Chapter 8

When I came to, I was on an operating table. The doctor's voice was as cold as the room itself. "The baby's gone," he said. "We're going ahead with the D&C, Ms. Kennedy. Brace yourself."

After the surgery, I called Chase. He claimed to be overwhelmed with a major business deal. Feeling utterly crushed, I demanded to see him.

When he stormed into the hospital, his face showed no concern, only annoyance. "Amanda, how long are you going to keep this up?"

The words about our lost child caught in my throat. That face, once full of kindness, now seemed twisted and ugly.

"What's with the stare? Is this the 'surgery' you were talking about? What surgery did you have?"

Fresh from surgery, my abdomen felt as if it were being torn apart; the pain was unbearable. Haunted by his interrogation, Nicole's words echoed in my mind: There's no sorrow greater than a broken heart. I had no energy left to explain. All I felt was a tidal wave of anger.

I'd already suggested calling off our engagement. I couldn't stop him from being with whomever he wanted. But he insisted on staying, promising to end things with Nicole. Had I walked away then, I wouldn't have been pregnant.

He could hurt me, but why did he drag an innocent child into it?

Tears streamed down my face as I clutched the bedsheet. Noticing my pale face and the sweat beading on my forehead, he finally realized something was wrong.

"Amanda, where does it hurt?"

In the past, I might have argued, but now my head was filled with consuming hatred. What had I done to deserve this humiliation and hurt from him and Nicole? Why did our innocent child have to be a casualty of their games? I felt like a vengeful spirit, clawing my way out of hell, determined to make them pay.

I was at the Kennedy family's private hospital. Nicole's audacity suggested she'd likely orchestrated everything in advance. Even if I spoke the truth, she'd likely produce evidence to discredit me. If only Chase would believe me, the truth could emerge, but he was blinded by Nicole, who knew he wouldn't investigate further and would always side with her.

I'd seen her tricks before. This time, I wouldn't be deceived. I knew she wanted me to back down and break off the engagement so she could take my place. But I wouldn't give her that satisfaction.

Swallowing my grief, I kept the loss of our child to myself. This was my ace in the hole; only by exposing Nicole's true colors could the miscarriage serve as a bombshell. Otherwise, Nicole would continue to manipulate me, turning major issues into minor ones and brushing them aside.

Seeing my tears, Chase became flustered. "Stop crying. Is it because I haven't been around? I've been tied up with a huge project." Despite his feelings for Nicole, he still couldn't fully let go of our years together.

"Chase, I had a nightmare where you stopped loving me. I'm really scared."

"Sweetheart, don't worry about nonsense. How could I stop loving you?"

Nicole had hoped I'd use this opportunity to create a scene with Chase and end the engagement. She timed her arrival to see me at my lowest, only to find Chase and me in a tight embrace. Her face went pale.

That day, I changed. I resolved to expose Chase and Nicole's affair. No matter how many tricks Nicole pulled, the closest she got was a kiss from Chase. He never crossed that line with her. But even this was enough for Nicole to taunt me; she constantly sent me suggestive photos and chat logs, then retracted them.

Little did she know, I'd saved every screenshot and video. I was brewing a storm, planning to unveil everything at our wedding.

Chapter 9