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 thest time she suffered for Antonio. That man didn''t belong to her, and she was don


    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. "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 Ke 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 wo "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."


    Ke stepped forward, smiling triumphantly.


    "Grace, long time no see!"


    Grace nced at Antonio, who looked visibly ufortable. Even now, she still couldn''t bear to put him in a difficult position.


    "Ke, long time no see."


    "Don''t get the wrong idea," Ke exined. "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 Ke''s eyes became moist anyway.


    "Antonio, I shouldn''t havee to you, right? Grace seems upset."


    Her pitiful look made Antonio frown in concern.


    "It''s fine. I want to help."


    He turned to nce 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 singleint, she was returning


    hig


    to Ke.


    "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 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 fail


    floral scent lingered in the ai It was the same scent Ke had carried earlier that morning.


    Walking into their bedroom, Grace saw unfamiliar skincare products on the vanity. A framed photo of Antonio and Ke 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 ce, only to find her mind nk.


    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 andughed bitterly.


    She needn''t havee to clean up, because Antonio would


    have thrown everything away himself.


    This house was always meant for Ke, so he wouldn''t keep anything of her things here.