Niamh spent a month in the hospital, haunted by dreams every single night.
In those dreams, Jonathan would visit her, staying by her bedside day and night, smiling as he listened for the tiny heartbeat of the baby growing inside her.
But each time she woke, her cheeks were wet with tears.
The child… was gone.
And Jonathan hadn't come to see her. Not even once.
He claimed he was away on business in Blackspire, though he did send his assistant, Prescott, to deliver flowers twice—a bouquet of pink roses each time. Prescott also made sure her medical bills were paid in full.
More than once, Niamh considered giving the roses to the nurses, but every time she opened her mouth to offer, something in her stopped her. She'd rather endure the sneezing than let go of them.
She was only two months along, and the procedure itself hadn't caused much pain. Still, almost unconsciously, her hand would drift to her stomach now and then. Each time, a painful ache welled up inside her at the thought that, for a fleeting moment, there had been a tiny life growing there.
Her first child.
A child she would have had with the man she'd loved for ten years.
And now—gone.
Niamh cried herself to sleep night after night, her body slow to recover. But she couldn't stay in the hospital forever; the staff told her she'd have to clear out so they could make room for new patients.
On the day she was packing up, her hospital room felt emptier than ever. That's when a stranger walked in.
The woman was striking, with delicate features, immaculate makeup, and a blush-pink velvet dress that hugged her figure. Around her neck sparkled a dazzling necklace—one Niamh recognized instantly. It was that pink diamond piece Preston Winslow had flaunted on social media, a limited-edition release from FY.
"Hi, I'm Marina Thornton. I went to high school with Jonathan."
She introduced herself right away. Niamh couldn't help but turn her name over in her mind.
Marina… initials M.T.
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