Chapter 2

Over an agonizing hour passed.

The storm showed no signs of letting up. Howling winds and heavy rain relentlessly battered the roof of the bus shelter.

My legs ached from standing in the exact same spot. My coat was completely plastered to my skin.

The flooded street was only getting deeper; a fire hydrant a few yards away was already half-submerged in the murky water.

Yet, the "company car" Victoria had promised was still nowhere in sight.

Aside from a few private vehicles braving the weather, there wasn’t a single car bearing the company logo on Sixth Avenue.

The heavy, pulling ache in my abdomen that had previously subsided flared up again—this time, it was far more frequent.

Waves of irregular contractions made it impossible to stay on my feet. I had to lean heavily against the shelter's freezing metal pillar just to keep myself upright.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my wet phone and dialed Alexander’s number again.

After a seemingly endless ring, the person who answered was, once again, Victoria.

"Why isn't the car here yet?" I demanded.

"Irene, the traffic is absolutely terrible in this rain. All the main roads are gridlocked."

Her voice filtered through the receiver. She sounded as if she was enjoying a coffee and a snack—I could literally hear the leisurely sound of her chewing.

She maintained that same dismissive, business-as-usual tone.

"Where exactly is the car? I've been waiting for over an hour, and my stomach is really hurting."

I tried to make her realize that my physical condition was far more serious than just being drenched in the rain.

"The driver has been on his way for a while now."

I fell silent for a few seconds, gripping the phone tightly. "You never sent a car at all, did you?"

Victoria let out a soft chuckle. "Could you try to keep your emotions in check? Don't make things difficult for Alexander."

"What happens between my husband and me is none of your business," I snapped.

"You have absolutely no idea how to be considerate of him," Victoria replied smoothly. "Alexander even said it himself—you pale in comparison to me when it comes to understanding him."

"Give me the driver’s number," I insisted. "I'll call him myself."

"Irene, could you stop being so difficult? I told you the driver is on his way. What's the big deal if you have to wait a couple more hours?"

Without giving me a chance to explain my condition, she cut me off in that flat, indifferent voice. "Just be a little more patient and keep waiting."

And with that, she hung up on me.

The monotonous beep of the dial tone echoed from the speaker once again.

I stared at the dark screen of my phone, feeling the last bit of warmth drain from my body.

Her dismissive, careless attitude had been a brutal wake-up call.

There was no driver stuck in traffic. Victoria had never sent a car in the first place.

She knew exactly what situation I was in. She knew my credit cards were frozen, that I had no way to pay for a ride, and that I was standing in extreme weather battling the physical toll of a difficult pregnancy.

She just wanted to take advantage of Alexander being distracted to leave me stranded in this torrential storm to suffer alone.

I also knew very well that I couldn't just stand here waiting to die.

I quickly scrolled through my phone's contacts. Ever since I left the orphanage as an adult, I had no relatives or close friends to turn to—other than Alexander.

The floodwaters on the street were rising. Standing in the freezing rain would only make my contractions worse.

Wiping the rainwater from my face, I made a decision. I had to walk to a higher intersection where the water was shallower and try to flag down a cab myself.

My plan was to somehow get home first. I had some jewelry stored there from my wedding; I could offer it to the driver as collateral to cover the fare.

Cradling my increasingly heavy belly with one hand, I used my other hand to support myself against the brick walls of the buildings, dragging my feet painstakingly toward the intersection.

The murky water hid the uneven pavement. With every step, I had to carefully test the ground before putting my weight down.

Just as I was about to cross an alleyway, a black car sped through the flooded street right next to me, trying to beat a red light.

A massive wave of dirty water and gravel splashed directly toward me. Instinctively, I stepped back to avoid the impact.

But the soles of my shoes, completely slick from being soaked in the floodwaters, lost their grip.

My foot slipped. I lost my balance entirely and fell backward.

I hit the ground hard. My vision went black for a second.

An agonizing pain exploded in my abdomen, rapidly tearing through to my lower back.

I lay helplessly in the muddy water, the unrelenting rain smashing into my eyes.

Immediately after, I felt a sudden, uncontrollable gush of warm liquid pooling beneath me.

Pure panic swallowed me whole.

I clutched my belly desperately, gasping for air, and finally screamed into the empty, storm-filled street. "Help! Somebody, please help me!"

My voice pierced through the roar of the rain, catching the attention of cars stopped at the red light.

A silver sedan that had been preparing to turn slammed on its brakes just ahead of me.

The doors flew open, and two strangers rushed out into the pouring rain, running straight toward me.

When the woman saw the pool of bright red blood steadily spreading across the pavement, she gasped and covered her mouth in horror.

They didn't hesitate for a second. Dropping to their knees, they worked together to gently lift me up and carry me into the backseat of their car.

The moment the door shut, the man threw himself into the driver’s seat, rolled up the windows, and slammed his foot on the gas.

The car tore down the street, speeding blindly toward the nearest community hospital.