Chapter 2

After leaving Cassie's place, Estelle immediately traveled to another province to schedule an abortion. The Daye family had power and influence everywhere. If she did it in the city, Ruben would receive the news before she even made it to the operating table. Just before entering the surgery room, Louisa sent her another video that was two and a half hours long. In the video, Louisa wore nothing but lingerie, while Ruben was dressed in a sharp suit. The table beside them was littered with all kinds of stimulants. The kitchen, the desk, or the entryway… They were all over the house, entangled in passion. Estelle had never seen this side of Ruben before—the way he lost control and was completely unrestrained. Every scene cut through Estelle like a knife, but she forced herself to watch the entire thing as if she was punishing herself. "Miss, it's time for your procedure. But… will you be okay to proceed in this condition?" the doctor asked with concern. Only then did Estelle realize she was shaking uncontrollably, and her face was soaked in tears. She wasn't just crying out of heartbreak. She cried because she finally understood that even after knowing Ruben had cheated, she still couldn't let go of her love for him. He wasn't just an object she could discard at will. Removing him from her life felt like carving her own chest open and tearing her heart apart, leaving her bleeding and raw. She wiped her tears away and made a decision. She'd give him one last chance. Estelle then called Ruben to ask, "Where are you? I miss you. Can you come home?" His voice was tense, as if he were holding something back. "Love, there's something important at work tonight… Uh!" There was a muffled groan, followed by a sudden urgency in his tone. "I won't be coming home tonight!" Then, he hung up. Estelle froze. He had never, not once, hung up on her first. This was the first time. A few minutes later, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and exhaled slowly. "I'm fine now. Let's proceed with the surgery." That night, she dragged her exhausted body home. A message from Cassie awaited her. "Estie, everything is set. Execution in two days." Estelle collapsed onto the bed. That entire night, she woke up in tears every time she drifted off. In the early hours of the morning, she sat curled up in the darkness while hugging her knees, waiting for dawn. Ruben finally returned early the next morning. He took off his coat, waited for the chill to fade from his body, and then walked over to embrace Estelle. Opening his tablet, he pointed to an island on the screen. "Look, love, I just bought this island for our baby. And I've started building amusement parks in every major city across the country. "Once our baby is born, they'll all be named after them. I also want to hold a huge banquet when the baby arrives, inviting everyone to celebrate with us!" He spoke with excitement, only then realizing that Estelle hadn't said a single word since he walked through the door. A soft sob suddenly reached his ears. He moved to face her, only to find her already in tears. "What's wrong?" He had never seen Estelle cry like this before. His voice trembled with panic. If Estelle felt even a fraction of sadness, Ruben felt a hundred times the pain. Her emotions would magnify within him, becoming overwhelming and inescapable. Seeing her cry now, it felt as if someone had reached into his chest and twisted his heart. "I'm fine," Estelle said as she avoided his hand. "Pregnant women get emotional sometimes. I just felt like crying." "Really?" Ruben finally relaxed. "Then I'll stay home with you all day today, okay? Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll cook for you." "There's no need. I have a class reunion at noon, and I'm visiting a few of my old teachers in the evening. You should go about your work." Estelle then stood up. She knew this would likely be the last time she would be in this country. She wanted to see them one last time and say her silent goodbye before leaving for good. Ruben was unwilling to let her go alone, so he insisted on coming with her. The moment the two of them stepped into the private room at the reunion, laughter erupted. "I knew it! If Estelle was coming, Ruben would definitely follow. He's terrified she'll get lost!" Ruben smiled in a good-natured way, taking the teasing in stride. He then personally handed out the gifts he had prepared for everyone, and gasps of astonishment filled the room. "Oh my God! This is the latest full jewelry set from Tinselree! They're seven figures each! Mr. Daye, you always bring us such expensive gifts. I feel like we all got lucky that we know Estelle!" Estelle had been well-liked in university, and the people in the room were all her close friends. Ruben had always made an effort to win them over. It was because when they were happy, Estelle would be happy too. Everyone marveled at the power of love—how it had transformed the once-distant and unapproachable Ruben into a sunflower, warm and smiling at everyone he met. "Estelle, you're so lucky to have a husband who loves you this much!" Upon hearing that, Estelle didn't smile as she used to. Instead, she simply offered a polite, distant smile. The room was filled with laughter and chatter when, suddenly, the door swung open. Louisa stepped inside, draped in dazzling jewelry. "Funny how no one thought to invite me to the class reunion. Weren't we all from the same class?"