Chapter 2

Yes, since Dominic had made his choice.

Then I, too, should make mine.

To terminate the child Dominic had longed for, and to utterly destroy his reputation.

3

That day, I was rushed to the hospital by the paramedics.

I had originally intended to go for an abortion.

But the ambulance had barely driven halfway when I started bleeding heavily.

I wasn’t surprised by this. After all, when I first became pregnant, the doctor had repeatedly warned me.

I was over thirty-five, my health wasn't great, and pregnancy put me at high risk for miscarriage. They stressed that I must keep my emotions stable.

For these six months of pregnancy, I had endured and endured, meditating daily, practicing mindfulness, anything to keep my emotions steady.

But Dominic’s girlfriend, Chloe, had been relentless. Not only did she send me daily bed photos of her and Dominic, but she also cursed at me with the vilest language.

She called me an old hag.

She called the baby in my belly a bastard.

She even sent me disturbing videos of deformed babies.

Now, she even came to my house with a fake wedding invitation, just to provoke me.

And Dominic? A few tears from that girl, and his heart was gone.

He wouldn't even stay home, even when I threatened him with the baby.

Maybe it was better the baby was gone. After all, her father didn’t love her.

My chest ached with tremors. In the five days I was hospitalized, Dominic didn't call me once.

He didn't even know I'd lost the baby.

Instead, his SnapChat profile picture changed to a couple's photo with that girl.

And a million dollars was suddenly withdrawn from our bank account.

I didn’t know why Dominic had suddenly become so reckless until Mr. Hayes, my lawyer, came to my hospital room.

Then I found out: Chloe was pregnant.

Looking at the photos Mr. Hayes showed me, I let out another cynical laugh.

There were at least a hundred photos, each one showing Dominic holding Chloe’s hand, his expression doting.

There he was, accompanying her to prenatal appointments.

There he was, going with her to the supermarket to buy groceries.

In some photos, I even saw Dominic and Chloe wearing matching wedding rings.

A suffocating pain seized my chest again, and my eyes welled up with tears.

After all, Dominic had once looked at *me* with such doting affection.

But now, his eyes were filled only with that girl.

Seeing me cry again, Mr. Hayes immediately tried to comfort me. “Isabelle, don’t be sad. It’s just a divorce…”

I wiped away the tears at the corners of my eyes.

Yes, just a divorce. It’s nothing major.

Besides, I had more important things to do now.

Masking my choked voice, I looked up at Mr. Hayes.

“Do we have enough evidence for a bigamy charge yet?”

Mr. Hayes nodded immediately.

“Yes, I’ve compiled it all.”

“And the evidence of Dominic’s tax evasion over the years? Is the team prepared?”

“Fully prepared. Six months ago, the information might have been insufficient, but now we have enough.”

“And the evidence of Dominic’s bribery?”

“That’s all together too.”

I clenched the photos of Dominic and Chloe in my hand again.

“So, according to your estimate, if these evidences are submitted to the prosecutors, how many years will Dominic have to serve?”

Mr. Hayes consulted his file.

“Around eight years.”

My eyes welled up again.

“That’s not enough time. He should at least get twenty years.”

After all, Dominic had once sworn to take care of me for a lifetime.

Trading twenty years of his imprisonment for a lifetime of his freedom.

Dominic loved Chloe so much, he’d surely be willing.

Mr. Hayes nodded immediately.

“Alright, Isabelle. I’ll make the arrangements.”

With that, Mr. Hayes turned and left.

And I, watching the flock of birds flying outside the window, shed tears once more.

Indeed, one should never trust men.

Dominic had ultimately become just like his father.