Chapter33
“Antonio, are you really not going abroad with me?” Laney asked, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.
Antonio shook his head. He had grown accustomed to a simple, humble life. Plus, living so far from Grace felt too difficult for him. He knew that even though he would always care for her, he no longer mattered to Grace.
Laney settled abroad, while Antonio continued to live quietly in the mountains. Three years later, he passed away. He hadn’t left with Laney because he had known, deep down, that his time was running out. The. doctors had told him that though he appeared strong, his vitality wast
gone.
In his final days, Antonio made a quiet trip to see Grace one last time. It was the day she went to pick up the children from school. She walked toward him, one hand holding each of her kids, who bounced along, laughing joyfully.
“Hey, why did that man start crying after smiling?” the boy asked. pointing at Antonio.
Flustered. Antonio quickly stepped back into the alley. A quick glance. was all he needed. He didn’t want Grace to see him weeping.
Grace was puzzled but patted her son’s head, trying to ease his confusion.
“Maybe he just had something in his eye. Let’s go home now, your dad has dinner ready for us.”
Antonio watched them leave, before heading in the opposite direction.
“Grace, I wish you a lifetime of happiness, each year better than the one before.” he whispered softly to the wind, his voice almost lost.
The day Antonio passed away was during the graduation season. He lay in bed. watching the breeze move through the trees outside his window, and his thoughts drifted back to the girl who had smiled with her eyes full of joy.
“Antonio. I’m willing to marry you! Here!” she said.
“I’m willing to marry you too. I will be there for your mother, walking through her last days with her.”
Antonio had promised, a smile lighting up his face as he held the ring in his hand, rubbing it over and over as if grounding himself to her.
“Grace. in the next life, will you marry me again? I will make sure to get. you the perfect ring and love you forever,” he said, knowing in his heart. that this promise would be his last.
He passed peacefully. Laney buried him with their parents. As she sorted through his belongings, she found many diaries–letters to Grace. Antonio, had written about his days, each entry a quiet testament to his longing for her, and the growing ache in his heart as the years went on. Laney cried. uncontrollably as she read, heartbroken for her brother. She had always appeared to be doing well, but there was always a thorn. She felt responsible for destroying his happiness. If she hadn’t interfered, Antonio wouldn’t have left so soon. He had burned all his hopes for Grace into ashes, as he had once promised that he would never disturb her peace again. Laney vowed to honor that, to let Grace live her life without more. disruptions.
Laney took many antidepressants, but nothing seemed to heal her pain. Eventually, she went to Africa, working as a volunteer, seeing the suffering of so many children and helping as best she could. She finally died in a war zone, saving a child. She was just 32, never married, never
having children, all alone in a foreign land.
Many years later, when Grace returned to the city for work, while there. heard someone mention the stories of Antonio and Laney. It was then that she learned they had both passed away.
Shane, worried about how Grace might react, stayed by her side those days. Yet, she comforted him instead.
“Shane. I’m not sad. I’m just reflecting on how fleeting life is. We don’t have much time together, so we should cherish every moment we have.”
Shane nodded, understanding. He would do everything in his power to live longer, to stay by her side. To be with her, even for just one more moment, was the greatest honor of his life.
They had been together for many years, and as they grew old, Grace and Shane had children and grandchildren. They still held hands as they walked through life, side by side. In Shane’s eyes, Grace was still that beautiful girl he had fallen in love with all those years ago–she always
would be.
The end.
Chapter34
Five months pregnant, I got called back to the hospital for an emergency C–section on New Year’s Eve.
Halfway through the surgery, I heard a man’s desperate voice from the
door.
“Sar! Don’t be scared. I’m here! After you have the baby, I’ll marry you, okay?”
The familiar voice made me freeze for a bit.
As soon as the surgery was done, the guy rushed in to hold Sarah Mitchell with red–rimmed eyes.
Seeing his face, I recognized who he was–my husband of five years, Antonio Kaufman.
I stared at him, stunned.
After a moment, I rasped out, “Congrats. It’s a 2.86–kilo baby boy.”
Antonio didn’t even glance at the baby, let alone notice me.
“Sweetie, thank you for giving me a son. You’re my one and only. Sar, I love you.”
He trembled with excitement as he pecked Sarah’s forehead.
It was so sincere and beautiful.
Exactly like the scene I had dreamed of when I imagined giving birth.
Except. I wasn’t the one in the spotlight.
A few newly recruited nurses whispered to each other, their faces full of admiration.
“They’re so in love! I’ve never seen a man go to his wife first after childbirth!”
“I’m so jealous! She’s dead lucky to have a man like him.”
I trembled all over, my blood running cold,
Just five hours ago, Antonio had been peeling shrimp for me at our New Year’s dinner.
Some relatives teased him for being over–caring.
But he wasn’t bothered at all.
After gently wiping the corner of my mouth, he said, “Since Grace got pregnant, she’s been craving everything. I’m always the one peeling her shrimp. If I don’t, she throws a fit and says I don’t love her!”
I was a bit confused, as I’d never thrown a fit.
But I didn’t say anything.
When his dad offered him a toast, he actually said no.
“Grace’s pregnant. The smell of alcohol is gonna turn her stomach. As her husband, I gotta take care of her.”
I felt so touched.
But now, all that was left was disappointment.
I stood there, watching as the nurse wheeled Sarah into her ward and took the baby from my arms.
Chapter34
Chloe, my bestie, yanked off my mask, her face full of concern.
“Grace, is there some kind of misunderstanding between you and Antonio?”
I looked down, tears welling up in my eyes.
The image of Antonio’s hesitant look when I told him I was pregnant flashed through my mind..
Back then, I thought he was just overwhelmed with joy.
Soon, he held me tight, kissing my forehead.
“Grace! I’m going to be a dad! I’m so happy!”
When he found out I wasn’t planning to quit my job, his face darkened, his tone a bit harsh.
“Won’t it be too hard on you? Pregnancy is gonna affect your work, and you’ll have a hard time balancing both! If you don’t want the baby, we can go get an abortion.”
I turned him down.
Now, I couldn’t help but feel regret.
Turned out that hesitant look and his suggestion about getting an abortion were exactly how he felt.
It made sense, though.
With two kids, he’d have a hard time juggling both.
One would be easier.
One from his beloved.
Chapter4
I changed out of my scrubs. On my way out, I passed by Sarah’s ward. Seeing them cuddling up together, I couldn’t help feeling bitter.
When I left the hospital, Chloe pulled up in front of me.
I rubbed my forehead, my hand resting on my protruding belly.
My voice was hoarse but firm.
“Coco, I remember the hospital’s holiday ends on January 7. And work starts on the 8th, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then… please book me the earliest appointment for an abortion on the
8th.”
Ignoring the shocked look on Chloe’s face, I got in the car and drove home alone.
Almost as soon as I pulled up, Antonio texted me.
“Grace, a big project just came up at work. I won’t be able to come home. for New Year.”
I paused for a moment.
Then, he called.
“Grace, don’t throw a tantrum over something so small, okay? I can handle your pregnancy mood swings once in a while, but if it goes on, I’ll get frustrated too. Just be reasonable.
“I’m working late to earn more and take care of our kid. If you’re going to make a fuss over this, maybe we should just terminate the pregnancy while the baby’s still small. And didn’t you get called back to the hospital
100?”
He’d said things like this before.
When I was two months pregnant, I couldn’t keep anything down because of morning sickness.
He snapped and dumped my food in the bin.
“It’s just pregnancy! I see other women handle it fine. Why can’t you eat anything?
“Are you putting on an act or something? Did one of my coworkers put this idea in your head to make me babysit you, Grace? I’ve got a busy schedule too!”
My intuition told me that his coworker had more than a professional relationship with him.
But I was too sick to care.
I just asked him to get me a glass of warm water.
“What do you need warm water for at this hour? Should I really boil you some? Can’t you just drink it cold like everyone else? You think you’re so special?
