Chapter 5

With that, Chloe picked up the gift bags from the floor. If Arthur wanted to compensate her, she wouldn't pretend to be too proud to accept.

After all, her five years of youth, time, and love were worth far more than these few bags.

As soon as Chloe got into her car, she listed the items on a resale marketplace.

These were all highly sought-after luxury goods.

Just after selling the first batch of gifts, her phone rang. It was her best friend Adeline.

"Chloe, what happened that you need a place so urgently?"

Chloe briefly explained the situation with Arthur. Adeline was furious on the other end. "That Arthur is a real piece of work! After all the sacrifices you made to finally conceive his child, how could he go behind your back and get Avery pregnant? Has he lost his mind?"

"When you chose him, I thought he was the family-first type, especially after being childhood sweethearts for so many years. Who knew he'd be so shameless!"

As Adeline defended her, Chloe felt strangely calm.

"It's fine. Better to see someone's true colors before the baby is born than after," Chloe said. "About the apartment—I'll need your help finding something."

"I have a friend who's abroad, and their place is vacant. Could you stay there for a couple months while you figure things out?"

Chloe examined the floor plan and location Adeline sent.

It was an ordinary two-bedroom apartment—not large, but centrally located with convenient transportation.

"A good location like this must be expensive," Chloe remarked.

Without Arthur's support, she needed to budget carefully, making every dollar count.

"He's in a hurry, preferably someone who can move in and sign the contract today." Adeline said, and in her rush, Chloe didn't notice Adeline's momentary hesitation.

With Adeline's help, Chloe moved into the cozy two-bedroom that same day.

Adeline explained that the landlord had left the country urgently and could only sign the contract via messaging.

Chloe added the landlord's contact. His profile picture was a beautiful blue sapphire cut surface, shimmering with crystalline light.

For some reason, the image seemed familiar to Chloe.

She sent over the contract, but received no immediate reply.

Just as Chloe was preparing for bed, her phone chimed.

The photo showed Avery lying on the bed in Arthur's mansion, wearing the pink silk pajamas Chloe had once loved. And in the corner of the image, around her ankle, was the "Whale's Tear" anklet.

Sharp pain radiated from her abdomen. Chloe's head throbbed in waves, the veins at her temples pulsing visibly.

"I'm glad you like it. When I saw the auction announcement, I specifically took half a day off to bid on this necklace for you."

Arthur's sweet words echoed in her ears, now piercing her eardrums like knife points.

Hadn't he said the Whale's Tear was bought for her?

So why was it now wrapped around Avery's ankle?

The faint smell of blood spread through the room.

Chloe looked down at her dress, now blooming with crimson flowers of blood.

The baby... her baby...

She reached for her phone, frantically pressing the emergency contact button.

Pain blurred her vision. As the ringtone began, she realized her emergency contact had always been Arthur.

He was surely with Avery now. How could he possibly have time to answer her call?

Chloe gritted her teeth as she reached for the bedside phone.

The moment her fingers touched it, a cold female voice came through, "Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later..."

Arthur's phone would be turned off during work meetings, but the message said "unavailable" not "powered off." He hadn't missed her call—he simply didn't have time to answer it.

After years of marriage, this was the first time he hadn't answered her call.

Once something began, you could already glimpse its end.

Arthur must be with Avery right now.

Chloe gave a bitter smile. Even though she'd made up her mind, the thought of Arthur's betrayal still cut like a knife through her heart.

The pain was like insects gnawing at her bones, a profound helplessness rising from her core.

With this thought, Chloe stood to walk toward the door, but the combination of weakness and overwhelming memories drained her strength. She collapsed to the floor, clutching her stomach.

Was she going to die here today, along with her baby?

No. Chloe took a deep breath and dug her nails into her arm.

She had suffered too much for this little life growing inside her. It was her only family now, and she wouldn't let it leave her like this!

Drawing strength from somewhere deep inside, she struggled to her feet, wrapped herself in a coat, and staggered toward the door.

The doorknob, usually so easy to turn, now felt impossibly heavy. Chloe used her last bit of strength to push the door open. Blood continued to flow relentlessly, and despair welled up in her chest.

Just then, someone walked by. Chloe looked up, tears blurring her vision. She couldn't make out who it was, only sensing it was a tall man.

Grabbing his arm, Chloe spoke with difficulty, the taste of blood in her throat, "Please help me... take me to a hospital..."

With those words, Chloe's vision darkened, and she collapsed against him.

For some reason, his scent seemed familiar—unfamiliar yet strangely comforting.

Some buried memory flashed through her mind, but before she could identify it, Chloe lost consciousness. In her hazy state, she felt him lift her into his arms and rush downstairs.

Was it you... Arthur?

"Arthur... protect our baby."

When she regained consciousness, she was lying in a hospital bed.

The room was empty and quiet, save for the beeping of the IV machine.

She pressed the call button, and a woman in her fifties entered.

"Dr. Adams," Chloe said, her throat so dry that each syllable scraped painfully.

"Lie down. You'll need bed rest for a while," Zoey Adams looked at her with concern in her eyes.

"Dr. Adams, my baby..." Chloe stroked her stomach, anxiously awaiting Zoey's answer.

"The baby is stable for now."

"Thank you," Chloe felt as if a boulder had been lifted from her chest.

"The baby is only stable for the moment," Dr. Adams clarified. "But you're bleeding at less than three months—that's dangerous. There's a significant risk you might lose this pregnancy."

Zoey's words hit Chloe like a bucket of ice water. In an instant, she felt as if she'd plummeted from heaven to hell.

She looked up at Zoey, whose eyes were filled with worry.

Chloe was likely her last patient before retirement. She had been Chloe's primary physician since she first started fertility treatments, helping her improve her health until she finally conceived...

"When you arrived, they did an ultrasound. Your uterine lining is very thin, and the embryo's implantation is poor. My recommendation is termination." Zoey finished speaking and turned away, unable to bear Chloe's reaction.

Chloe clutched the edge of the blanket, processing Zoey's words.

To conceive this child, she had endured over three hundred injections in a year and consumed countless bitter medicines.

If she couldn't keep this baby, everything she had sacrificed would vanish like foam on water. Moreover, this child was her only family now. Wanting this baby wasn't just about Arthur—it was for herself too.

At the Scott household, she had been relegated to a tiny converted storage room, damp and cramped, too small even for a standard bed.

Her mother had always favored Avery, pushing Chloe to marry and leave as soon as she came of age. That house had never been her home.

She had once thought her home with Arthur would be different, but now...

"Doctor, is there no other way? I can't lose this baby." Chloe grabbed Zoey's sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears.

Zoey sighed deeply.

"If you insist on keeping this pregnancy, you'll need continued treatment and regular care. Delivery could be dangerous too. Are you willing to risk your health?"

Zoey frowned with concern.

Though she hoped Chloe could safely carry the baby to term, she didn't want to see Chloe's life endangered.

"I've never had children myself. Women don't necessarily have to have children. If your husband insists on this baby, you need to make him understand your medical situation."

"My husband and I... we're planning to divorce. This baby..." Chloe looked at Zoey, her expression suddenly resolute.

"This is my choice. This child is the only family I have left in this world."

Zoey sighed, her eyes filled with compassion.

"Alright, I'll help you. But understand that the hardships you'll face for this baby may be even greater than what you've already endured."

Chloe shook her head. "I'm not afraid."

Chloe stayed in the hospital under Zoey's care. The treatment process was grueling. Daily injections left her arms swollen, the pain radiating throughout her body.

By the third day of treatment, her arms felt like they belonged to someone else.

After paying her hospital fees, she headed back toward her room.

As she walked, she suddenly noticed a familiar figure ahead.

At the corner, she saw the person supporting a woman in a hospital gown.

Arthur and Avery?