He Faked Infertility, I Signed His Divorce Doom

Chapter 5

The second they realized the man standing before them was the CEO of the Davis Group, the rescue workers didn't waste another word. They hoisted the stretcher up and sprinted straight toward Ava.

As Ava settled onto the canvas, she reached out and snagged the cuff off Arkin's sleeve, her voice trembling, "I'm scared. Won't you come with me?"

Arkin patted the back of her hand in that soft, gentle way of his. "Go get a full check-up from the doctors first. I can't just leave Pia here. Be a good girl and go."

Once he watched Ava get carried away, he turned on his heel and walked over to Pia, then started trying to heave the heavy debris off her pinned body.

"Pia, she's pregnant. I had no choice. If she loses this baby, you'd feel guilty too, wouldn't you?"

That was when Pia actually laughed out of sheer anger. She couldn't believe a person could be this shameless.

A violent wave of nausea churned in her stomach, a hot, coppery tang flooded her throat, and she blacked out completely.

When she finally opened her eyes again, Arkin was sitting right at her bedside, his dark eyes swimming with guilt.

"Pia, you're finally awake."

Pia wrenched her head to the side, refusing to even look at him.

He heaved a long, weary sigh, fetched a cup of warm water, and used a cotton swab to dab moisture onto her cracked, dry lips.

"It was my fault I didn't get to you first. Hit me, yell at me, do whatever you want, just don't ignore me like this."

Pia closed her eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong."

They'd already signed the divorce agreement. Their divorce would be finalized any day now. He really didn't owe her any duty to rush to save her first.

Seeing her cold, distant attitude, a twist of unease settled in Arkin's chest.

He could tell Pia had been different lately, but he couldn't put his finger on what exactly had changed.

For the next few days, Arkin never left the hospital. He didn't even sneak off to see Ava.

He fussed over her and waited on her hand and foot, just as gentle and attentive as he'd been back when they were happy.

*****

This all went on until the day Pia was discharged from the hospital.

Just as they were leaving, her phone rang. It was her mother.

"Pia, I got the massage chair Arkin sent over! That boy is so sweet. He's so busy with work, yet he still remembers me!"

Arkin, who was standing right beside her, heard every word.

He immediately leaned in close to the phone. "It's my duty to take good care of you, Mom. Once I wrap up this current project, I'll take you and Pia on a trip to Europe."

"Oh, Arkin's there with you! When do you two have time to come visit? Mom will make that honey-glazed pork ribs you love so much."

Arkin turned to Pia and asked, "Pia, would tomorrow work for you?"

Pia held her silence for a beat, then replied, "Okay."

Her mother had a weak heart, so she couldn't bear to tell her the truth that Arkin, and she were getting a divorce, and that he'd already gotten another woman pregnant.

In her mother's eyes, Arkin was the perfect son-in-law. All these years, she'd loved him like he was her own flesh and blood.

Once the mandatory cooling-off period for their divorce was over, she'd bring her mother abroad with her, and break the news to her slowly, step by step.

After they hung up the phone, Arkin said he was taking her hiking that day.

When evening rolled around, he parked the car at the foot of a mountain on the outskirts of the city.

He didn't bring any climbing gear for her at all. Instead, he pushed her wheelchair all the way up to the summit.

Seven years ago, Arkin had gotten down on one knee and proposed to her right here, swearing he'd take care of her for the rest of his life.

Bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, Arkin wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Do you remember? We used to watch sunsets just like this, back before your accident..."

He talked on and on about the past, pulling out one old memory after another.

A moment later, he suddenly shifted gears. "Pia, I've been thinking about what happened at the theater these past few days. I think you might have misunderstood Ava."

He stepped around to stand in front of her, then squatted down to look her straight in the eye, dead serious. "About recommending her to the International Dance Association... I really hope you'll reconsider it.

"Don't take this the wrong way. I'm only doing this because Ava looks so much like you. I want her to make it on the international stage, to make up for the regret of you never being able to dance again."

Listening to this ridiculous nonsense, Pia felt sick to her stomach at Arkin's nauseating hypocrisy.

So that was what all this was.

All his accommodating sweetness, all this fawning attention these past few days, even this little trip down memory lane, every bit of it was just for Ava.

The last lingering spark of warmth in her chest guttered out completely.

"Arkin, what the hell does my regret have to do with that woman Ava? Anything I want to do, I can do myself. I don’t need anyone to do it for me."

The soft warmth drained from Arkin’s face, one slow, icy inch at a time.

A heavy, suffocating silence settled between them.

That was when Arkin’s phone blared to life.

The sound of Ava sobbing came through the line.

"It’s bad enough Pia won’t let me into the International Dance Association! I could’ve gotten in on my own merit, no favors needed! But why did she get me kicked out of the National Dance Association? She’s trying to ruin my whole life!"

Her wailing grew louder and louder, then a sharp, pained groan cut in.

"Arkin, my stomach hurts so bad…"

Arkin’s face drained of all color in an instant.

He slammed the phone dead, and when he lifted his eyes to Pia, they’d turned ice-cold in the blink of an eye.

"Why did you get Ava kicked out of the National Dance Association? Is it just because I stood up for her? Because she can dance, and you can’t anymore?

"Pia, you’re not the person I used to know. You’re so twisted and bitter now, I don’t even recognize you." His voice dripped with disappointment. "If I’d known saving my life would turn you into this, I’d rather you never pushed me out of the way."

Pia stared at the man standing in front of her, her chest clenched like a giant hand had wrapped around her heart, squeezing until all feeling went numb.

She’d thrown away her entire life for him, and this was what she got in return.

"I’d rather you never saved me."

"You’re right," Pia’s voice came out soft and quiet. "I regret it too. I regret ever saving you."