Chapter 2

Vienna's POV

Calvin's funeral was hastily arranged. There were no mourners, no proper farewell-just me, sitting alone on the cold hard bench at the funeral home for an entire night.

Hayden didn't come.

I heard that Grace had developed a "high fever from excessive fright." He stayed by her side at the hillside villa without leaving, not even making a single phone call.

The moment the funeral ended and I walked out of the cemetery, a sharp pain suddenly tore through my lower abdomen, like someone grinding a dull knife inside.

My vision went black. I barely managed to stay upright by holding onto the wall.

Using my last bit of strength, I made it to the hospital. After a series of tests, the doctor held my report with a complicated expression.

"Ms. Vienna, congratulations. You're pregnant-six weeks."

"However, your physical condition is very weak. Combined with the previous emotional trauma, there are signs of threatened miscarriage. You must be hospitalized immediately for fetal preservation."

"Pregnant..."

How ridiculous.

My brother had just died, and my marriage was already dead in name only. This child came at the worst possible time, like a cruel joke from fate.

Was it conceived while kneeling in front of those ruins? Or was it heaven's last bit of compensation, taking pity on me?

I walked out of the consultation room. Passing through the VIP waiting area, my footsteps suddenly froze.

At the end of the corridor by the floor-to-ceiling window, the man I'd loved for five years stood backlit, carefully holding another woman.

Hayden wore an iron-gray handmade suit, his posture straight. But now he was slightly bent over, holding a wet wipe, his movements incredibly gentle.

Grace looked up at him, her eyes and brows filled with delicate, timid laughter, letting Hayden carefully wipe away the lipstick smudged at the corner of her mouth.

"How can you be so careless? You even smudge your lipstick drinking water."

Hayden's voice was deep and rich, carrying an indulgence I hadn't heard in a long time.

"There, all clean now."

"Hayden, you're so good to me."

Grace leaned into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist, her voice sweet and soft.

"Without you, I really don't know what I'd do."

"Silly girl, I'll always be with you."

Hayden gently patted her back, like comforting a fragile treasure.

They stood in the light, a perfect match.

And I stood in the dark corner, clutching that crumpled early pregnancy test result, like a clown that couldn't see daylight.

From beginning to end, Hayden never looked back.

His heart and eyes were full of Grace in his arms. He didn't notice me just a few meters away.

I couldn't even feel heartache anymore-just a numb coldness spreading along my spine.

I turned and rushed into the nearby bathroom.

Turning on the faucet, cold water rushed over my fingers. I looked at myself in the mirror-my eyes utterly lifeless.

Just then, the sound of high heels echoed behind me.

Grace walked in.

She was touching up her makeup in the mirror. When she saw me, that delicate, helpless expression instantly vanished, replaced by undisguised smugness and contempt.

"Well, if it isn't Vienna?"

Grace leisurely twisted open a tube of lipstick, carefully applying it while looking in the mirror, smiling carelessly.

"You look terrible. Are you sick? Hayden was just outside. Why didn't you go say hello?"

I turned off the faucet and looked at her through the mirror.

"Grace, you don't need to act in front of me."

"Act?"

Grace let out a light laugh, then turned to face me, arms crossed, her gaze boldly raking over me.

"I'm not acting. Hayden genuinely cares about me. You know what? The doctor just told me my body's too weak. I need to rest up before I can try to conceive. When Hayden heard that, he panicked. He insisted on bringing me in for a full workup. He was scared something might happen to me."

At this point, Grace leaned closer, lowering her voice, her tone full of malicious provocation.

"Vienna, your brother is dead, and you're about to be kicked out too. Hayden told me he's been tired of you for a long time. He just hasn't mentioned divorce because he felt sorry for you. Now I've thought it through-I want to give him a child. Once I'm pregnant with the Hayden family heir, do you think the position of Mrs. Hayden will still belong to you?"

My hand unconsciously moved to my lower abdomen.

There was already a child here.

Hayden's flesh and blood.

But looking at that arrogant face before me, then thinking of the man outside who was so tender toward a murderer, I suddenly felt nauseous.

"Grace,"

I lifted my head.

"You're so eager to climb up-are you afraid Hayden will find out that you deliberately faked illness that day to keep him there, and that you killed my brother?"

Grace's smile froze, then became even more vicious.

"Don't you dare slander me! It was clearly your brother's bad luck! Vienna, I advise you to know your place and get lost early, before Hayden personally kicks you out. That would be too humiliating."

With that, Grace snorted coldly and walked out triumphantly on her high heels.

I stood there, listening to Grace outside resuming that saccharine voice calling "Hayden," followed by the man's gentle response and their footsteps fading away.

I lowered my head, looking at the test result in my hand.

After a long while, I tore that paper into pieces bit by bit and threw it in the trash.

Since he didn't deserve to be a father, this child had nothing to do with him.