Chapter 1
Lily lost a game at the birthday party.
She glanced over at me and grinned. "Let me tell you all a secret. Ryan's stamina is off the charts... We messed around until midnight last night. My knees went completely numb from kneeling for so long, and my back's still aching right now!"
At that instant, I felt as if I'd been struck by lightning.
When she saw my face go dead pale, she clammed up a beat too late, then forced a grin and tried to explain herself.
"Whoa, Hannah, don't get the wrong idea! Ryan and I are just scratching an itch. You're heavily pregnant and it's not easy for you right now, so as a childhood friend of his, I'm just helping him blow off some steam, that's all.
"Relax, we used condoms. No chance of this getting out of hand."
As if something had just occurred to her, she leaned in close to my ear and clicked her tongue. "Then again, Ryan's skills are really something. You're one lucky woman, Hannah!"
My blood boiled, and I slapped her across the face.
"You're saying all this garbage right to my face so brazenly? Have you no shame at all?"
Before Lily could say anything, Ryan was the one who got angry.
He scolded me for being narrow-minded, pointed at the door, and told me to get out.
The second I stepped out, I heard the door slam loudly, followed by Lily's taunting voice.
"Ryan, after that slap, Hannah's totally gonna hold this over your head now."
The whole group was betting I'd come crawling back with my tail between my legs to apologize, and even get down on my knees and beg Ryan for forgiveness.
But they didn't know.
I was done with this rotten, festering marriage.
*****
After I left the private room, I could still hear the loud, chaotic voices inside.
"Why is Hannah still such a drama queen? It's totally normal for a guy to have physical needs. Pulling a stunt like this, she's killed the vibe for everyone!"
"If that was my wife, I'd slap her twice and make her apologize to all of us!"
I took a deep breath and turned to walk away. I didn't want to waste any more of myself on a bunch of trash.
Then the tightly closed door suddenly swung open. Ryan stepped out, his brows furrowed.
"Lily was just joking. Did you have to cause such a scene? You think you're God just because you're pregnant? Apologize to Lily, now!"
He turned his head, and the second his eyes met Lily's playful gaze, he instantly softened.
"Relax, I'll settle this for you. No one gets away with bullying you when I'm around!"
When he saw I had no intention of apologizing, he whipped out his phone immediately, called the bank, and froze the additional card he'd given me.
At the same moment I got the text alert, the door was slammed shut hard.
Inside the room, someone jibed.
"Ryan, it's still snowing outside. You kicked her out so heartlessly and didn't leave her a single penny. Isn't that a bit harsh? Aren't you afraid Hannah will divorce you?"
"Divorce? Not to sound harsh, but look at her figure now. What's the difference between her and a fat pig? Who the hell would want her if I left her? Me agreeing to hold the wedding after she gives birth? That's already charity. And she's still throwing a fit? She doesn't know what's good for her! I'm going to teach her a lesson."
Lily burst out laughing. "Ryan, I'm starting to feel sorry for you."
Cold tears dripped down my jaw. I couldn't stand listening anymore, so I turned and ran outside.
But my foot slipped, and with a thud, I fell right outside the door.
Agonizing pain spread through every limb, and I clamped my hands tight over my stomach.
The room went dead quiet for a moment.
Someone pointed out I was still pregnant and suggested someone come check on me.
Ryan scoffed. "She weighs 180 pounds. She'd bounce off the ground if she fell hard enough. She won't die... Hurry up and drink! Tonight we're drinking until we drop!"
Lily leaned against his shoulder with her wine glass. "What? You planning to take advantage of me when I'm out cold..."
The whole room erupted in raucous laughter.
I stayed by the door for a long time, then used the last $20 in my pocket to take a cab to the hospital.
The nurse's eyes were full of pity. She handed me a few tissues. "Wipe your face."
I took them and dabbed at my face and hair, both caked with cold sweat.
I had never thought my 28th birthday would be this awful.
Just like I had never imagined that one day Ryan would become like this.
In the past, he protected me in everything he did.
But ever since Lily appeared, he seemed like a completely different person.
After I left the hospital, I walked under the streetlights for a long time, shivering.
At 1 a.m., snow began to fall.
Ryan sent a message.
Ryan: Send me your location. I'll come pick you up.
I wanted to be proud and not reply, but I was dead broke, had nowhere to go, and only had a thin jacket.
2 hours after I sent my location, I was huddled up, looking like a mess, and finally, Ryan's car pulled up.
At some point, a Lily's Exclusive Seat sticker had been stuck on the front passenger seat.
Right next to her profile picture, a line of text read, Lily's exclusive seat~ Hannah, know your place, yeah?
"Lily got completely wasted and kept throwing a fit, so I dropped her off first. That's why I'm late," Ryan explained.
When I didn't say a word, he followed my line of sight and spotted the sticker.
He let out a short laugh. "She kept making a scene tonight, saying I didn't save her a room of her own in the new house and calling me a lousy friend. She gave me such a headache that I let her stick this on. Just pretend you don't see it. It doesn't affect you sitting here."
I didn't say a word back, just stared silently out the window.
The air in the car grew heavier and heavier.
At a traffic light, Ryan slammed on the brakes and punched the steering wheel.
