Beyond Reach

Anna wiped away her tears with a smile. "Yes, for sure."

I was sorry, I lied to you.

Deep down, I silently regretted my words.

I had lied to the one person who knew how little time I had left.

At most, I only had a month to live.

……

When I dragged myself back to my room, utterly exhausted, someone who should not have been there was waiting for me.

The room was filled with the nauseating smell of cigarette smoke.

Having barely eaten all day, I instinctively ran to the bathroom and vomited until I was dizzy.

I did not even hear Zac's footsteps approaching.

I was half-kneeling on the floor, reaching up to flush the toilet, when I suddenly felt a warm grip on my wrist.

"Are you pregnant? When did you sneak off behind my back? Planning to bring some bastard into the family to steal my inheritance?"

He pinned my hand against the wall, leaning over me, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at my stomach.

"Emma, if you want to stay in the Xander family, you’d better get rid of that bastard this week! Otherwise, you and your mom can pack your bags and leave next month!"

After those words, he threw my hand aside in disgust. "You're nothing but skin and bones. I can't imagine who’d have a taste for that!"

My mind was sluggish from the vomiting, and it took me a while to grasp what he was saying.

So, Zac thought I was pregnant and that was why I went to the gynecology department?

And what about him?

He was probably overjoyed that Evelyn was carrying the symbol of their love.

But Zac's words made it painfully clear how right I had been all those years ago to end the pregnancy.

He hadn’t loved me, so how could he have cared about the child inside me?

Just as love extended to what you cherished, hatred spread to everything you despised.

A child who was never wanted would have only faced endless suffering in this world.

I touched my flat stomach and whispered softly, "I’m sorry, baby. Six years ago, that was my mistake.

"Take care of yourself on the road to the afterlife. Mommy will be joining you soon, so you won’t have to be lonely anymore."

I steadied myself against the wall, staring at the blood I had just thrown up, unsure what to do.

Had Zac seen it?

I pressed the flush and wiped the blood from my lips before slowly walking out of the bathroom.

But I did not expect Zac to still be there.

He was standing silently by my bed, staring at an old photo of the two of us on the nightstand.

Realizing my mistake, I quickly grabbed the photo and tossed it into the trash.

"Sorry, I just... But I threw it away, so please don’t be mad, okay?"

I was terrified of Zac’s anger.

When he got angry, he wasn’t at all like the boy I had once loved.

"Good, you threw it away. I was worried Evelyn might get jealous when she moves in."

"What do you mean?"

I was stunned. What did he mean by Evelyn moving in?

"Didn’t my dad tell you? Once I’m married, this villa will be mine. As for where you’ll live, that’s entirely up to me."

He smiled darkly, completely different from the vibrant person he was during the day.

"Oh, and by the way, my engagement party is next week. Make sure you dress up. I don’t want people thinking the Xander family mistreats their stepdaughter."

I found myself once again watching Zac’s back as he walked away, leaving me behind.

The moment I heard the door shut, I rushed to retrieve the photo from the trash.

The glass frame, once carefully sealed, shattered and cut my palm, blood flowing freely.

But this pain was nothing. It did not compare to even a fraction of what liver cancer felt like.

I sat on the floor, clutching the photo tightly in my hand.