.
year.
ད། ནnalད་གདོན་ནད་
In the middle of the night, I lay with my back to him, pain twisting in my
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Chapter 2
lower belly.
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When it grew unbearable, I couldn’t take it–I got up and called a cab to the hospital.
“What’s wrong? I’ll drive you,” Emmett said, suddenly awake and scrambling for my coat.
In the dead silence of the night, his phone exploded with a call ringing.
Emmett always took calls on speaker in front of me.
Until Paulina’s tearful voice pierced the darkness.
“Babe, I wanted
make you soup, but I cut my finger. There’s so much
blood. I’m scared… sob…”
The coat slipped from Emmett’s hands, his face changing in an instant.
“Does it hurt? I told you not to mess around in the kitchen! I’m coming right now, just hang in there, okay?”
His voice was naturally gentle, almost scolding, full of affection.
As soon as he finished, he glanced at me, but couldn’t read
me, but couldn’t read my expression.
“Marina, we just got the license. Paula’s not used to changing how she addresses me yet. Don’t it to heart–she’s just a kid, playing around.”
ངཨ4
“I need to go to the hospital,” I whispered, doubled over in pain, clutching his sleeve in desperation.
He hesitated-
But Paulina’s messages kept coming, one after another.
ww
Her cries came through loud and clear,
each whimper like icy rain
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Chapter 2
pounding on Emmett’s heart.
Concern flooded his face.
He shoved my hand away, hard.
I tried to grab him again, but I only blocked his frantic escape.
“Move!”
He shoved me so hard I crashed against the wardrobe. A falling vase slammed into my stomach, and the taste of blood filled my mouth.
“Emmett, please don’t go.”
But he didn’t even look back.
Snatching up his coat, he hurled his anger at me with every word.
“Marina Abrell, will you ever quit?
“Didn’t you hear Paulina got hurt? Why are you fighting with a girl seven or eight years younger than you?
“She got hurt because of me. How can you be so cruel? Do you want her to bleed dry before you’re satisfied?”
I couldn’t speak for the pain, gasping for breath, but he just kept berating
- me.
“She only stole your spot as the bride. Is this really how you get your revenge?
“You’re almost 30–what’s one more day after ten years? You can’t wait anymore?”
When he saw me struggling to stand, blood pooling beneath me,
he
Chapter 2
paused, then frowned in disgust.
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“Really? Hurting yourself just to keep me from leaving–could you be any more pathetic?”
“Keys. Your car keys.”
cut him off.
I threw the keys at his feet. Emmett was stunned into silence.
Awkward, he hesitated a moment, his lips twitching as he stumbled for words.
“Wait for me–I’ll be back soon.”
He turned and rushed out, coat half–on, not looking back.
He didn’t come home, even as dawn crept in.
I must have blacked out for a while, because I woke on the freezing floor, not knowing how long I’d been there.
Blood had soaked through my pants. I swallowed my fear and bitterness, dragged myself step by step to the door, and knocked on the neighbor’s apartment.
“Oh my God, Marina!”
A scream rang out, and I collapsed.
