Chapter 3

The nurse looked up at me in surprise.

"Termination? Are you sure? You're almost four months along. Doing this now would put a lot of strain on your body."

"I'm sure."

I met her eyes and nodded.

Bloodwork.

Ultrasound.

EKG.

After test after test, I sat outside the procedure room waiting.

That was when I saw Serena's latest Instagram post.

Flowers.

A diamond ring.

A Ferris wheel.

Ethan was down on one knee.

The caption read:

"He said he'd propose where we're closest to the sky. Forever and always."

The comments were exploding.

"Oh my God, this is so romantic. Even if it's just for her bucket list, this is beautiful."

"If Luna had any sense, she'd stop getting in the way and just leave."

"Right? THIS is what love is supposed to look like."

I stared quietly at the proposal photo.

Ethan had never proposed to me.

Six months earlier, we'd been standing in line at a food truck, eating a few-dollar burrito, when he'd casually said,

"We've been together four years. Let's just get married."

No ring.

No flowers.

And I'd still cried because I was so touched.

I cried because I thought that was enough.

I thought being chosen, even carelessly, was still being chosen.

"Luna White? We're ready for you."

Inside the procedure room, pain tore through my lower abdomen as the cold instruments moved inside me.

I gritted my teeth and endured it.

What left my body that day wasn't just our child.

It was every last bit of love I had for Ethan.

By the time the procedure was over, it was already dark.

Ethan hadn't called once.

Weak and shaking, I slowly made my way upstairs to the ICU.

Mom was still unconscious in her hospital bed.

"Mom, I'm leaving."

"I'm leaving Ethan."

The heart monitor suddenly spiked.

Beep. Beep.

I knew Mom had heard me.

My phone vibrated twice in my pocket.

Ethan had finally texted.

"How did the appointment go?"

"Serena's tired. I'm taking her to the hospital for a follow-up. I can pick you up on the way."

His concern for me was always an afterthought.

I didn't reply.

I was about to leave when the hospital-room door suddenly swung open.

"Oh, is Mrs. White still sleeping? Poor thing."

Serena strode in as if she owned the place.

"Luna, with your mom like this... honestly, she might not wake up, right? That's so sad."

I stared at her coldly.

"Get out. You're not welcome here."

Instead of leaving, Serena lifted her hand in front of me and casually played with her hair.

A familiar diamond ring glittered on her ring finger.

Dad had personally given that ring to Ethan before he died.

He'd told Ethan it was the ring he'd used to propose to Mom.

He'd entrusted it to Ethan and asked him to take good care of me.

"Where did you get that?" I asked through clenched teeth.

Serena smiled smugly.

"Ethan proposed to me. Of course he'd use the best ring he had."

Rage flooded my chest.

I lunged for the ring.

"Give it back!"

Serena shoved me hard.

I'd just had the termination and was still weak, but she sent me crashing into a medical cabinet.

Pain tore through me.

I almost cried out.

Then Serena's expression changed instantly.

She slapped herself hard across the face and dropped to her knees in front of me.

Covering her cheek, she burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry, Luna! It's all my fault!"

"I can't help it—I'm dying, I didn't mean to take Ethan from you!"

"Hit me, scream at me, I don't care—as long as it makes you feel better..."