Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Vivian was stunned, and honestly, so was I.

"Arthur, stop! It hurts. Let me go."

I couldn't believe my eyes. This was beyond messed up.

If it wasn't for Vivian, I wouldn't have lost my baby.

Now, it felt like karma was coming full circle.

But every time I saw Vivian's slightly swollen belly, thinking about the little life inside, I felt a pang of compassion.

No matter the love or hate, the kid was innocent.

A bright red stain spread across the pink bed sheet.

Vivian's cries got more desperate, her hair sticking to her tear-streaked face, completely losing it, but Arthur still wouldn't let her go.

Slowly, her cries turned into weak murmurs, "My baby, my stomach hurts so much. Arthur, take me to the hospital; I don't want to die. Hurry."

I felt for her, even if she was once my enemy.

How could I ignore a little life?

I kept banging my head against the wardrobe door, making a racket, feeling like the wardrobe was about to fall apart.

I hoped to snap Arthur out of it, thinking if we got Vivian to the hospital now, she might still have a chance.

But it was all for nothing; Arthur had lost it completely, like a demon with bloodshot eyes.

Amid the blaring music, I thought I heard knocking, heavy and urgent.

I perked up my ears, listening closely.

It wasn't my imagination.

Arthur seemed to hear it too, finally stopping his violent behavior.

If I guessed right, Arthur would escape through the study to the opposite apartment.

The knocking continued, getting louder and clearer.

Vivian lay weakly on the bed, the red stain on the sheet still spreading.

At this rate, she'd bleed out.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang, followed by chaotic footsteps rushing in.

The bedroom door was kicked open.

I quickly saw a few people through the gap, and when Ethan appeared, my tears immediately welled up.

Someone pulled the sheet over Vivian; someone called 911.

I didn't know who turned off the music, but the world finally quieted down.

I banged my head against the door again.

Ethan immediately looked over and walked towards me in big strides.

The wardrobe was quickly opened, and as I fell out, Ethan caught me in his arms.

I lay in his embrace, tearfully looking up at him.

He gazed at me, his eyes full of concern. "Emily!"

He tore the tape off my mouth, and when I opened my mouth, my voice was already hoarse. "Hurry, Vivian is having a miscarriage. If we delay any longer, she won't make it." Hearing this, the others wrapped Vivian in the sheet and carried her out.

Ethan untied the ropes on me and helped me stand up.

The blood on the bed was shocking, easily reminding me of that night when I had my accident.

Staring at the blood, I couldn't help but cry out loud.

Thinking about that child now, the pain in my heart didn't lessen. Because that might have been my one and only chance to be a parent.

Ethan held me in his arms, gently saying, "It's okay. Don't be afraid. It's over now."

I cried. "It's Arthur. Another kid's dead because of him. How can he be an angel saving lives? He's a demon killing people!"

Ethan patted my back, comforting me. "Don't worry, he'll get what's coming to him."

At that time, I was too emotional and too distraught to ask or even consider how Ethan knew I was there.

Even after returning home, I couldn't calm down.

I almost slept the entire day until the next evening.

I had several strange dreams, feeling scared in the dreams. But upon waking, I couldn't remember what they were about.

Sometimes, I woke up startled and then drifted back to sleep, repeating this cycle.

During this time, Ethan brought me porridge several times, but I barely ate.

Ethan was at his wit's end, sitting by the bed for a while, then suddenly holding my hand, saying, "Honey, let's go for a walk. No car, just a stroll, okay?"

I sat up in bed, instinctively reaching under the pillow.

Finding nothing, I suddenly remembered that Arthur had taken my phone.

"My phone is gone," I said softly.

Ethan helped me out of bed, saying, "It's okay. We'll buy a new one tomorrow and get the card replaced."

When I changed clothes, Ethan told me to dress warmly because it was cold outside.

He held my hand as we walked along the road, reminding me of the day when I confessed to him on this same path. I told him he had the power to hurt me, and he replied, "You too."

It wasn't that long ago, but now it felt like a distant memory.

"The snow's melted," I murmured.

The little river by the roadside was flowing again, and the withered grass on the riverbank, once covered by snow, was now exposed.

We stopped by the river, and Ethan, looking at the water, said softly, "Snow comes and goes. Seasons change, but the sun always rises and sets. People change too, but a steadfast heart stays the same."

We stood quietly by the river, listening to the gurgling water. This clean, clear sound seemed to wash away everything in the world, including our hearts.

I replied, "You're right. People do change. After going through so much, I should at least become a bit stronger. People grow through experiences. I might be a snail moving slowly forward, but I can't stop." After our walk, I suddenly felt hungry.

Having not eaten all day, my stomach was already empty, and I ate a lot in one go.

After sleeping all day, I couldn't fall asleep at night, so I took out the USB drives Aurora had given me.

These USB drives seemed to open the door to a new world. The more I watched, the more excited I became. It wasn't until the outside lightened up that I realized I had unknowingly watched all night. Ethan bought me a new phone and replaced the SIM card.

After installing the card, I quickly received a text message from Bella: [Emily, we have left Starlight City. We're not traveling; we're just moving somewhere else. I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye, and please don't ask why. Zachary has done a lot for me, and I'm having his child. It feels like it's meant to be. Looking back, marrying him was impulsive and risky, but I don't regret it. Zachary loves me deeply, and I'm happy. I'll stay with him forever. Emily, the hardest part is leaving you. Take care of yourself.]

After reading the message, I was stunned.

My only reaction at the time was that Bella must be joking with me.

I immediately called back, but Bella's number had already been disconnected.

This wasn't a joke; it was real!

The pain in my heart at that moment was indescribable.

Bella was my closest friend, more than a sister.

When I first met her, Bella was wealthy, and I was very poor. We seemed like two people who would never intersect, but we became close friends because we both lacked love.

We were each other's warmth and sunshine during our growing years. I never thought we would be separated one day. I believed that even if we got married and had our own families, our relationship wouldn't change. Even if she got pregnant and had a child, I would always be there for her, and I would be the child's godmother.

But the news of her leaving came too suddenly.

I still couldn't believe it, so I took a cab to Zachary's house.

Strangely, Zachary's door was sealed with a notice from the Starlight City Police Department.

Could Zachary have committed a crime?

I then went to Leonard's company, which had resumed normal operations.

But Leonard wasn't there. His new assistant said he had been sick and bedridden at home for the past few days.

They had sold their old house, and I didn't know where he lived now.

The assistant called Leonard, and Leonard asked the assistant to take me to his home.

I didn't expect that the former CEO, who lived in a luxurious house and kept mistresses, now lived in a second-hand two-bedroom apartment.

The assistant had the key and directly opened the door, leading me inside.

Standing in the living room, I heard coughing from the bedroom.

Pushing open the bedroom door, I saw Leonard half-lying on the bed.

The smell of smoke in the room was overwhelming, and I held my breath as I walked in.

The ashtray on the bedside table was piled high with cigarette butts, seemingly unable to hold any more.

"Uncle Leonard," I called out.

"Emily, have a seat," Leonard said, pointing to a chair by the bed.

Actually, after Zachary helped Leonard solve a big problem on Valentine's Day, his mental state improved quite a bit.

But now, Leonard looked even more haggard and worn than when he was facing the company's huge deficit.

Seeing Leonard like this, my unease grew.

"Why did Bella and Zachary leave? Where did they go?" I asked, looking at him.

Leonard sighed deeply, pulled out his phone, scrolled for a bit, and then handed it to me. When I looked at it, a chill ran down my spine.