Chapter 55
Grace went to the hospital alone for the procedure. This baby was never meant to exist, so Antonio didn’t need to know.
Since she had no family to make medical decisions for her, Grace opted for local anesthesia. The pain was sharp and unrelenting as she felt the life being torn from her body. She bit her lip, telling herself this would be the last time she suffered for Antonio. That man didn’t belong to her, and she was done loving him.
Pale–faced, Grace stepped out of the operating room. The hospital was bustling with people, but no one bothered to ask how she was feeling. She tilted her head back to keep her tears from falling. “Don’t cry, Grace. No one is worth it,” she thought.
“Antonio, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to bring my mom to the hospital.”
Grace followed the voice and saw Antonio and Keyla helping an elderly woman toward her. There was nowhere to hide, so she just stood there, frozen. As soon as Antonio noticed her, he let go of the elderly woman and walked over.
“What are you doing here?”
Swallowing her bitterness, Grace forced a smile.
“Didn’t I say yesterday that one of my colleagues was having surgery? It just ended.”
Keyla stepped forward, smiling triumphantly.
”
“Grace, long time no see!”
Grace glanced at Antonio, who looked visibly uncomfortable. Even now, she still couldn’t bear to put him in a difficult position.
“Keyla, long time no see.”
“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Keyla explained. “My mom needed to see a doctor, and Antonio was just helping out. I just got back to the country. and don’t know my way around. Luckily, he was there to help me.”
Grace responded with a silent smile, but Keyla’s eyes became moist anyway.
“Antonio, I shouldn’t have come to you, right? Grace seems upset.”
Her pitiful look made Antonio frown in concern.
“It’s fine. I want to help.”
He turned to glance at Grace.
“Grace is the most understanding person. She’ll get it. Am I right, Grace?”
Grace smiled silently again. Yeah, she had always been the
understanding one, taking care of his ailing mother and disciplining his rebellious sister. And now, without a single complaint, she was returning him to Keyla.
“There’s nothing wrong with helping them. I’m not upset. Antonio, I have something to do, so I’ll be leaving now.”
Not waiting for Antonio’s response, Grace turned away. She felt like a thief who had stolen three years of someone else’s happiness. Now, it
Chapter
was time to return it, though her heart was broken.
Grace went to the wedding house in the south district to grab her things. She hesitated at the door for a long time before finally unlocking it. Inside, everything looked the same as before, but it also felt like everything had changed. A faint floral scent lingered in the air. It was the same scent Keyla had carried earlier that morning.
Walking into their bedroom, Grace saw unfamiliar skincare products on the vanity. A framed photo of Antonio and Keyla sat on the bedside table. The wardrobe held Antonio’s clothes alongside another woman’s. The bathroom counters were lined with couple’s toiletries that weren’t hers. Looking around, Grace realized there was nothing of hers left, there. She leaned against the doorframe of the living room, trying to recall memories of this place, only to find her mind blank. A sharp pain came from her belly, reminding her that she had just had an abortion. The cold floor beneath her felt just as icy as her heart.
In the end, Grace found a few pieces of her clothing. On her way downstairs, she tossed them into the trash bin and laughed bitterly. She needn’t have come to clean up, because Antonio would have thrown everything away himself. This house was always meant for Keyla, so he wouldn’t keep anything of her things here.
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.