Slicing Me Open

The Cromer family expressed their endless gratitude to Stella, assuring her she bore no blame for my death. They even dedicated a commemorative plaque to her and had my child acknowledge her as his godmother!

Meanwhile, my body was rushed through cremation, going unnoticed and unmourned. Every asset I owned ended up in the Cromers' hands.

That was when I learned that Stella was Kyle's high school junior and his first love. They found their way back to each other during my prenatal checkups.

Stella was set to start working at a hospital, but she failed her intern evaluation. That was when Kyle came up with this plan. He turned my death into her stepping stone to fame.

I loathed them so much that I could practically feel my teeth grinding to dust. I never thought I would come back to life at this exact moment.

Kyle urged me to drink some water again when I remained quiet, his impatience creeping into his voice. "Come on, Sylvia, drink up. Your lips are so chapped. Even if you don't feel like it, think about the baby. At least have a few sips for the baby's sake."

The way I suddenly lost consciousness in my past life was so suspicious that I couldn't help but suspect Kyle's involvement. And now, with him practically forcing the bottle against my lips, warning bells blared in my mind.

I pressed my lips together, turned my face, and muttered through clenched teeth, "I'm not drinking that!"

Kyle didn't expect such a sudden show of defiance from me. His frown deepened as if he wanted to insist, but I shut my eyes before he could.

"I'm exhausted. I'm going back to sleep," I said.

I figured there wasn't much he could do to me if I pretended to sleep for the rest of the trip.

But I never expected Kyle to suddenly get to his feet and raise his voice for everyone to hear. "How can you be such an irresponsible mother? Do you not see what kind of condition you're in? The baby needs nutrition! How can you refuse to eat or drink?"

The other passengers were unaware of what was happening and turned to look. All they saw was a heavily pregnant woman with an impatient expression while Kyle played the part of the concerned husband.

Naturally, they assumed I was being difficult and began to criticize me.

"The baby comes first during pregnancy! You can't just be so reckless as a mother!"

"Exactly! You're carrying a life inside you. It's not about what you want. It's about what the baby needs!"

"Look at your husband, being so considerate that he even opened the water for you. Just drink a little, won't you?"

"You're a mom now. Your baby should be your top priority! If you're not going to care for your baby, then why did you have one in the first place?"

The barrage of scolding made my ears ring.

Kyle quickly brought the water bottle to my lips again. His voice was gentle, but his eyes gleamed with excitement. "Do you hear them, Sylvia? Everyone's calling you out. Just drink the water!"

The moment the bottle nearly touched my lips, I shot up, clutching my belly. "My stomach hurts. I have to use the restroom!"

I dashed into the train's toilet and locked the door behind me, leaving Kyle seething.

It wasn't until I was inside that I noticed my face and body were drenched in cold sweat. Maybe if I stayed there until the train reached its stop, I could avoid the disaster from my past life.

But I was barely inside for five minutes when Kyle's voice rang out, accompanied by loud knocks on the door.

"What's taking so long, Sylvia? You've been in there forever! You're pregnant—you shouldn't be in there for so long. Come on out!"

I remained silent, and he only pounded harder. Soon, he began ramming his shoulder against the door, each heavy thud making my chest lurch as if the door might give way at any time.

Suddenly, the banging stopped.

I thought he finally gave up, but his voice rang out outside, sharp with alarm. "Attendant! Over here! My wife's inside this restroom, and she's not responding! She's eight months pregnant. I'm afraid she might have passed out!"