"Do whatever you want."

The line went dead.

I struggled to pack my suitcase, my vision swimming until the world turned black.

When I came to, the sun was already blindingly bright. I was lying in a pool of my own blood. He hadn't come back.

With trembling fingers, I dialed 911. The paramedics were there in minutes. As they lifted me onto the gurney, they kept shouting, "Hold on! We still have a heartbeat! We’re doing everything to save the pregnancy!"

I just shook my head. "Don't bother."

The operating theater was freezing. I kept my eyes open, staring at the sterile, glowing panels of the lights above. They were too bright, stinging my eyes until tears leaked down my temples. It wasn't until the surgeon told me the procedure was a success that I finally let my eyes close.

In my dream, Bradley appeared. He was laughing, looking younger, more like a boy than a man. "You’re incredible, honey! You gave me a son!"

The happiness in the dream felt nauseatingly fake. I woke up drenched in cold sweat.

In the three days I was gone, Bradley hadn't reached out once.

I dragged my suitcase to my mother's house. As soon as I opened the door, the scent of fresh lilies hit me. Expensive gifts were piled on the entryway table. Bradley was in the kitchen, wearing an apron, poking his head out with a welcoming smile.

Without a second of hesitation, I turned to walk back out.

Bradley lunged forward, catching me in a desperate embrace. "I’m sorry, Madeline. I know I messed up. Let me make it up to you—let’s celebrate your birthday properly, okay?"

I looked at him.

Memories flooded back: the searing glare of the hospital lights, the warmth of blood trailing down my legs, and the sight of him with Lacey Rose, whispering that she was the love of his life.

"Bradley."

He pulled a vinyl record from behind his back, his eyes soft, bordering on pathetic. "Remember when we first met at the college radio station? This was the track that was playing."

My throat tightened.

He leaned in, grinning. "Still mad?"

I remembered the video from last night—Lacey’s unboxing vlog. Her living room was a mountain of luxury goods. "Finished unboxing them after three days," she’d cooed to the camera. "Thank you so much to my man."

She had pulled three items from the pile, claiming she’d be giving them away to her followers. This record was one of them.

I snatched the record from his hands. Before he could react, I slammed it against the hardwood floor with everything I had. Black plastic shards skittered across the room like jagged teeth.

The crash startled my mother, who hurried out from the back room. She grabbed my arm, her voice a low, urgent hiss. "You're going to be a mother soon! Why are you storming out of your home like this? Bradley has been trying so hard—don't keep pushing him away."

Bradley froze. He looked up, his face pale.

"You're pregnant?"

He dropped to his knees, his ear pressed against my stomach. His eyes turned glassy and red. "I can hear it! I’m finally going to be a dad!"

The raw, unbridled ecstasy on his face—it didn't look like an act.

I tilted my head back, laughing until the tears streamed down.

Bradley, what are you listening for? There’s nothing left in there.

"The baby's gone, Bradley. Let's get a divorce."

The joy on his face shattered. "Madeline, stop saying things you don't mean. I'm not divorcing you."

My mother frowned, confused. "Madeline, you risked your life just a few days ago to fly to Dubai to bring Bradley home. Why are you acting like this now just because of some petty argument?"

Bradley looked panicked, his gaze darting toward the television where the evening news was looping coverage of the war-torn city. "Where did you go?"

My mother’s voice sharpened. "To Dubai, of course! Wasn't it you who brought him back?"

On the screen, the news showed fire, debris, and devastation. I stood in the middle of the living room, calm as a ghost.

"I’ve survived one divorce," I said, my voice hollow. "I can survive another."

I looked him dead in the eyes. "Isn't that what you told Lacey, Bradley? That I was nothing but a nuisance?"