The light in Jessica''s eyes grew even brighter. She smiled and leaned against Anneliese''s shoulder.


    "Honestly, I''ve been quietly teaching myself some professional courses these past few years. It''s not formal training, but I''ve sketched numerous design drafts. I can scrape together a decent portfolio. I know I won''t be able to get into a top international university anytime soon, but I should be able to find a university willing to ept me. I just need a rmendation letter," she dered.


    Anneliese nodded. "Leave that to me. Right now, your only job is to rest. You need to be healthy before you can handle anything else!"


    She nodded again. She finally felt herself rx with Anneliese helping her sort out her thoughts and resolve the biggest obstacle in front of her.


    Just then, a knock came at the door. Anneliese helped her to lie down properly before walking over to open it.


    The person standing outside was Zion, holding an insted food carrier in one hand and a phone box in the other. "Mrs. Fullbuster and Ms. Sweeting haven''t had dinner yet. Mr. Fullbuster had nutritious meals prepared from Moonstone Pavilion. Ms. Sweeting is expected-she can''t go hungry. Please eat something before resting."


    He set the tworge food containers on the bedside cab, then lifted the phone box. "We found Ms. Sweeting''s phone, but it was damaged. So we reced it with a new model. The SIM card is already installed."


    He handed the phone to Anneliese, who epted it.


    Anneliese hadn''t expected Jonathan to be so thoughtful and meticulous, and her smile softened.


    Jessica smiled too, shooting her a look filled with pure envy. "Make sure you thank your husband for me."


    Then she turned to Zion. "And thank you as well, Mr. Hand. It''s sote now, and you still had to handle all this for me."


    "It''s no trouble. Mr. Fullbuster pays very well for overtime. Ms. Sweeting, take care of yourself and recover soon. I''ll head out first," Zion replied.


    But Anneliese looked up at him and questioned, "Where is he?"


    Zion hadn''t mentioned that Jonathan had gone downstairs to meet Anneliese''s grandmother. He wasn''t sure his boss wanted her to know. "Mr. Fullbuster likely had something urgent to deal with. Mrs. Fullbuster, please have dinner before it gets cold."


    Anneliese nodded. She stayed with Jessica while they ate, cleaned up afterward, and only left when Jessica practically pushed her out.


    When the room fell silent again, Jessica rested a hand on her belly and closed her eyes, though sleep refused toe.


    She powered on her phone, and a wave of missed calls and messages flooded the


    screen.


    Zane had called eight times and sent four or five WhatsApp messages.


    She couldn''t tell if he was always this busy-or if she simply wasn''t important to him. She cleared the missed-call alerts, and she felt utterly numb.


    Then she opened WhatsApp.


    His most recent messages said nothing meaningful—just that he had to return to Halden unexpectedly, and a vague question about what was going on with her.


    Thest message had arrived only thirty minutes earlier:


    ''Good as long as you''re fine. I''ll talk to you when I''m back.''


    Cold and mechanical. He hadn''t asked what had happened or whether she was really okay.


    And he definitely hadn''t apologized for bailing on her tonight.


    From just a few scattered clues, the truth of their rtionship was obvious. He had always stood above her-distant, detached, andpletely out of reach.


    Jessica scrolled through their old messages and finally saw it clearly.


    She thought, He never texts me just to talk, never bothers to ask about my life or how I''m doing.


    Almost every time he reaches out, it''s to hook up. And on the rare asions he isn''t avable, he just flirts a little and leaves it at that.


    It''s embarrassing, honestly. I once convinced myself that Zane might actually care about me-that having his child might somehow keep Sve. Content whatever we had


    A sudden, piercing pain tightened in her chest, as if even Jessica''s own heart was


    mocking her for being so na?ve.


    She shut off her phone and drew in a few deep breaths, trying to steady herself but the tears slipped out anyway-quiet, unstoppable, tracing down her cheeks.


    When Anneliese stepped into her grandmother''s hospital room, Nishay was already lying down.


    Relieved, she tiptoed closer to pull the nket up only for Nishay''s eyes to open abruptly. "Oh, Grandma, you''re still awake?"


    She nearly jumped. Her grandmother gave her a pointed look. "That guilty face of yours says it all."


    She instantly wilted. "Grandma, I didn''t mean to keep it from you. I tried to break up with him truly—but I just couldn''t."


    Anneliese clung gently to her


    grandmother''s sleeve. She pleaded, "Grandma, is it really impossible? What do you need from him-what would it take for you to give him, give us a chance? Even people on death row get a few years for rehabilitation. You can''t just sentence him on sight."