I felt the ache in my heart intensify, a pain so deep it left me gasping for air. But it was nothing compared to the cramping in my abdomen. I placed a hand on my stomach, whispering through the tears, “You came at the worst possible time.”
I stood up shakily, grabbing my bag and throwing on a coat. I couldn’t bear it anymore—the thought of carrying his child when his heart belonged to someone else. My feet carried me, almost against my will, out the door and towards the hospital.
At the front of the hospital, I hesitated, staring at the cold, sterile building before me. Could I really do this?
Inside, the doctor’s voice was firm but gentle. “Jane, have you really thought this through? Given your condition, this might be your only chance to have a child.”
Her words hung in the air like a death sentence. I thought of everything Mark and I had gone through together—living in that tiny, freezing apartment, eating instant noodles because we couldn’t afford anything else. The promises he had made to me back then, vowing to give me the best life possible. And he had, for a while.
But promises meant nothing if they weren’t built on love and loyalty.