A Twist of Fate

One month after our breakup, I booked a gynecology appointment. The last person I expected to see in the consultation room was my ex-boyfriend.

Staring at the handsome male doctor before me, I muttered under my breath, “I think I might be pregnant.”

He gave a faint “mm-hmm” in response, and then the stethoscope slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor.

It seemed he couldn’t stay completely calm either.

1.

Right now, all I wanted was to escape his consultation room as fast as possible.

But then I remembered the hundred-plus dollars I’d paid for the appointment fee, and my traitorous rear end refused to leave the chair.

I’d called in a favor with a hospital contact to get this specialist appointment. Who knew it would land me with Ethan?

He asked in a businesslike tone, “What seems to be the problem?”

“Doctor, my period is late.”

“When was your last period?” He wore a mask, his long fingers flying across the keyboard. The light traced the handsome lines of his profile, making him look even more striking.

“I think it was around August sixteenth?”

“The sixteenth? Are you sure?” His deep, cool eyes flicked to me, a hint of impatience lurking beneath the surface.

“Maybe it was the fourteenth? Ah, I can’t really remember.”

I’d never been good at keeping track of when it came, as long as it did show up eventually.

“I think it might just be irregular periods. Just prescribe me some medicine to regulate it,” I said, waving my hand dismissively.

I figured it was probably from all the late nights and overtime lately. Too much stress, and my body couldn’t handle it. It happened back in middle school too, when my period was late from the pressure of studying.

He frowned, looking at me seriously with a hint of reproach in his voice. “You can’t just take medicine casually. There are many reasons for a late period. It could be pregnancy—”

At the word “pregnancy,” Ethan himself froze for a second.

I was stunned too.

Coming back to my senses, I waved my hand again. “How could I be pregnant? Besides, I don’t have morning sickness. I’ve been eating everything in sight.”

“First, go get an ultrasound. Bring the results directly to me.”

“Really, it’s not necessary. Just prescribe some medicine.”

He looked at me without saying a word, but his expression clearly said: Are you the doctor, or am I?

People behind me started getting impatient, and his gaze toward me seemed to grow more impatient as well.

After the blood draw, I sat on the bench and played a silly little game on my phone to kill time.

One round later, twenty minutes had passed. I looked up and scanned the area. A tall figure was standing with his back to me. A young nurse was chattering away to him about something, both of them smiling.

Ethan’s skin was naturally fair. In that white coat, with his sharp features, he radiated a refreshing, spring-like aura. Whenever he appeared, he was both stunning and humbling.

Ethan hadn’t changed much before or after our relationship—he was always devoted to his work. In three years of dating, I’d spent every birthday alone. Forget Valentine’s Day; he was either in surgery or on his way to the OR.

He didn’t seem passionate about much, except for certain things.

Cold and distant during the day, like he was keeping everyone at arm’s length, but fiery and passionate at night.

Like a completely different person.

I was the one who initiated the breakup.

When I did, his reaction was a bit more intense than I’d expected.

At least he asked why.

That saved me from feeling completely rejected.

Out of spite, the reason I gave was that he was too quick.

“Other guys last five hours. You only last five minutes.”

He didn’t say a word. He just stared at me, his face dark, for a long time.

His stare made my skin crawl. It felt like he was trying to bore a hole through me, and it was incredibly uncomfortable.

But he still didn’t say anything. He just turned and left.

That night, lying in bed staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t sleep. My mind kept replaying all his good qualities.

When I had my period, he never let me touch cold water. He washed all my soiled clothes himself. When he came to meet my parents, he made all the arrangements beforehand so I wouldn’t be embarrassed, and he praised me in front of them. When I couldn’t sleep at night, he would rub my eyes and temples…

A faint wave of regret washed over me. I suddenly realized that apart from being too busy with work, Ethan was perfect in every other way.

A month after the breakup, Ethan hadn’t called me even once. Had he really moved on? My fingers itched, and I clicked on his Moments, only to find he’d blocked me. Had he found someone new and didn’t want me to know? The thought of another woman sleeping next to him right now made my heart ache uncontrollably.

2.

When the nurse handed me the report, she told me my progesterone levels were so high that I was definitely pregnant.

Seeing the results, my hands couldn’t stop trembling.

If my parents found out I was pregnant before marriage, they’d break my legs.

I handed the report to Ethan, my voice gloomy. “I think I’m pregnant.”

He gave a nonchalant “mm-hmm,” and the next second, the stethoscope slipped from his hand.

It seemed he couldn’t stay calm after all.

He stood up, closed the door, and looked at me with those deep, pool-like eyes. His stare made me uneasy. I wondered if he was in shock, or if he didn’t want…

I opened my mouth, trying to sound calm. “If you don’t want it, I can get an ab—”

The next second, a flurry of kisses rained down on me.

Afterward.

His usually indifferent expression was tinged with a rare hint of a smile.

He looked at my swollen lips and chuckled. “Just sit here for a while. I’ll take you home after my shift.”

My mind was a mess. I sat on the sofa, picked up a random book beside me, and glanced at it. It was dry and full of medical jargon. The more I read, the more boring it got, and I ended up falling asleep.

When I woke up, I found myself on someone’s sturdy back. Occasionally, I caught a faint scent of shower gel, subtle and elusive, making me want to take a deep breath.

Ethan turned his head, a smirk playing on his lips. “What are you doing?”

Caught red-handed, my toes curled in embarrassment.

I rested my head on his back and pretended to be asleep.

Ethan carried me to the parking lot. In the empty underground garage, his voice echoed loudly. “Wake up.”

My act failed. I snapped my eyes open. “I’m up.”

Ethan put me down and smiled. “Sleep well?”

I glared at him without a word.

Ethan drove me back to my apartment complex. He didn’t come upstairs, just dropped me off and drove away. A small pang of disappointment hit me.

I lay on the sofa scrolling through videos. Before I knew it, three hours had passed. I was getting hungry. I opened the fridge and found only a pack of instant noodles.

I wanted to cry.

Back when we were together, Ethan used to drag me to the supermarket whenever he had time. He’d always fill the trunk to the brim. Other people bought groceries; he stocked up like it was an apocalypse.

He explained: he was afraid that if he had to work late and didn’t come home, I’d starve to death alone.

Looking at it now, he was right. I probably would starve to death.

A knock on the door pulled me back to reality.

I opened it to find Ethan. He looked down at me, his handsome brows furrowing slightly.

“Why are you only eating instant noodles?”

“Uh, it’s all I have left.”

He sighed, giving me a look of utter exasperation, then walked into the kitchen with a large bag, rolling up his sleeves to get to work.

Watching him busying himself, I was a little dazed. The focused look on his handsome profile made him seem more approachable.

I must have been staring for too long. He noticed, turned around, and smirked at me.

“Pack up your things and move in with me.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t feel comfortable with you living alone. Move in with me.”

Was he suggesting we live together? If my parents found out, my second leg would probably be gone too. Getting pregnant before marriage was already a huge taboo in my family.

When I graduated from college, my family made it clear: dating was fine, but living together or getting pregnant before marriage was absolutely forbidden. It always ended up hurting the girl more.

I flatly refused. “No, I’m fine living alone.”

Ethan: “Do you want our child to know that Mommy and Daddy slept in separate rooms before they were even born?”

He continued, “Can you bear to let our baby survive on instant noodles with you every day?”

He was a master of twisted logic. I surrendered.

I: “…”

“Time to eat.”

Ethan had made four dishes and a soup. Every single one was my favorite.

Tears of joy streamed from the corners of my mouth.

I grabbed a braised meatball and started devouring it.

Ethan sat across from me, quietly watching. Seeing me eat so happily, he smirked. “Good?”

I was too busy eating to do more than nod vaguely.

“Want to eat like this every day?”

I shook my head. “I’d get sick of it.”

His face instantly darkened.

3.

After dinner, I did the dishes.

When I came out, I was about to tell him to go home, but I found him asleep on the sofa.

His head was tilted slightly. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his long lashes fluttered faintly. He looked exhausted.

I sat beside him, studying him carefully. I couldn’t resist reaching out to touch him.

Before my hand could reach him, he grabbed my wandering hand.

Our eyes met. I blushed furiously and tried to pull my hand away, but he held on tight.

I quickly explained, “I saw a mosquito on your face. I was trying to swat it.”

He narrowed his long, seductive eyes, his smile clearly hiding a knife. “It’s winter. Where would a mosquito come from?”

I just laughed awkwardly to cover my embarrassment, cursing myself inwardly: *Why did I have to touch his face? And get caught red-handed?*

He slowly leaned in. I backed away until I was pinned beneath him.

He braced himself on his hands, and I paled with fright. We stayed frozen like that for a long time.

I could feel every breath he took. His deep, unreadable eyes, full of amusement, looked down at me as he slowly lowered himself.

Seeing him getting closer, I instinctively closed my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable. But I waited… and waited… nothing happened.

I cracked an eye open. Ethan was looking at my phone, which was beside me, with obvious delight.

“What are you looking at that’s so funny?”

Ethan chuckled. “The group chat sent photos from our trip to Tibet.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You went to Tibet after we broke up?”

Ethan smoothed the stray hairs from my forehead and explained, “It wasn’t a vacation. The hospital sent a medical team there a while ago, and I was on it.”

I picked up my phone and scrolled through the photos. In them, Ethan was smiling brightly. Next to him stood a fair-skinned girl. When I zoomed in, I could see her hand resting on his shoulder.

When I used to take pictures with him, he always had that cold expression. I rarely saw him smile so happily.

I pretended to ask casually, “Is that new girl? I haven’t seen her at the hospital before.”

Ethan took the phone back, gave a faint “mm-hmm,” and looked away awkwardly, his expression distracted.

“She’s my new intern.”

My mood turned a little complicated. In all the time Ethan and I were together, we’d never once gone on a trip.

4.

I’d had a long day, and all I wanted now was to shower and sleep.

In the bathroom, I touched my stomach, my mind still blank. It felt surreal to think there was a little baby inside me.

I turned off the water, wrapped myself in a towel, and stepped out. “Go shower. I’m going to sleep. I’m exhausted.”

Ethan was standing on the balcony, on the phone, his brows furrowed. I could faintly hear him scolding someone. When he heard me, he turned and gave a perfunctory “mm-hmm.”

I picked up the hairdryer to dry my hair, but he took it from me.

“Who were you talking to? Why were you so angry?”

He gave a helpless laugh. “Who else? That new intern. Ah, she’s a real headache.”

I gave a soft “oh.”

I rarely saw Ethan get so emotional. At least, I’d never provoked such a reaction…

Ethan quickly changed the subject to my moving in.

This guy was absolutely shameless, trying to bribe me with Gucci and Chanel.

I had no choice but to grit my teeth and reluctantly agree.

That night, someone started pulling at my clothes. Once they were off, his hands started roaming.

5.

Ethan quickly informed both our families about my pregnancy.

My mom was thrilled to have landed such a high-quality son-in-law. My dad just sat there, his face dark, not saying a word.

My legs were safe. The day before I was supposed to visit his family, I told my little brother to take the rolling pin from the kitchen and burn it.

That evening, my mom was planning to make her specialty: hand-pulled noodles.

But the rolling pin was gone. No noodles.

Before we even got to Ethan’s house, his mom showed up at the crack of dawn, banging pots and pans, carrying two live chickens and six turtles, insisting on nourishing me.

I was about to say, “Auntie, you should keep these to nourish yourselves.”

She whipped out a red booklet and a set of car keys—for a Rolls-Royce.

I was stunned. I knew Ethan’s family was well-off, but I had no idea they were *this* rich.

I immediately changed my tune. “Mom, even if you stewed every chicken from the entire farm, I’d drink the broth down to the last drop.”

Ethan’s mom, her eyes red, said to me, “Claire, my son is finally getting married. I can finally rest easy. All his previous girlfriends broke up with him because he was too busy. You’re the only one who didn’t mind…”

She patted my shoulder. “Claire, once you have the baby, I’ll give you two more river-view villas. I like you as a daughter-in-law.”

My jaw dropped.

It was clear she really loved children.

The wedding was set for the end of the year, just a few months away.

Both families were pushing us to get the marriage license as soon as possible.

My head was still spinning. I couldn’t believe I was getting married so soon, and with a baby on the way. It was all so surreal.

6.

In the morning, I was still half-asleep when Ethan woke up, dressed in a suit.

He looked so handsome, he woke me up.

I rubbed my eyes. “Why are you up so early?”

He suddenly chuckled, wrapped his arm around my waist, and gently lifted me onto a dry, clean countertop.

He leaned down, bracing his hands on either side of me, his dark eyes meeting mine. “Did you forget? Today’s the day we get our marriage license.”

I slapped my forehead. “Oh, I really did forget.”

They say pregnancy makes you forgetful. I was barely started and already losing my mind.

I changed into the white dress Ethan had prepared for me. He took my hand. “Let’s go, Mrs. Warrington.”

I thought we were early, but there were already people ahead of us. The civil affairs bureau was packed. It looked like we’d have to wait an hour or two.

Ethan seemed even more nervous than I was. He went to the bathroom several times in one hour.

I nudged him playfully. “Ethan, is there something wrong with your kidneys? Why are you going so much?”

Ethan smirked, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “You should know all about how good my kidneys are by now, shouldn’t you?”

A nearby couple overheard and started giggling.

My face turned crimson.

I’d never noticed how shameless he could be.

Just as we were about to be called, his phone rang urgently.

He answered, and his expression immediately turned serious. “Okay, I’m on my way.”

I was used to this by now.

I waved my hand. “The civil affairs bureau will always be open. We can come back another time.”

After Ethan left, I sat alone on the cold bench, watching the other women, all glowing with love, accompanied by their boyfriends. I felt a pang of loneliness.

The next second, a WeChat message popped up: “Claire, the car from the dealership has arrived. You can pick it up.”

It was from Ethan’s mom. My earlier gloom instantly vanished.

I excitedly went to pick up my new car. When I saw the brand-new Rolls-Royce, my legs went weak.

My legs were shaking the entire drive home.

The more nervous I got, the more likely I was to make a mistake. I rear-ended someone…

I was too scared to get out of the car. I called Ethan, my voice trembling. “Ethan, I’ve been in a minor accident.”

His voice was panicked. “Are you okay?”

I looked down to check myself, and my heart sank. My white pants were stained with blood. I panicked, my voice shaking as I told him, “Ethan, I think I’m having a miscarriage…”

The next second, I fainted from the shock.

When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed. A handsome man was standing beside me, but it wasn’t Ethan.

Seeing me stir, he quickly introduced himself as Sebastian.

I instinctively touched my stomach, my voice weak. “Is my baby still there?”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Baby? You were never pregnant?”

He kept talking. “You scared me! When I opened your car window, I thought you’d fainted from blood loss. But it turns out it was just your period.”

My mind went blank. I put my hands on my stomach. So it was all a false alarm.

He held up a bag. “I don’t know what brand of pads you girls use, so I just bought you all of them.”

As he said this, the tips of his ears turned red.

I gave an embarrassed laugh. “Thank you. And I’m sorry about your car.”

Sebastian smiled. “It’s fine. It’s already at the shop.”

“How much do I owe you? I’ll transfer it.”

He declined. “No, no, it’s nothing.”

But I insisted. When he told me the five-figure amount…

I was so shocked I almost blurted out, “Can I just let you borrow my car’s rear end as compensation?”

We finally agreed on: installment payments.

I added him on WeChat. He had to get back to work, so he left first.

When Ethan came in, he looked windswept, a faint flush on his fair skin. He must have run here. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

My eyes stung. I bit my lip, not knowing how to tell him.

Seeing my anxious expression, Ethan suddenly laughed. He walked over and pulled me into his arms.

The more I tried to struggle, the tighter he held on.

Fine. I gave up.

I lowered my eyes, my voice muffled. “Ethan, I’m not pregnant.”

“I know.” He rested his chin on my forehead and nuzzled me. He smelled faintly of disinfectant, which was oddly comforting.

7.

This period was brutal. My face was pale, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead. I’d just changed my pajamas, and I’d already soiled them again. It was a headache.

Ethan made me some brown sugar water and got me a new set of pajamas from the closet. They were a bit big on me.

Alarm bells went off in my head. I held up the lace pajamas and confronted Ethan, ready to bite his head off. “Why is there women’s pajamas in the house?”

But what came out was, “Who told you to wash my underwear!”

My shame was overwhelming. Even though Ethan and I had been together for three years, I’d never let him wash my undergarments.

Ethan frowned, striking first. “Why are you walking around barefoot? It’s cold. You’ll get sick. Get back in bed.”

“Ethan, put the clothes down. I’ll wash them later.”

“What are you embarrassed about? I’ve seen every part of you.”

“…”

I was about to say something else, but without a word, he picked me up, pulled back the covers, and gently laid me down.

Damn, the cramps were back. I put on a pained expression. It felt like someone was punching my stomach repeatedly.

His warm palm rubbed my belly, his fingers applying just the right amount of pressure. The ache immediately subsided.

Just as I was drifting off, I vaguely heard Ethan answer a phone call and leave.

The next morning, I was woken by the sound of someone in the kitchen. I got out of bed and headed toward it.

Ethan’s mom was busy in the kitchen. She turned and saw me, her face full of warmth. She held up a large radish and beamed. “Claire! Come here. Look what I made for you.”

“Look at this! A few days ago, Ethan’s dad and I went hiking in the mountains. We never expected to dig up such a big ginseng root!”

The corner of my mouth twitched. So *that’s* what ginseng looks like!

She brought me a bowl of chicken soup. “Try this. Tell me if it’s too bland.”

I’m not one for fine dining. One sip, and my nose started gushing blood.

Just then, Ethan pushed open the door and saw the scene.

I looked at him, completely helpless.

He strode over to me, wet a towel with cold water, and pressed it to my nose.

He frowned. “What happened?”

His mom explained, “It’s that ginseng your dad and I dug up from the mountains. I brought it over to nourish Claire.”

Ethan sighed. “Mom, you don’t need to do that. Claire isn’t pregnant.”

His mom’s face froze, her disappointment plain to see. The atmosphere became incredibly awkward.

I looked away, unable to meet her eyes.

I just wanted the ground to swallow me up.

Ethan continued, “Claire is still young. It’s too early to get married. Let’s talk about it later.”

His mom’s expression turned ugly.

I was also stunned. Ethan had never discussed postponing the wedding with me. When had he decided this? And why didn’t I know?

8.

I was really upset. Ethan had made this decision without even asking me.

When he explained later, he said, “I forgot to tell you. You’ve also said before that you didn’t want to get married so early.”

That evening, my colleagues were having a party. I decided to drown my sorrows. Too many bizarre things had been happening lately, one after another. Honestly, I hadn’t felt strongly about having a baby, but when I found out I wasn’t pregnant, I felt an emptiness inside.

After a few drinks, I needed to use the bathroom. On my way back, I was so disoriented I stumbled into the wrong room. Inside were a bunch of handsome guys, all different types.

I was having a great time with them when the door suddenly burst open.

A group of police officers stormed in. I’d never seen anything like this. I was instantly sober.

For the first time in my life, I was being arrested for solicitation. I grabbed the leg of a young police officer, crying and sniffling. “I was drunk! I accidentally walked into the wrong room!”

The handsome, young officer looked at me sternly. “That’s what they all say when they’re caught.”

“I’m innocent!!!”

“You can explain that at the station.”

I glared at the man in front of me. Upon closer inspection, his features looked familiar.

I blurted out, “Is your rear end fixed yet?”

The entire room went silent. Everyone stared at me.

By the time I realized what I’d said, the man’s usually composed face was bright red.

I stammered, “No, no, no! I meant your *car’s* rear end!”

9.

At the police station

Sebastian had clarified the situation. I was innocent. But I still needed someone to bail me out.

I looked down at my phone. Ethan hadn’t called me even once. After some thought, I decided to call him.

The call connected, and a sweet female voice answered.

My heart skipped a beat. I asked warily, “Who is this? Where’s Ethan?”

“Dr. Warrington is above me.”

My mind went blank. I stammered, “What? What are you… doing…”

*Click.*

The line went dead.

When I called again, the phone was turned off.

To make things even more awkward, Sebastian was standing right in front of me, holding a cup of instant noodles, his cool eyes looking at me with… sympathy.

I forced a smile. “You heard that?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Your boyfriend seems to be… busy right now.”

I: “…”

I didn’t want to think about what that meant, but my mind couldn’t help picturing Ethan with another woman at that very moment…

Was the reason he didn’t want to marry me because he’d found someone else after the breakup? But I was pregnant, so he felt forced to be with me. The thought made my chest ache.

A cool voice above me interrupted my thoughts. “It’s late, and no one’s come to get you. I’m just getting off work. I’ll bail you out.”

To thank him, I offered to buy him dinner on the spot.

A smile played on his lips. He nodded. “Sure. How about now?”

I: “Huh?!”

Sebastian took me to a Szechuan restaurant. When the dishes arrived, they were swimming in red oil. The boiled beef slices were buried under a thick layer of chili peppers.

He raised an eyebrow at me. “Can you handle spicy food?”

My stomach gave a lurch. Was it too late to say no?

I: “I just finished five packs of extra-spicy chili strips last week.”

I left out the part about the ensuing stomach issues. Didn’t want to ruin our appetites.

By the end of the meal, my lips were red and swollen, and I felt a sudden, urgent need to use the bathroom.

Damn. I forgot I was on my period. I shouldn’t have eaten spicy food.

When it was time to leave, I looked at Sebastian, my face red. “Um… I might have trouble standing up.”

He caught on immediately. He took off his trench coat and handed it to me. It was long enough to cover my backside.

“I might get your coat dirty.”

Sebastian said nonchalantly, “It’s fine.”

He drove me back to my apartment complex. As I got out of the car, I saw a familiar figure standing by the flowerbeds.

His hair was disheveled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. When he saw Sebastian, his face darkened completely.

His voice was icy. “Why are you back so late?”

I completely ignored Ethan. I bent down and smiled at Sebastian. “Thank you for everything. I’ll return your coat another day.”

He gave a soft “mm-hmm” and drove off.

When I turned around, Ethan’s face was as black as thunder.

Upstairs, I stiffly explained the evening’s events.

He frowned. “Why didn’t you call me about something this big?”

At that, all my委屈 came flooding back. “I did call! A girl answered.”

“She said you were ‘above’ her. Ethan, explain what that means.”

Ethan looked completely bewildered. He laughed helplessly. “The light bulb in the on-call room was broken. I was on a ladder fixing it, so I couldn’t answer. I asked a colleague to pick up. There’s nothing going on.”

I: “Was it your intern?”

Ethan nodded. “There’s nothing between us. She has a boyfriend.”

He even showed me a picture of the intern and her boyfriend on his phone. He was a doctor at the same hospital.

I: “Then why didn’t you answer when I called again?”

“My phone died. When I charged it, I called you over a dozen times. You didn’t answer. Don’t you owe me an explanation?”

Ethan raised an eyebrow at me.

“Uh… I blocked you.”

I was so angry in the moment that I’d just blocked him.

Ah, what a headache.

Why were so many bad things happening lately?

I was quiet for a long time, then looked up at him seriously. “Ethan, I think we need some time apart. We only got back together because of the pregnancy. Now that we know there’s no baby, I don’t think there’s any point in continuing.”

Ethan grabbed my hand, his brows furrowed. “Didn’t I explain everything?”

I pulled my hand away. “Ethan, really. Let’s just take a break. Too much has happened lately. My head is a mess.”

He was silent.

He helped me pack my bags and drove me back to my apartment. As he closed the car door, he looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t.

10.

Three months later.

“Unlucky in love, lucky in work.” That saying definitely wasn’t meant for me.

I’d thrown myself into my work, vowing to make a name for myself and make my boss bow down to me.

Reality had other plans.

My hair was thinning, my project was going nowhere, and I was getting chewed out by my boss every day like a schoolkid.

Clearly, novels are all lies.

My best friend said I brought it on myself. Why would I give up a great guy like Ethan to suffer in the corporate world? Was a cold subway seat really comparable to the plush comfort of a Rolls-Royce?

Work was busy, but it was fulfilling. I no longer spent all my time thinking about Ethan.

After work, I rode my shared bike home.

Under a streetlamp, I saw a familiar figure. A girl was standing next to Ethan, chattering away about something.

He pulled out some money, bought a roasted sweet potato, and handed it to her.

It was a heartwarming scene.

I was momentarily lost in thought. I remembered back in college. It was freezing outside. I was lying in my dorm bed in my pajamas, too lazy to get up. I was on the phone with Ethan, half-asleep.

My roommate had bought a roasted sweet potato, and the room was filled with its sweet aroma.

I couldn’t help muttering, “That smells so good…”

He laughed on the other end. “What’s so good about a roasted sweet potato?”

I ignored him.

Fifteen minutes later, he texted me to come downstairs.

It was a cold winter night in the north. His fair face was red from the cold.

He frowned. “Why are you wearing slippers? You should put on another pair of socks.”

He pulled out a bag of candied chestnuts and a roasted sweet potato from his coat. They were still steaming.

He shoved them into my arms and, without even waiting for a thank you, told me to go back upstairs.

“Don’t catch a cold.”

When I snapped back to reality, the figures across the street were gone.

That night, I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but I was out like a light in five minutes.

I dreamed that Ethan married another woman. He was so good to his wife.

My heart ached. I couldn’t tell if it was a dream or reality.

When I woke up, my pillow was wet.

Ethan and I were truly over.

The next day at work, the office was buzzing.

My deskmate, Jenny, grabbed me. “Claire, did you hear? Michael jumped off the building.”

My face turned pale. Michael was the project manager. He was dedicated and a total workaholic.

I stammered, “What happened?”

Jenny held up her phone. “It’s all over the news. He collapsed and died at the office last night from overwork. He was only in his thirties. He had a family, a three-year-old son…”

I couldn’t process it. I was distracted all day at work.

At lunch, there was a commotion. A woman with her whole family came to make a scene. It was Michael’s wife.

I’d never seen anything like it.

My mind went blank. When they started swinging a knife around, I was frozen with fear. A police officer pushed me aside and took the blow for me.

The police arrived quickly and subdued the situation.

The officer who took the blow was Sebastian. The knife hadn’t actually hit him, just a minor scratch, a little blood.

I was about to bandage him up when a familiar hand took the bandage from mine.

I turned around and saw that familiar face. I was dazed for a moment.

I bit my lip, trying not to cry.

“How did you get here?”

He pursed his lips. “I saw the news alert. I knew your company was in trouble, so I rushed over.”

His dark eyes scanned me from head to toe. “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head. “The police came quickly. The family was taken away. I’m fine.”

Ethan finally looked up at Sebastian and nodded at him. “Thank you.”

Sebastian gave a light laugh. “It’s nothing. Take care of your girlfriend. She was staring at her phone for a long time. Looked like she was waiting for your call.”

My face flushed instantly.

Sebastian was right. I’d been terrified earlier. I really wanted to call Ethan, but I thought he was seeing someone else…

My rationality held me back.

“I called you so many times. Why didn’t you answer?”

I pulled out my phone. Ethan had called me dozens of times.

I was stunned. My feelings were complicated.

He rubbed my head. “When you didn’t answer my calls, I was so worried. I was afraid something had happened to you. Now I realize how you must have felt all those times I was too busy to answer your calls. Claire, will you give me a chance to make it up to you?”

I was confused. I hesitated. “You’re not seeing anyone?”

He took my hand, laughing helplessly. “You’ve been my only girlfriend from the start. Who else would there be?”

My eyes welled up. I hugged him. “Okay.”

11.

The wedding was still set for the end of the year.

The night before the wedding, my mind was still fuzzy.

Ethan leaned down and rubbed my cheek. “What are you thinking about? You look so spaced out.”

I: “Getting married tomorrow… It feels so unreal.”

Ethan sighed. “Don’t overthink it. We have a wedding night tomorrow.”

I: “…”

I lay down and tried to clear my mind.

Beside me, I heard his steady breathing. He was asleep.

Ethan didn’t seem to have any pre-wedding jitters. He went to work as usual, acting like nothing was happening.

As I was drifting off, I heard him talking to me.

“Honey.”

“Mm.”

“Honey, are you cold?”

“Mm.”

Suddenly, he pressed against me, his hands roaming over my body, making me hot and bothered.

I snapped, “Go to sleep! We have a wedding tomorrow!”

With that, I turned over and tried to sleep.

But my words didn’t even last three minutes.

He took advantage of the situation, his cold hands unbuttoning my pajamas and wandering all over.

On our wedding day, the usually calm and composed Ethan actually cried.

He held me close. “I’m so glad I have you for the rest of my life.”

12.

On the first day of my period, my back ached and my stomach cramped. And being the idiot I am, I drank an iced Coke.

Karma hit hard. I was rolling around in bed in agony.

Ethan rubbed my stomach while scolding me for eating the wrong things.

Suddenly, he stopped. His deep eyes looked at me.

I’d seen that look many times before. It meant trouble.

“I have a way to cure your stomachache.”

My eyes lit up.

“What is it?”

“Have a baby.”

I rolled my eyes and politely removed his hand from my stomach.

“Actually, my stomach doesn’t hurt that much anymore.”