Chapter 4
It turns out that love has an expiration date -a very short one. A lifetime together is nothing more than a myth. People‘ s affections shift quickly, unpredictably, like the changing winds. Julian and I had reached the end of our story. There was no future left for us.
With a heavy heart, I made my decision. I walked out of the banquet, no longer able to bear the pretense, and took a taxi straight to the obstetrics and gynecology department of the hospital.
The clinic was quiet in the afternoon, and it wasn’t long before it was my turn. The nurse at the counter, with a sharp eye, instantly recognized me. She hesitated before asking if I was the infamous Mrs. Foster from the headlines.
I smiled, hiding the ache in my heart, and shook my head. “My name is Audrey
Quinn, not Mrs. Foster.”
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Before she could respond, her colleague pulled her aside, whispering in a low voice. “Are you an idiot? Mrs. Foster underwent three artificial inseminations and finally got pregnant. How could she possibly want an abortion?”
The nurse went silent, her face reddening with embarrassment, and quickly apologized.
I entered the consultation room and explained my situation to the doctor. I lied, claiming that the father of the child had tragically died in a car accident. I told him I was resolute in my decision to terminate. the pregnancy.
The doctor, perhaps sensing my pain, didn’t press further. He prescribed me medication to halt the pregnancy‘ s progress and handed me a prescription for the procedure, asking me to return the next morning.
I left the clinic, the effects of the
medication already making me feel dizzy
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and unsteady. My body felt heavy, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. Once home, I collapsed into bed, the exhaustion. pulling me under.
I slept deeply, though my sleep was restless, filled with disjointed dreams.
In those dreams, I was running–though not freely. My legs felt sluggish, like they were weighed down by invisible chains. I tried to run faster, but my body resisted, my breath coming in short gasps. I was suffocating.
And then-
I stepped into nothingness. The world tilted, and I felt myself plummeting, weightless, as the ground disappeared beneath me.
The shock of that sensation jolted me awake, heart racing, breath shallow. The heaviness in my chest lingered, and for a moment, I couldn’t tell whether it was
from the dream or the reality of my waking
Chapter 4
life.
When I opened my eyes, the darkness of the night pressed in, and Julian was standing by my bed, his face etched with
concern.
“Audrey, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?” he asked, his voice laced with unease. “Don’t worry, I’m here. I‘ 11 always protect you.”
His arms wrapped around me in a comforting embrace, but I could smell the unmistakable scent of lust on him, mingling with the perfume that Hazel favored.
His clothes were disheveled, and the faint smell of oil lingered on his hands–he must have just come from the kitchen, rushing over to me. His worried expression seemed genuine, but I couldn’t shake the knot in my stomach.
“I was really scared,” he continued, his voice soft. “I was cooking noodles for you,
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and I heard you shouting. I thought you had a nightmare, so I ran in.”
He studied my face, his brow furrowing as he noticed my discomfort. “Audrey, what’s wrong? You look so pale. Do you want to go to the hospital?”
I shook my head, forcing a smile to suppress the tremor in my throat. “It’s nothing, just some early pregnancy discomfort. I’ll be fine.”
His distress seemed to deepen. “You‘ re so strong, Audrey. I wish I could bear all the pain for you.”
Really?
I smiled coldly, my heart heavy with the weight of his hypocrisy. Wasn’t it he who had caused all my pain?
I didn’t want to continue this charade any longer. I reached under my pillow and
pulled out the “gift” I had prepared. It was time to end things.
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