Chapter 7

"Ms. Wright, you were two months pregnant, but the baby didn't make it…" When Katherine came to in the hospital, a nurse stood beside her bed, looking at her apologetically. "The doctor also found that the miscarriage was incomplete, so you'll need a dilation and curettage procedure. May I have your boyfriend's phone number?" Katherine froze for a moment before instinctively placing her hand on her lower abdomen. So, she had a tiny life growing there. However, before she ever had the chance to know it existed, it had left her. "Ms. Wright?" When she didn't respond, the nurse frowned and called out to her once again. "Because the procedure requires anesthesia, a family member must sign the consent form and accompany you…" Katherine hesitated for a moment before giving Liam's number. The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up. "Who is this?" "Sir," the nurse began solemnly. "Are you Ms. Wright's boyfriend? She has been injured and is currently in the hospital—" "Are you one of her paid actors?" Liam's voice was cold and mocking. "She's the one who injured my friend and sent her to the emergency room. How could she possibly be injured? "Tell her that she must come to the ward, get down on her knees, and apologize. If not, neither my brother nor I will forgive her!" Right after saying that, he hung up on the nurse. The busy tone sounded in her ear. The nurse stared at Katherine in disbelief. "Is he… really your boyfriend?" "He won't be for much longer." Katherine forced a smile. "Could you do me a favor?" … When Katherine was on her way back to her ward after the dilation and curettage that afternoon, she ran into Ava, who was being wheeled back to her hospital room. Ava wasn't just on a premium hospital bed; she was also holding two large bouquets of beautiful flowers. On top of that, Liam and Lucas were flanking her as they pushed her forward. The spectacle was so lavish it felt less like Ava was returning to her hospital room and more like she was being escorted to a princess' coronation. Katherine, on the other hand, was supported solely by the nurse from before, advancing slowly down the corridor. As they passed each other, Lucas noticed Katherine and frowned. "What are you doing here?" Liam immediately turned around, and upon noticing Katherine's pallid complexion, his brows knitted together. "You…" Was the nurse telling the truth on the call earlier? The nurse recognized his voice and interjected coldly, "You must be Ms. Wright's boyfriend. Your girlfriend is barely holding up, and you're here with another woman? Do you have any idea what she's—" Before the nurse could finish, Ava abruptly cried out from her bed. "My head hurts!" In a heartbeat, she had both of their attention. "What's wrong, Ava?" "Where does it hurt, Ava?" "My head…" Ava responded weakly, her face drained of color. "Hurry… Take me to a doctor…" Without the slightest hesitation, Liam and Lucas pushed Ava's bed away. After taking a few steps, Liam turned around and glanced at Katherine. "Be good and wait here. I'll come find you once Ava's taken care of." After the three of them left, the nurse rolled her eyes. "Aren't you going to break up with him, Ms. Wright?" Katherine lowered her gaze and looked at the booking confirmation Rosalie had sent her. A faint, derisive smile tugged at her lips as she responded, "I'll be done with him for good in two days." But before that, she intended to give Liam, Lucas, and Ava a very special parting gift. … Two days later, the rising singer-songwriter Suzy released her new single, "The Cost of a Lie." Because it was her first new release since returning to the country, Liam and Lucas organized a lavish launch event for her. Nearly every major media outlet in Eldington showed up. "Liam." Lucas walked over when he noticed Liam staring absentmindedly at his phone backstage. "What's on your mind?" Liam's forehead creased as he looked at his chat window with Katherine. No matter how many times he called or messaged her, he couldn't reach her. For the past three years, whenever he sent her a message, she had always replied instantly. This was the first time he couldn't get in touch with her at all. Hence, a tinge of unease crept into his chest. "Katherine hasn't been home these past few days either." Lucas glanced at the conversation on Liam's phone and felt a twinge of concern. "Could she really have been badly injured that day? But all I did was kick her. It shouldn't be that serious…" Just then, Ava's voice rang out from a distance. Liam stuffed his phone into his pocket. "Let's focus on Ava first. I'll go to the hospital to check on her later." "I'll go with you," Lucas said with a crooked smile. His gaze was dark with desire as he continued, "It's been a few days since I slept with her. I kind of miss it." He had always spoken about Katherine like that. Yet, for some reason, it sat wrong with Liam this time. … Ten minutes later, the release event officially began. Dressed in a long gown encrusted with dazzling diamonds, Ava was escorted onto the stage by Liam and Lucas, one on each side. Holding the microphone, she beamed proudly and said, "Thank you all for coming to the launch of my new song. 'The Cost of a Lie' is a piece I spent a long time conceptualizing…" Right then, the doors to the venue were kicked open violently.