Chapter 2
I heard the frantic calls of those around me, their voices unfamiliar and distant, as my consciousness blurred and everything faded into a haze. The one voice that pierced through was chillingly cold: “I’m taking Camila to the hospital, no time for her drama, tell her to stop faking.”
8:59 PM
Even when someone claiming to be a doctor verified my fainting was genuine, he dismissed
- it. Someone suggested he was on his way to the hospital and could take me along, but he refused. I understood this was his way of punishing me for my defiance.
Like a frustrated boss or a resentful friend, I had to endure his wrath. Tears slipped from my eyes; when did I stop being special to him? Over the five years we’d been together, he loved me profoundly. On our third anniversary, we went to the Alps, and when I fell into an icy crevasse, he unhesitatingly jumped in after me, holding me close. In those coldest, most hopeless moments, he never blamed me, only himself for failing to protect me. After we were rescued, he furiously berated the guide who had misled us. Now, it felt like I was back at the mountain’s peak; only this time, I was the one facing his anger.
Before I completely lost consciousness, despair consumed me. When I opened my eyes again, the room was empty.
My phone vibrated insistently, and a message from Camila appeared. [Sorry, Valentino is with me now, can’t be with you.] Attached was a live photo of him feeding her spiced honey cake. As a member of the King family, Valentino rarely cooked. That was the first dish I taught him, and the first person to taste it wasn’t me. In the video’s background, he said, “If you like it, I’ll make it for you forever.”
I replayed the video several times, and as I smiled bitterly, the doctor entered the room. When I learned that the child was safe, my emotions were a whirlwind. I was about to make arrangements when Valentino walked in. I didn’t want him to know about the pregnancy, so I crafted a reason to dismiss the doctor.
Valentino held me tightly. “I’m sorry, Paris. I didn’t realize you really fainted.” He wiped away my tears persistently, overwhelmed with guilt. “As soon as I heard, I rushed here.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve apologized to Camila for you and explained everything. She agreed to let me spend the day with you.”
Since when did my boyfriend need someone else’s permission to be with me? Bitterness filled my mouth, and I pushed away his embrace. His face briefly showed hurt as he pulled a ring from his pocket. A simple silver band, plain and unadorned. Just as I was about to laugh incredulously, Valentino spoke.
8:59 PM
“I know you’re upset I gave the diamond ring to her, but no ring is more precious than this
one.” He continued, “I made it myself. You once said you cared not for the price, but for my sincerity and something unique.”
I smiled without speaking. If I hadn’t seen it in Camila’s social media posts, I might have been fooled. A few days ago, she shared her DIY creations from a craft store. I thought she was reminiscing about moments with her late husband. How wrong I was.
I slipped the oversized ring onto my finger, and before I could react, it slid off. “Valentino, our relationship is like this ring, long since a bad fit.”
“You don’t need to think about divorcing someone to marry me. I’m not desperate enough to accept things passed down from others.”
With those words, Valentino stood abruptly, squeezing the plain band until it was misshapen. “Forget about what’s fitting or not! Can’t you think of the bigger picture? I’ve already told you, once the child’s name is registered, I’ll divorce her and marry you. If your belly cooperated more, would I need to worry about the King family’s heir?”
I looked calmly at his hysteria. “So what you mean is, it’s my fault for not being pregnant?”
He was silent, realizing how wrong his words were. “No, I just…”
“Never mind, let’s not talk about this. We have the whole day to sort out these misunderstandings.”
But just as he finished speaking, his phone rang with Camila’s custom ringtone. “Valentino, my stomach suddenly hurts. Can you come and be with me?”
Valentino looked at me, guilt–ridden and silent. He was waiting for me to speak, and as he wished, ! said, Go ahead.”
If he didn’t leave, how could I move forward with scheduling the procedure?
