Chapter 7  Chase couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea that something had happened to me. He slammed the car door shut, frustration boiling over as he dialed my number again. The automated message coldly reminded him that my phone was off.  He pulled out his phone and opened his messaging app. Right at the top of his chat list was my sister, Nicole. I noticed he had added a heart emoji next to her name. I used to hold that spot as his pinned chat, but two years back, I found out she had replaced me.  The guy who once called her annoying had started addressing her as Nicole. Guilt flickered in his eyes when I asked him about it, but he brushed it off with a fancy excuse and accused me of being overly sensitive and confrontational.  Ever since Nicole returned to the Kennedy family three years ago, she’d been making my life miserable. Her manipulative charm convinced our parents and even my brother that I was the villainous sister. They all seemed to despise me.  I thought Chase was different. We grew up together. He knew me better than anyone else–or so I thought.  ut he silently changed, too.  He started looking at me the way everyone else did. The signs were there all along. Chase had drifted away long before, but I stubbornly clung to the past.  Chase scrolled quickly through his messaging app, overwhelmed by messages from friends and family reacting to the news of his runaway bride. After some effort, he finally found my chat.  He opened it to see my last message to him.  Amanda: [Chase, we need to talk.]  Chase stared at the message, lost in thought. After a while, he hit the voice message button:  “Amanda, where are you? I’ve told you not to play these games. We’re now married! Why are you making things difficult with Nicole? Do you have any idea how upset she was yesterday?”  “If you come back now, I’ll let what happened last night slide.”  After sending these messages, he tossed his phone aside. His assistant, catching a glimpse of his weary and worried expression in the rearview mirror, cautiously suggested, “Mr. Reyes, your wife is usually pretty sensible. She didn’t lose her cool even when you left her at the wedding venue yesterday. I doubt she’d play such a serious prank that could involve the police. Maybe we should go look for her?”  “Do you know her well?”  “No, Mr. Reyes. I just think she’s been through a lot.”  “She’s gone through a lot?” He scoffed, a hint of mockery in his voice. “She loves playing the victim and always trying to grab attention with her antics. Fine, if you’re not busy, send someone to Ruby River. Maybe they can fish her out.”  When someone begins to despise you, don’t bother asking why. Every reason you can think of is probably right.  I had sensed Chase’s change of heart long ago. He used to hate Nicole, but at some point, every conversation of his seemed to revolve around her. It was clear he had changed. He remembered Nicole’s likes and dislikes and brought her gifts from business trips, just as  he did for me.  Half a year ago, Chase went abroad for a project. An earthquake hit, causing a landslide. I immediately booked a flight to go to him, but Nicole had hidden my passport and visa. While I couldn’t leave, she flew out that very day. I risked everything, trying to cross the Pacific Ocean illegally, and encountered a tsunami. I might not have survived if it weren’t for some good–hearted strangers.  When I miraculously made it back home, Nicole twisted the story, making it seem like I’d gone on a joyride at sea..! tried to explain what had happened to my passport, but she opened a drawer in front of everyone, revealing it and leaving me defenseless.  Chase wouldn’t hear me out and lashed out at me. Facing a stranger in the man I once loved, I decided to end things  “Chase, let’s call off our engagement.”  “Are you joking?” he frowned, clearly upset.  I calmly replied, “I’ve done all I can for this relationship. I don’t want us to end up hating each other. Let’s call it quits while we’re still  civil.”  When he realized I was serious, panic finally appeared in his eyes. From that day on, he promised to set boundaries with Nicole. He showered me with gifts, planned an elaborate proposal, and started to arrange our wedding. I thought happiness was finally within reach.  Three months ago, after a night of drinks, things got intimate, and I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to share this wonderful news with him, but Nicole had other plans. She staged a fall down the stairs.  und  I tried to explain but he shoved me aside. That was when I realized  Chapter 7  blacked ou blacked out. The doctors said the pregnancy was at risk, and I spent the next few days in the hospital.  Through his assistant, I learned Chase was busy with a big project and didn’t visit, even though he knew I was hospitalized. But I didn’t care about him anymore. The only thing that mattered to me was my child.  I  I was determined to bring this baby into the world safely. But instead of Chase, it was Nicole who showed up at my hospital bed, vividly describing how Chase had held her, kissed her, and touched her….  Nausea rose within me, and suddenly I felt something wet. Fluid was leaking out. Too weak to call for help, I panicked and climbed out of bed. Even if I had to part ways with Chase, I had to save my child.  As I got up, I saw the glaring bloodstains on the bed. Pain and cold sweat overwhelmed me as I staggered towards the door. Blood trailed down my legs, forming a path on the floor.  Desperate, with only thoughts of my child in my mind, everything went black, and I collapsed to the ground.