Chapter 5

Maya's POV

I froze, panic rising inside me.

I had just lost my mother. I couldn't bear to lose my child too.

I staggered toward the door, wanting to hail a cab to the hospital, but it had started raining outside without me noticing.

Torrential rain. Taxis were few and far between.

I endured the severe pain in my lower abdomen and walked forward in the rain, hoping to find a taxi on the road.

The rain was heavy, the wind was cold. I could feel blood continuously flowing between my legs, but I didn't dare stop.

I don't know how long I walked before my vision kept going black and I collapsed on the ground, losing consciousness.

...

I dreamed of my wedding day with Ethan.

Ethan wore a suit and tie, carefully placing the wedding ring on my finger. At that moment his eyes held tears as he said deeply that I was the love of his life.

The next second, the scene changed to Ethan returning from his business trip abroad. That was the first time I'd seen Ethan so cold, looking at me as if I were a complete stranger.

I jolted awake to find myself in a hospital room.

"You're awake? I'll go get the doctor for you." The nurse was about to leave when I quickly stopped her.

"Why am I in the hospital? My... my child..."

I instinctively touched my abdomen. The nurse sighed and said, "You collapsed on the roadside last night. Someone brought you to the hospital. The doctor performed emergency treatment, but the child couldn't be saved."

A part of my heart collapsed completely. I sat there dazed, unable to react.

Only after several seconds did I break down into hysterical crying.

Why did all my loved ones leave me one by one? Why was fate treating me this way?!

My heart-wrenching wails filled the hospital room. Even passersby who didn't know what was happening inside couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

I stayed in the hospital for three days.

During those three days, no one came looking for me. Following Autumn's social media account, I discovered Ethan had taken Autumn to a private island resort.

I looked at the photos Autumn posted, each one showing their extravagant, loving state.

Ethan feeding Autumn fruit, kneeling by the bed to apply body lotion for her, climbing trees to pick flowers for her... Every single image declared how much Ethan cherished Autumn.

My eyes burned red with hatred.

Thinking that my mother and child had both died because of these two, yet they were living so happily, the fury in my heart blazed even hotter.

I had originally planned to carefully plot my revenge, but now, I really couldn't hold back anymore.

All the anger I'd been holding in finally exploded.

I was discharged from the hospital and went home, standing before the mansion.

Cold wind blew across my face, stinging sharply, but my expression remained blank.

My eyes were ice cold.

"Ethan, this is what you owe me."

I took out the gasoline I'd prepared and poured bucket after bucket into the house.

Then I struck a lighter and threw it in without a moment's hesitation.

BOOM.

Roaring flames instantly surged up, consuming the mansion.

Expressionless, I dragged my luggage and turned to leave.