Skies We No Longer Share

Cecilia stared at the huge diamond ring and felt her breath catch in her throat. It was like the awful feeling of an allergic attack.

Yvonne, looking smug, stepped back and rubbed her belly.

"Ms. Jones, you’re far too naive—still clinging to the idea of marriage after he’s betrayed you. Being Mrs. Lawrence means nothing. You should’ve seen how ecstatic Jeff was when I told him I’m pregnant!"

That was why Jeff was away yesterday. He was celebrating the news that he and Yvonne were going to be parents.

Cecilia watched Yvonne's bold face and forced a smile.

"Good for you both," she said.

She turned to walk away, but just then, Jeff rushed in, stood in front of Cecilia, and gave Yvonne an icy stare. "Why are you here? Leave now!"

Yvonne's expression changed instantly, and she looked like she was about to cry. She said softly, "Jeff, I just started feeling sick, so I came to get checked out at the hospital... My tummy keeps hurting, and I'm scared..."

Her eyes were trying too hard to look sincere. It was clear to anyone that she was faking it.

However, Jeff could not help worrying. He frowned, trying to keep his feelings in check. "Then go see a doctor right away! Why are you still here wasting time?"

Yvonne's tears fell like raindrops on pear blossoms. "But I'm too scared to go alone... It's my very first time being... you know..."

She was on the verge of saying "pregnant."

Jeff took a step toward her, but when he saw Cecilia's pale face, he forced himself to step back. "Just go to the doctor. It's only a checkup. There's nothing to be scared of."

With that, he wrapped his arm around Cecilia, and they went back to her hospital ward.

Inside, Jeff was more anxious than ever, as if his mind was with Yvonne. He kept glancing outside the ward and checking his phone for messages, clearly worried out of his mind.

Cecilia watched Jeff and remembered how he used to be worried when she first came to the capital and kept getting fevers because she was not used to the climate.

Then, his worries were for someone else.

"Cecilia, I need to step out for a moment. I'll be back soon."

After he said that, Jeff stood up and left the room quickly.

Cecilia looked at the door for a moment, then slowly removed the ring Jeff had made her wear the day before and set it aside.

She opened her notebook and began to write slowly:

[I forgive Jeff for the 98th time. He got another woman pregnant on the very day he asked me to marry him.]

After she finished writing, she gazed at the words on the page as tears streamed down, splashing onto her notebook and smudging the ink.

The words blurred, just like they had so many times before.

She snapped the notebook shut, her mind made up more firmly than ever.