The Car Remembered Her Pregnancy, Not My Life

Chapter 2

Chloe's POV:

Two weeks before the wedding, we made an appointment to get our marriage license.

For once, Matthew cleared his entire morning schedule.

Before leaving, he tucked my ID into my bag, then crouched down to tie my loose shoelace.

"No crying today. If the ID photo turns out ugly, I'm not retaking it with you."

The Clerk's Office had already called up the three couples ahead of us.

Just as the staff asked us to prepare our documents, Ella's call came in.

Her voice was trembling. She said someone had followed her from the mall, and her tire had been slashed too.

Matthew stood up immediately.

"Send me your location. Lock the car doors."

I grabbed his wrist.

"Call the police. Have mall security go over there. We're up next."

He frowned.

"She's already crying from fear."

"Today is the day we get our marriage license," I said.

"We can get the license any day." He pulled his hand away, his tone still managing to sound patient. "She only has two people she knows in this city, you and me. If something really happened, could you live with yourself?"

After saying that, as if afraid I might overthink, he leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"Sit tight. I'll come back as soon as I pick her up. I'll definitely make you Mrs. Harris before lunch."

I waited from 11 o'clock until closing time.

The staff collected my queue ticket, politely reminding me to make a new appointment.

I called Matthew seven times. He only answered the last one.

There were no sobs on the other end, only mall announcements and Ella's laughter as she tried on shoes.

"Chloe, the person following her had the wrong car," he said.

Matthew added, "Since I'm already out, I'll help her get the tire changed. Go home first. I'll explain tonight."

Ella asked from beside him, "Do these look good?"

He lowered his voice to answer, "The ones on the left. The heels are steadier. You can't afford to fall right now."

My fingers stiffened instantly.

"What do you mean, you can't afford to fall right now?"

Matthew paused for a second.

"She twisted her ankle a few days ago. Don't jump to conclusions from one sentence."

I didn't ask further. I hung up and put the two unused ID photos into my bag separately.

That evening, Matthew came back with a cream cake.

The cake read: Mrs. Harris, don't be angry.

He hugged me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"I know today was unfair to you. Next week, I'll have my assistant queue up in advance. No one will cut in line."

I didn't move.

He turned me around, wiping my reddened eyes.

"What are you crying for? I never said I wouldn't marry you."

I said, "I waited there four hours for you."

He replied, "That's why I said you're silly."

He smiled and tapped the tip of my nose.

"If you got tired of waiting, you should've gone home. Why were you being so stubborn? You're the person I want to spend my whole life with. It's not like you'll run away just because we get the license one day later."

He always knew how to make hurtful words sound like tenderness.

I asked, "Can't Ella wait?"

Matthew's smile faded slightly.

"She scares easy, and panics when things go wrong. You're different. You can handle everything."

I said, "So whether you come home or not depends on whether I'm good enough."

He stared at me for two seconds, then pinched my cheek like I was some kid throwing a tantrum.

"Don't get so hung up on this. The more considerate you are, the more I want to come home."

The phone rang again.

Ella said the newly replaced tire was making a strange noise, and she was afraid to drive alone.

Matthew picked up his coat. Seeing my pale face, he paused for only a moment.

"Eat the cake first. I'll be back after I drop her off."

I asked, "What time?"

He flipped the car keys in his hand.

"Don't turn home into an interrogation room. No one likes being timed when they get home."

After the door closed, the candle on the cake burned all the way down, scorching a black hole in the cream.

By dawn, the marriage registration appointment had expired.

The next day, I had a friend check the mall surveillance footage.

Ella's tire hadn't been damaged, and no one had been following her.

She had only made one phone call.

And with that, Matthew abandoned me at the Clerk's Office, after I had spent seven years waiting to get married.