Chapter 44 "Let's Call It Quits, Grayson"

The crying inside the room hadn't stopped.

Grayson stood by the door; his posture unchanged.

It was only after the sobbing finally ceased that he glanced at the crushed cigarette in his hand. He tossed it into the trash, pulled out a fresh one, and headed for the smoking area.

After her shift, Amelia came by. Madison lay alone in her hospital bed, the traces of tears still visible.

Amelia managed a stiff smile. "It's probably for the best. If not, you'd have to take care of your aunt and a baby all by yourself. That'd be too much."

Madison mustered all her strength to hold back the tears and nodded. "Yeah, I know."

She understood her situation. It was indeed better this way. Otherwise, any child of hers would be doomed to a hard life.

Despite her best efforts to suppress it, a profound sense of discomfort clung to her heart.

Amelia, seeing her in distress, quickly tried to distract her. "Hungry? Shall I go get you something to eat?"

Madison shook her head. "I'm not hungry. How long do I need to stay in the hospital?"

"Just overnight for observation. If you're feeling fine, you can be discharged early tomorrow. After that, why don't you come to stay with me? I can take care of you during your recovery."

"Okay." Madison wasn't in the mood for comforting words, which was just as well because Amelia didn't offer any. Instead, she tucked the blanket snugly around Madison.

"What caused the miscarriage so suddenly? Weren't you fine when you called earlier?" Amelia's voice trembled slightly, her eyes reddening again.

Even though she was still trying to come to terms with the sudden loss of the baby, it was nothing compared to what Madison was going through.

Madison stared at the ceiling, silent for a long while before finally speaking. "Someone pushed me down the stairs. I fell."

Amelia paused, stunned. "Pushed you? Who would do that? I thought it might have been Grayson."

She stopped mid-sentence.

With a bitter shake of her head, Madison said, "It wasn't him."

Thinking of the fan's father, she felt a bewildering mix of emotions, not quite sure whom to blame.

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Amelia quickly changed the subject again.

Moments later, the door swung open. Grayson walked in, carrying a thermos.

Seeing him, Amelia felt a wave of discomfort. She stood up briskly. "I'll take off now and come back early tomorrow to check on you."

Madison nodded.

Amelia cast a glance at Grayson. She seemed like she wanted to say something but ultimately left the room without another word.

Grayson set the thermos on the nightstand and pulled out a damp cloth. Gently, he took Madison's hand and began to wipe it clean.

"I can do it myself." Madison recoiled from his touch.

Throughout their three-year relationship, Grayson had never taken care of her like this. And now, his attention seemed unnecessary and unwanted. He lifted his gaze to meet hers, but his hands continued their task unabated.

"Grayson, I had a miscarriage. I'm not disabled."

Grayson let out a soft chuckle. "So, what's next? Let your best friend call me a jerk again, or publicly demand I get a vasectomy?"

Though Grayson's voice carried a laugh, his face was a mask of anger.

Madison's lips twitched, realizing for the first time that Amelia had confronted Grayson. "She's just straightforward, Grayson. Don't take it to heart," she remarked.

Grayson's slender fingers grasped her wrist firmly. "Madison, I'm not a pushover. Your best friend's attitude has been tolerated only out of respect for you—there won't be a next time," Grayson said sternly.

Madison paused for a moment before replying, "I'll have a talk with Amelia about our situation."

Amelia might lash out at Grayson, but only because she cared for Madison deeply. However, Madison and Grayson's arrangement truly didn't warrant Amelia's concern. From the get-go, their relationship was defined by a contractual agreement explicitly stating they didn't want children. After all, the notion of keeping the baby was Madison's wishful thinking. Grayson never had the intention of keeping the child.

After drying off her hands, Grayson dished out a bowl of soup from a thermos. He helped Madison sit up and handed her the steaming bowl. Weak and exhausted, her hands fumbled, nearly dropping it. Grayson swiftly caught the bowl, his eyes reflecting a hint of exasperation.

"Can't hold onto a bowl now?" he remarked, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Do you need me to feed you?"

"No, I can manage myself," Madison insisted.

She reached for the bowl again, but Grayson didn't let go. He sat down on the bed, his gaze complicated with emotions hard to decipher. Madison averted her eyes.

"I chose to keep the child on my own, and I don't blame anyone for not being able to save it, so you don't owe me anything," she said, looking away.

Grayson set the bowl aside and wiped his hands, his face grave as he discarded the tissue in the bin before speaking up.

"Madison, our relationship has always been a fair transaction, and honestly, I don't owe you anything. It's you who breached the contract by keeping the pregnancy from me," he stated flatly.

Madison stiffened, speechless for a moment before finally speaking in a self-mocking tone, "Yeah, my bad."

The simple admission drained her of what little energy she had left. She leaned back on the bed, pale as a ghost.

Grayson observed her and said, "But the pregnancy was my responsibility, too. Taking care of you is my way of making up for my negligence. I'm sorry. I know the pregnancy and miscarriage have been hard on you."

He picked up the bowl of soup again. Madison was suffocated by a wave of emotion triggered by his apology. She had never wanted his pity or regret. But now, it was pointless to say anything. The baby was gone, and likely, there would be no others.

She fought off the tearfulness, resigning herself to the presence of the man before her. His eyes held gravity but not a trace of sadness.

Madison chuckled softly. Indeed, the lack of love was the strongest shield. There was nothing wrong with being as ruthless as this man.

Grayson brought the spoon to her lips. Madison opened her mouth mechanically, and swallowed the spoonful of soup.

It was corn chowder, but Madison found it tasteless. She wasn't hungry. She didn't have the slightest bit of appetite.

Still, she kept eating. Before she finished her bowl, Grayson's phone began to ring. The letter "S" flashed on the screen. Grayson glanced at it but didn't pick up, letting it go to voicemail.

The phone rang again shortly after, the ringtone reverberating in the hospital room, infusing some life into the overly quiet space.

Grayson never answered, eventually switching the device to silent mode.

Madison felt relieved. She was relieved that Grayson hadn't taken the call, preserving her last shred of dignity.

"Want more?" Grayson asked her.

Madison looked away. "No, thanks."

He didn't insist on her eating more. Instead, he helped her lie down, then went into the bathroom attached to the hospital room and changed into a pair of pajamas.

Madison lay in bed motionless. Grayson got into bed and pulled her into his arms from behind. His hand slid beneath her hospital gown and rested on her lower abdomen.

"Does it still hurt?"

Grayson's hands were always warm.

Madison suffered from severe cramps. The pain during her menstrual cycles was agonizing. Sometimes, when he saw how much she hurt, he would warm her belly like this.

His hand on her stomach seemed to carry tenderness and pity. Madison had been moved by this gesture once. That Grayson, a man like him, would warm her belly.

Back then, she naively thought he might have some affection for her. She had even felt happiness and contentment for a long while.

Later, she found out it was all an illusion. The warmth he provided and her so-called happiness were all illusions.

For some reason, tears started falling uncontrollably again. Madison raised her hand and wiped the salty tears away.

Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke up. "Grayson, let's end this relationship early."