Abandoned While Pregnant and Left on the Highway

I had gained a lot of weight during my pregnancy, and the diamond ring now fits tightly on my swollen middle finger, leaving an indent in the flesh.

Angelo glanced at it, a flicker of disdain crossing his eyes as his lips curled in contempt.

"You’ve gotten as fat as a pig, and you don’t even try to lose weight. Look at that ring—does it even look good on your hand?"

He sneered, adding, "Some women stay slim even while pregnant. But you? You’ve let yourself go—ugly and sloppy."

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed my hand and began pulling the ring off forcefully. It was snug, and his rough movements rubbed my skin raw, leaving my fingers red and sore.

With every tug, I felt my heart sink deeper into despair.

When I first got pregnant, my health was so poor that he had taken it upon himself to manage my meals, flaunting a nutritionist certificate like a badge of honor. He had seemed attentive, and caring. Now, all of that feels like a distant memory.

I lowered my gaze, my heart aching, unwilling to meet his cold eyes.

Dora’s cheerful voice broke the silence.

"Mr. Greer, what a gorgeous diamond ring! I wish I had one like that!"

Angelo chuckled, his tone affectionate.

"If you like it, I’ll get you an even better one next time," he said with a laugh.

Dora hesitated, feigning guilt.

"But if I take it, won’t my sister be upset?"

He dismissed her concern with a shrug.

"Her hands are swollen like pig’s trotters. Wearing a diamond ring is just a waste on her."

They left together, their voices fading as they moved further away, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence.

I sighed, the weight of my scheduled abortion heavy on my mind, and pulled out my phone to call a taxi. As I opened the app, an update from the local newsfeed appeared on the homepage. My hand slipped, and I accidentally clicked on it.

[Bringing my fiancé home for the New Year!]

The attached photo showed Dora sitting in the passenger seat, her right hand held up to display the diamond ring prominently on her finger. The interior of the car was unmistakable—it was Angelo’s most expensive one.

My breath caught, but I forced myself to give the post a thumbs-up. Seconds later, tears blurred the screen. I quickly wiped them away, switched back to the taxi app, and booked a ride to the hospital.

On the way there, my phone rang. Angelo’s angry voice blared through the speaker as soon as I answered.

"I already told you, I’m just pretending with Dora! Why are you being so petty?"

Before I could respond, Dora’s voice broke in, trembling with faux regret.

"Sister, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have posted that. I just wanted to convince my parents. Please don’t be mad. I’ll delete it right away."

Angelo cut her off impatiently.

"There’s no need to delete it. She’s always making a fuss over nothing. Just ignore her."

The line went dead before I could utter a single word.

The taxi driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror, his expression curious and puzzled. After a moment of silence, he finally asked, “What’s going on, miss?”

I forced a weak smile and replied, "My fiancé is pretending to be his assistant’s boyfriend so he can go home with her for the New Year."

The driver blinked in disbelief before stammering, "Girl… this, this…" He sighed deeply, unable to find the right words.

Even strangers could see how wrong this was, but Angelo acted as if everything he did was perfectly normal.

I lay on the cold operating table, staring at the ceiling as the anesthetic was injected into my veins. When I opened my eyes again, my stomach was deflated, hollow.

Not far away, I saw the tiny, unformed fetus resting inside a black box. Tears streamed silently down my cheeks as I reached out, taking the box from the doctor’s hands.

Staring blankly at the ceiling, I felt an emptiness consuming me.

After what felt like an eternity, I got up and left the hospital, my steps heavy and weak. Passing by radiant new parents cradling their newborns, I could only bow my head and keep walking, feeling like a ghost drifting through their joy.

When I finally returned home, Angelo was lounging on the sofa, a cigarette perched between his fingers. He didn’t even look up as I entered.