No Way Back to Us

Nate's eyes were red—anyone could see he'd been crying.

The moment he saw I was awake, he pulled me into his arms, holding me as if I might slip away. His voice trembled. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I couldn't protect our child."

He paused, took a shaky breath. "The doctor said the baby had congenital issues. That's why... the miscarriage happened."

His hand moved gently over my back, slow and rhythmic, as though he could soothe the loss out of me. "Don't be sad, Ruby. We'll have another child. We will."

I felt a dampness spread across my shoulder—his tears soaking into my gown.

Everything felt unreal. Just yesterday, I'd uncovered the truth: he was the reason behind my car accident, the one who'd shattered my life, stolen my ability to dance. And now, he had taken my child too.

Was he my lover? Or my executioner?

Grief surged through me, thick and suffocating, like drowning in a sea with no surface in sight.

"Ruby, what's wrong?" he asked, alarmed.

He rushed out and returned moments later with the doctor. After a brief examination, the doctor told me the same thing—just that I needed rest, that my body was weak after the miscarriage.

I closed my eyes, unwilling to let him see me cry. Nate stayed by my side, apologizing again and again.

"It's my fault, Ruby. I never wanted you to suffer like this."

I didn't respond to his hollow apologies. I stayed silent.

My heart had already died the moment he chose to kill our child.

Just as he leaned in to comfort me again, his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen, then stood up quickly. "Ruby, something urgent came up at the company. I'll be back soon."

I watched him leave, then opened my phone.

While he was asleep, I had connected our phones and turned on location tracking. Now I could see exactly where he was.

The signal showed he hadn't left the hospital. He'd paused outside for a moment, then turned around—heading toward the obstetrics and gynecology department.

I frowned, unsure what to make of it. And then I heard her voice.

Lucy. Her voice was unmistakable as she clung to Nate's arm.

"I just got here and George suddenly said something came up at his company. Good thing you came to keep me company," she said in a sugary tone. "I get nervous going to checkups alone."

There they were, sweet-talking under my nose.

I was in a private VIP ward, far from the general patient rooms. If I hadn't tracked his location, I never would've known.

"Lucy," he said gently, "I told you before—I'll always treat your baby like mine. I'll always be by your side."

"You're the best, Nate," she giggled.

"You wait here for a bit. I'm going to meet the best OB-GYN in the country—I asked him to come just for you."

His wife had just lost a child, and he was already accompanying another woman to a prenatal appointment. Like nothing had happened.

After Nate walked off, Lucy came to my room.

"Ruby, long time no see," she said, smiling.

She was dressed head to toe in custom couture. No makeup, but she still looked radiant. Clearly, someone had been doting on her.

"What do you want?" I asked coldly.

She laughed, her hand resting on her stomach.

"Oh, nothing. I just heard you lost your baby and thought I'd come show some concern. And since today's also your mother's death anniversary, I figured you might be feeling extra emotional."

"I don't need your concern. Get out."

Her expression turned icy in an instant.

"You don't know yet, do you? Your baby... died because of Nate. He didn't want me to be upset, so he had abortion drugs slipped into your meals."

Her voice dropped to a near-whisper. "The doctor said the fetus already had a human shape. Too bad, huh? But what do you expect when someone like you is the mother?"

My fingers clenched tightly around the bedsheet. I could feel the blood boiling in my veins.

"I'm pregnant too," she added with a grin. "Even if it's not Nate's baby, he still takes care of me like it is."

The old me would've lashed out, screamed at her, refused to believe a word she said.

But now... now it felt like all the air had gone out of me. I didn't care about Nate the way I used to.

So I just looked at her, expressionless. "Are you finished? If so, leave."

She stared at me, confused at first, then visibly shaken by my lack of reaction.

Her fake sweetness evaporated.

"Ruby, who do you think you are? You're just a cripple. You should be grateful I let you live this long."