A Face For A Face

I didn’t sleep the entire night. Instead, I spent every hour looking through photos and videos of Andy. The next morning, when Riley wanted me to accompany her to the prenatal check-up, I nearly collapsed to the floor.

Riley quickly caught me.

“Carter! What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

Leo shot me a malicious look before his expression suddenly turned pitiful.

“I knew it. Carter never truly forgave me. If that’s the case, Riley, let's not keep this baby. That’ll make up for what I did to Carter!”

Riley immediately comforted him. “What nonsense are you talking about? Carter has forgiven you, hasn’t he?”

Her gaze drifted to the phone in my hand. It served both a warning and a reminder.

I snorted and shoved her away.

“Whatever.”

Riley’s eyes darkened, but she said nothing as the three of us headed to the hospital.

While Riley was undergoing her checkup, I desperately called my parents over and over. I wanted to tell them that I was finally home and that they could stop worrying about me. However, when no one picked up, a familiar sense of dread rose inside me.

Leo sat beside me and glanced at my phone screen. A twisted smile spread across his face.

“Carter, are you calling your parents? But your parents died during your second year in prison. They couldn't take the gossip and judgment from everyone around them. What? Did nobody tell you while you were locked up?”

I felt a lump in my throat and barely managed to say, “That’s impossible! Riley said you went to prison under your own identity. How could my parents possibly know it was me?”

Leo confessed smugly, “Because I told them, of course. They spent all that time searching for their son. I was just helping them out.”

A loud ringing filled my ears, and I couldn’t hear anything around me. By the time I came back to my senses, my hands were already tangled in Leo’s hair as I yanked him forward and punched him several times.

Leo immediately began screaming, “Help! He's attacking me! He's jealous because my wife chose me instead of him. That’s why he's assaulting me!”

Someone in the crowd spoke up.

“That’s right. The pregnant woman who went in before me came with him.”

In an instant, the surrounding crowd shoved me to the ground and kicked me from all directions. During the chaos, the mask covering my face was torn off.

A woman gasped. “Oh my! No wonder he's so jealous. He's an ugly freak!”

By the time Riley returned, I was covered in injuries, and blood covered my face.

A look of pain flashed across Riley’s eyes as she hurried toward me, intending to help me up. However, Leo pulled her back. With reddened eyes, he buried himself in her embrace.

“Riley, please don't go to him. If you do, everyone will think I was lying. I may be fine, but when our child grows up and learns about this, they'll be heartbroken.”

Riley stopped in her tracks. In the end, under Leo’s pleading gaze, she turned her face away.

I, on the other hand, was taken to the police station and charged with public disturbance. I had to be detained for three days, but I could leave immediately if someone posted bail.

Riley stood in front of me, looking conflicted.

“Carter, Leo isn't holding today's incident against you, but he's so frightened that he’s lost his appetite. Since you’re used to this place, why don’t you stay here for a few days? Three days from now, I'll pick you up myself. And…”

She lifted a hand, wanting to touch my face. However, when I avoided her, her hand slowly fell back to her side, and her expression grew unreadable.

“When we get home, I'll restore your original face for you, and once the baby is born, I’ll send Leo away. Then, we'll live the rest of our lives together.”

I didn't look at her. However, after she left, looking rather disheartened, I turned toward the police officer nearby.

“I’d like to report a crime!”