A Second Chance? No way!

"Ms. Cruz," the doctor said, looking up from the computer screen, "congratulations. You're pregnant." "Pregnant?" Orelia Cruz's eyelashes fluttered as disbelief washed over her. For days, the heat had dampened her appetite, leaving her nauseous and tired. She had dismissed it as a simple stomach bug, but now, it seemed her symptoms had a different cause entirely. A whirlwind of emotions surged within her, and she bit her lip before asking in a soft voice, "Could this result be wrong?" The doctor shot her a doubtful glance, handing her a printed report after a quick review of her records. "Blood tests don't lie—you're definitely pregnant." Orelia took the report in her hand. The words "Early Pregnancy" were stamped in red ink across the official paper. She thanked the doctor and left the office, her mind a chaotic storm of thoughts. Outside, the summer sun beat down harshly, making her squint as tears welled up in her eyes. She touched her still flat stomach, struggling to feel joy over the news. It wasn't that she didn't want the child; it was just that its timing couldn't have been worse. Orelia closed her eyes, and her thoughts drifted back to the previous night. Ever since the banquet had begun, her heart had been racing with an unshakeable sense of foreboding. She pressed a hand against her chest, whispering, "Please, let nothing go wrong..." "Ma'am, Mrs. Zoe Ludwig wants you downstairs," a maid interrupted, breaking her worried thoughts. Nodding, Orelia lifted the hem of her dress and headed toward the stairs, only to find Sally Barns waiting nearby. A polite smile graced Sally's lips, but Orelia felt an uneasy prickle at the back of her neck. Sally's relationship with her had always been lukewarm at best, her presence often lingering around Kyle Ludwig's worst misunderstandings of Orelia. "Sally, is something the matter?" Orelia's voice was courteous, but as she tried to pass, Sally suddenly grasped her wrist tightly. "You..." Surprised, Orelia glanced up, her words stalling in her throat as Sally's smile vanished, replaced by a tear-streaked face. Without warning, Sally began backing toward the edge of the stairs, pulling Orelia along. It was only when the staircase loomed dangerously close that Orelia realized Sally's intentions. Her forehead broke out in a fine sweat as she struggled to break free, but Sally let herself fall, tumbling down the steps like a broken doll. "Aah!" Sally's piercing scream echoed, drawing the attention of the entire room below. "What happened?! Why did she fall?" "Look up there! I heard that Mrs. Ludwig isn't exactly a saint, but I didn't think she'd actually—" Orelia's face paled as the crowd's accusing whispers sliced through her. Her hand was frozen midair, stinging as if torn apart by countless invisible knives. "It wasn't me..." She clutched her hand to her chest, wanting desperately to explain that she was not involved. She didn't do anything! "Move aside!" A deep voice cut through the noise, and the crowd quickly parted to make way for Kyle Ludwig, Orelia's husband. His striking figure in a black suit exuded a palpable authority, but his amber eyes were laced with fury. "Kyle..." Relief flooded Orelia as she hurriedly descended the steps toward him, unaware of the cold look etched on his face. Kyle's sharp gaze sliced through her, his voice biting. "Orelia!" Orelia was startled by his loud voice. She paused and looked at Kyle. "Did you push her?" he asked. "It wasn't me!" Orelia stopped in her tracks. "It wasn't me, Kyle." "Not you?" Kyle stepped closer, his eyes unyielding. "When will you stop lying?" He seized her chin, his grip harsh enough to make her wince. "The only two people on those stairs were you and her. Who else could it have been? Did she throw herself down on purpose?" Just then, Sally, clutching her stomach, cried out in pain, "Kyle, my belly... it hurts so much..." Kyle released Orelia and turned back, scooping Sally into his arms as she whimpered, "Kyle, it hurts... the baby..." He suddenly looked up at Orelia. As if determined to wound her, he murmured, "You're so vicious, Orelia." "How do you feel, Sally?" Zoe appeared, her face drawn in shock. "It's blood! She's bleeding!" someone suddenly screamed. Blood began spreading under Sally's body, and it was getting more and more terrifying. "Kyle!" Sally could barely speak, but she kept squeezing into Kyle's arms. Her grip tightened around his neck, her expression pained. "The baby... my baby..." "It'll be alright." Kyle soothed her with a gentle touch on her cheek. "I'm taking you to the hospital." With that, he carried Sally out of the room. Zoe stared reproachfully at Orelia and shook her head with a frown. "Orelia... how could you be so foolish?" "Grandmother..." Orelia clutched desperately at this last glimmer of hope. "It wasn't me! Please, you have to believe me." Zoe's gaze lingered on Orelia's face for a long moment, but in the end, she only shook her head again, heaving a disappointed sigh before turning away.