Chapter 1

When Liam accompanied me to my prenatal checkup, he suddenly pushed me into the abortion operating room.

"Sorry, I lost a game of Truth or Dare last night. The stakes were the baby."

"We can always have another child after the abortion, but I can't back out of a game. Just bear with it for now."

I stared at him in disbelief, my whole body turning cold.

"That female friend of yours put you up to this again, didn't she? Now she even wants to harm the baby. Does she have no shame?"

Trembling, I turned to run, but he pinned me down with one hand.

Liam's face darkened, a contemptuous sneer curling his lips.

"You have the nerve to talk about Lily? Do you have any shame yourself?"

"You climbed into my bed when you were eighteen, moaning like a whore in that thirty-dollar-a-night fleabag motel."

"Melody, who in this world could be more shameless than you?"

That one sentence shattered the last shred of my dignity.

I gave up all resistance and walked into the operating room on my own.

"Melody."

Just before I entered the operating room, Liam suddenly called out to me.

He lowered his head, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"I didn't mean to hit you where it hurts. I just can't stand you targeting Lily. I spoke without thinking."

Draping his coat over my shoulders, Liam looked at me earnestly and made a promise.

"I'm a businessman. If I welch on a bet, people will look down on me. Who would want to do business with me after that? I can't bear to lose this child either, but there's no choice."

"I promise you, we'll have another child very soon."

Another child?

This was already my third pregnancy with Liam.

To conceive, I'd taken countless ovulation injections. The needle marks around my waist still hadn't faded.

The doctor had warned me repeatedly that this child might be the last one I could ever carry.

How could there be another?

I opened my mouth, but my throat felt like it had a blade stuck in it. The pain made it impossible to utter a single word.

Liam's phone rang.

On the other end, Lily urged impatiently, "Why is getting an abortion taking so long? Don't tell me you can't bear to go through with it?"

"It's not like this is Melody's first time. Why is she being so dramatic? Hurry up and get it done. The guys are all waiting for you to come drink!"

Eager to keep his appointment, Liam's last bit of patience with me evaporated.

He perfunctorily kissed the back of my hand.

"I have a drinking engagement. I can't stay with you for the procedure."

"Besides, it's not your first abortion. You know the drill. You've got this. I believe you can handle it on your own."

Liam practically flew out the door.

I clutched my stomach and stumbled into the abortion room.

The doctor pushed up her glasses, looking at me with an expression that was three parts sympathy, three parts contempt.

"Your uterine wall is as thin as paper. One more abortion and you really won't be able to conceive again."

"If you don't love yourself, why should anyone else love you?"

Heat flooded my face. I was too ashamed to meet the doctor's eyes.

Pinching my palm, I forced myself to sound calm.

"Let's proceed. I'll take full responsibility for any consequences."

After signing the waiver, I stripped naked and was wheeled into the operating room with zero dignity.

The thick, long needle pierced my body without warning. I broke out in cold sweat from the pain and couldn't help letting out a whimper.

In my ear, I could faintly hear a young nurse complaining.

"This is her third time. Why is she acting so fragile? Where was this act when she was having her fun?"

My consciousness began to fade.

Accompanied by the nurse's voice, I seemed to see three adorable babies holding hands, leaving my life forever...

When I woke up, the procedure was over.

No miracles, no lucky breaks. This time, I had permanently lost the ability to have children.

Numbly, I stuffed the surgical report into my bag, my face showing not a trace of sadness.

This heart that had beaten for Liam countless times and ached for him countless times had finally died completely.

"Liam, let's get div—"

When I got home and pushed open the door, before I could bring up divorce, I was choked by a thick cloud of cigarette smoke.

I coughed violently, tears streaming from my eyes.

Inside, a group of people were playing Truth or Dare.

Liam had clearly promised me he would never bring his drinking parties home.