Chapter 4

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital room. The nurse regretfully informed me that the baby couldn't be saved. I placed both hands over my stomach, the loose, sagging skin the only proof that the child had ever existed. Staring weakly at the ceiling, I reached for my phone on the pillow. Just as I was about to text Henry to ask for a divorce, he called first. I answered, but before I could say a word, he started shouting, "What the hell are those rumors online? Did you start them? Have you gone mad? Do you realize how badly this affects the hospital? Take them down immediately! "I can't tolerate you for another day. Don't you know spreading false information is illegal? Can't you act like a normal person for once? Take it down now, or I'll divorce you!" Before I could even process what he was saying, he hung up. Hatred overwhelmed my rational mind. My nails dug deep into my palms, and my fists trembled with the force. It was just my luck—Madeline was unharmed, and he hadn't done anything that clearly broke the law in this life. I had no grounds to call the cops on him. Thinking back to what he'd just said, I checked the news on my phone. That was when I saw it. Some passerby had filmed the crash and posted the video online. The internet had zeroed in on one particular detail from the video—I had called for emergency services and was completely ignored. In no time, the hospital's emergency department was blasted to the top of the trending list, with internet users expressing their outrage. If it hadn't been for Dr. Weber appearing at the last moment to salvage things, the hospital might've had to shut down on the spot from the backlash. I searched for the hospital's official account, only to find it had already been taken down after being flooded with hate comments. The emergency department had, indeed, failed catastrophically. As such, I had no reason to step forward to clarify anything or have the video removed. In fact, I was more than happy to let it stay. Curious, I checked Madeline's social media, only to find that it was a stark contrast to the chaos at the hospital—peaceful and picturesque. There wasn't a single hint of emotional distress, much less signs of self-harm. As a matter of fact, while I was in surgery, she'd even posted a new status update. "A perfect lover is the ultimate cure for all psychological wounds." Reading that, I let out a cold, scornful laugh. I then liked her post as a way to praise her acting skills. If she thought that Henry was such a "perfect" lover, she could have him all to herself. Just a minute after I liked her post, Henry called again. This time, I declined the call. As I blocked his number, a message popped up across the top of the screen. "Why the hell are you attacking Maddie? If you have a problem, take it out on me! Stop acting crazy in front of her!" I instantly texted that I wanted a divorce before blocking him on that app as well. Just then, a commotion broke out in the hallway. Reporters flooded into the hospital lobby, demanding to interview the head of the emergency department. The medical staff were shouting for them to stop taking pictures and recording. Dr. Weber came out of his office to help maintain order, claiming to be the physician in the viral video, but it was no use. Dr. Ralph Mendez, the hospital's director, arrived in a hurry upon receiving the news, but his presence did little to calm the situation. Under mounting pressure, the hospital finally made Clara come forward. Choking on her sobs, Clara shook as she tried to explain that she had only been used by Henry and that her negligence had been a genuine mistake. Right after that, Dr. Mendez called Henry, ordering him to show up within half an hour. Dr. Weber, concerned that the reporters might affect me emotionally, came in to advise me not to leave the room. He assured me they would handle everything and admitted it was their fault to begin with. I had just nodded when the door was kicked open from the outside. Henry stormed past Dr. Weber, and with a face full of rage, he shouted, "Didn't I tell you to clarify things? You know exactly what you did! Keep spreading lies, and I'll sue you! Are you trying to get me to divorce you by making all this fuss? Is that it?" "Then let's get a divorce." He didn't even register what I said when his gaze landed on my now-flat stomach. His face froze in disbelief. After freezing up for two seconds, he swept his gaze around the empty room. Only then did he ask, "Where's the baby?"