Prologue

I opened my eyes to a white ceiling. My vision was still blurry and my body was aching especially my stomach.

I tried remembering what happened and why am I in a hospital room when the door opened. I heard my mother's voice telling whoever was entering to lower their voices.

"Where is Archer?" my father asked.

"He's in–" Mama Adrianna, Archer's mother, was cut off with my Mom's loud gasp.

"Natalie!" her eyes widened, shocked to see me awake.

Everyone gathered around my bed. Mom and Dad's eyes were full of worry. Mama Adrianna looked at me with worry and a hint of lingering sadness. I can see the tears that she was holding back.

"W-why–" my voice cracked instantly. I coughed a bit and felt my throat dry.

Mom instantly went to the side table and handed me a glass of water. Dad clicked something and my hospital bed slowly moved up.

I reached for the glass of water but my hand was too weak to get it. Mom slowly went to me and helped me drink the water.

The water slowly soothed my dried throat. "W-why am I h-here?" I slowly asked. I still can't remember what happened to me.

Mom looked at dad with worry. It's like she's asking permission from Dad if she can answer my question.

"Mo–" I stopped when I felt an excruciating pain in my belly. "Ah," I grunted.

"Oh my! Natalie, are you okay?" Mom's hysterical voice said. I can feel her panic already. "Doctor! We need to call a doctor!" she said in a panicky voice.

I felt Dad's hand on my shoulder. "The doctor is coming in a while, Natalie. We'll do everything within our power and money to take the pain away," Dad said in a soothing voice. He kissed the top of my head.

Despite the panicky voice of my mother, Dad was the calm one. I never saw him angry and out of composure. He was always reserved and professional. Mom was the opposite of Dad. She was loud, hysterical and frantic. Opposites really attract each other.

I heard the door open and a doctor and nurse immediately went to me.

"Can you tell me where it hurts, Ms. Medelin?" the female doctor asked.

"My lower belly hurts," I said in a strangled voice. It feels like there are thousands of pins poking my belly, spreading the pain on my whole upper extremities.

The nurse pointed a syringe on my dextrose and the pain I'm feeling slowly subsided. The doctor nodded and looked at my parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Medelin, your daughter is still recovering from her loss. I suggest that you keep her here for three to five days. We will give her antibiotics every now and then to reduce the pain," the doctor explained but my mind wandered on what she said. Loss? What does she mean?

"Doc, what do you m-mean? What loss? Loss of what?" I asked confused.

Rather than answering me, she looked at my parents, nodded at them, and left with a goodbye saying she'll come back in an hour to check me again.

My heart started racing loudly. Mom and Dad would never keep their mouth shut every time I ask them. They always try to explain and answer me. Now that they are keeping something from me, my anxiousness started to double. The anticipation and sudden loss of memory before I was put in the hospital attacked me.

"Mom, where is Archer?" I asked. She looked at Dad before looking at me again. "Natalie, are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?" she masked her uneasiness by asking me questions. She's changing the subject.

"Mom," I said in a hard tone. I averted my gaze to Dad. I know Mom won't tell me anything.

Dad was looking at me straight into my eye. There were mixed emotions in his eyes. I can't pinpoint what he's feeling.

"Dad, where is Archer?" I asked again, determined to make them talk.

"He's on his way here," is what he said but he never answered my question.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember what happened to me. The last time I remember was I was getting home yesterday when someone...

My eyes widened at the realization. I fell down the stairs in our penthouse. I remember someone pushed me down but I didn't see the face of the criminal.

My head started throbbing. I opened my eyes and realization dawned on me...

"M-mom..." I raised my head to her. My eyes started to water and my lips quivered.

Mom started crying and went to me to hug me. That was all the confirmation that I need. The tears in my eyes started to fall.

"M-mom... I-I'm j-just dreaming, right? Please pinch me, p-please..."

I pinched my other hand really hard but what I only felt is more pain. No, no...

Wake me up into this bad dream. Archer will wake me up once he saw me having a bad dream. He will wake me up...

The door opened but I was too busy trying to sink everything into my head.

"Dad," Archer's cold voice loomed around my hospital room. Mom stopped hugging me and looked at Archer.

All my hope was gone when I saw Archer standing there instead of waking me up into this bad dream.

My vision was blurry because of the tears but Archer was looking at me with coldness in his eyes. "Let us have a moment, please," he said before everyone went out of my room.

"A-archer..." my voice cracked. My tears were endlessly falling. I don't want to believe anything yet. I know Archer will tell me that what I'm thinking was wrong. He will caress me and reassure me that everything's okay.

"Let's have a divorce," Archer said in a cold voice. The glint of hope that I felt a while ago was all gone now. All I'm feeling right now is emptiness.

At the age of 20, I lost my child and now I'm losing my husband too.