Chapter 52  Chapter 52  “Mm, Chase grunted, skipping the pleasantries as he swiftly got into the car. I noticed him rubbing his temples, probably dealing with another one of his headaches. I used to be the one to massage them away, but not anymore.  “Mark, have you noticed any changes in Amanda lately?” Chase asked out of the blue, breaking the silence in the car.  His assistant Mark looked confused. Chase’s moods had been all over the place recently, and even he couldn’t keep up. “Well, she’s gotten quieter over the years and doesn’t smile as much.”  Chase kept his eyes closed, massaging his temples in slow circles. “Go on.”  “At first, she used to argue with you a bit, but lately, she barely talked, let alone explained herself. Most of the time, she just stood by. silently watching you and Ms. Nicole interact.”  Chase’s expression remained icy. “What else?”  Mr. Reyes, you used to hate Ms. Nicole, but slowly, she’s become more important to you. You often leave Ms. Amanda for her. All the changes in Ms. Amanda are because of you and Ms. Nicole.”  For once, Chase didn’t argue. “Am I really being too much?”  Mark took a deep breath and continued, “From what I’ve seen, you’ve been overly attentive to Ms. Nicole. Outsiders often thought she was your fiancée. Back then, Ms. Amanda just watched silently. She was probably too hurt to speak up. But she still loved you. I think she truly changed three months ago.”  “She seemed like a completely different person. She spent her days at the children’s home, and when I saw her, she looked so lost. She lost a lot of weight–so much that even her wedding dress was too big, and the stylist had to pin it up.”  The dress had been altered to fit Nicole, and in just three months. I’d lost forty–four pounds, making it hang off me. Mark noticed, but my fiancé was oblivious  “Three months ago, Chase murmured, suddenly opening his eyes to look at Mark. “Take me to the hospital.”  The biggest change in me started three months ago. Chase thought it was just me seeking attention, but who would pretend for three months and make everyone sense something was off?  What was the hospital hiding?  As Chase approached the VIP ward, the sharp scent of disinfectant hit him. He overheard the nurses gossiping. “That poor woman. During her pregnancy. Mr. Reyes didn’t seem to care at all. He was here every day but only concerned about his step–sister. He never spared Mrs. Reyes a glance”  “I heard she’s not even his real sister. They have no blood relation at all  “That’s downright cruel. No wonder Mrs. Reyes fost the baby. Id be furious, too”  A baby?! Those words slammed into Chase, his eyes widening in shock. Meanwhile, I stood there with a detached expression. He was finally about to discover my secret–my pregnancy  “Mrs. Reyes is so unfortunate. I heard she crawled out of her room when she miscared. She bled all the way to surgery. How helpless she must have felt!”  As the nurses‘ chatter faded, Chase’s voice cut through, demanding answers. “What