"You felt how cold that pool was when you jumped in to save her. I was in there for a full fifty minutes!" ire recounted each detail, her voice not usatory, but simply defending herself. She couldn''t describe the pain. It was as if her heart had been punctured a thousand times, and life was just bleeding out of it.


    "That''s enough!" Felix cut her off impatiently. "Madeline has lost a lot of work because of you. She fought hard to get this shampoo endorsement!"


    ire opened her mouth, a thousand grievances welling up inside her, but all that came out was a soft, bitterugh. She suddenly understood what Noreen had once told her: that the moment you choose to stay silent is thest way to protect yourself. Silence isn''t ack of emotion; it''s the deep understanding that saying more is pointless. The one who makes a long speech is always the loser.


    "Fine. Believe what you want."


    "I hope this is thest time," Felix warned, his tone still threatening. "If it happens again, don''t me me for disregarding our marriage!"


    Their marriage? Did such a thing even exist between them?


    "Whatever," ire said, turning and opening the door, unwilling to waste another breath on him.


    Her dismissive word echoed in Felix''s ears, stirring a strange vexation within him. Something felt deeply wrong. He lit a cigarette, hoping to smoke away the feeling of unease. Madeline called, but he ignored it.


    Just as the cigarette was about to burn down to his fingers, he heard a scream from outside. It sounded like... Noreen. He couldn''t be sure; he didn''t interact with her that often. Then themotion grew louder. This time, he clearly recognized her voice. Noreen was shouting, "Help! Somebody, help!"


    Realizing something was wrong, Felix dropped the cigarette and bolted out the door, running toward the sound.


    When he found them, he saw ire copsed on the floor, blood pooling between her legs. Noreen was desperately trying to lift her, but she wasn''t strong enough. All she could do was sob for help, tears streaming down her face.


    "ire!" Felix rushed forward to pick her up.


    When Noreen saw him, she shoved him with all her might, her entire body shaking with rage as she screamed, "Don''t you touch her!"


    Caught off guard, Felix stumbled backward and fell, his head hitting the wall behind him with a dull thud. His mind went nk for a second. Sandra and the others bearing the screams, came running.


    "Call an ambnce! Call an ambnce now!"


    Felix struggled to his feet and moved to lift ire again. When Noreen tried to push


    him away a second time, he yelled, "We have to save her!"


    In the ensuing chaos, Felix carried ire out of the building.


    At the hospital, Noreen paced anxiously outside the operating room. Sandra brought her some


    water and food, telling her to earn et


    It was a fight n


    something, but she couldn''t stomach it.


    her chest, making it hard to breathe. She shouldn''t have let ire talk to Felix alone. If she had insisted on going with them, this wouldn''t have happened. It was all her fault. Feeling helpless and afraid, Noreen chewed on her fingernails.


    When a doctor emerged from the operating room, both Noreen and Felix rushed forward.


    "How is she?"


    The doctor looked down, his expression somber. "I''m very sorry. We couldn''t save the baby."


    Felix was stunned. "The baby? What baby?"


    Noreen''s heart shattered. Just yesterday, ire had been excitedly telling her about her dreams for the child''s future. Her face had been so bright as she said "Noreen Im finally going to have a family."


    It was too cruel.


    "Are you sure you''re not mistaken?" Felix couldn''t ept it.


    Ovee with fury, Noreen raised her hand and pped him hard across the face.