To the Love of My Life

In her dream, she was carrying a pregnancy test report to the study to find Steve Burton. She told him that she was pregnant, but he didn’t even look at her, just focusing on his computer and continuing to work. When she spoke up again about her pregnancy, he coldly responded without looking up: “Go get rid of the baby.”

She stood in front of him without moving, and he continued working as if she didn’t exist. When he finally finished and looked up, he saw her still standing there and took the phone on his desk, dialing out: “Arrange an abortion surgery for me tomorrow.”

Hearing these words, Ruby was momentarily panicked and asked him foolishly: “Why?”

He sat in his office chair, looking at her with cold eyes and no sympathy: “No reason, I won’t have a child that is a mere bargaining chip.”

Upon hearing his words, she began to cry. Rarely did she ever resist Steve, but she resolutely told him: “I want this child.”

He seemed to have heard a funny joke and suddenly stood up, grabbing her arm and dragged her out of the study. He took her to the top of the stairs, pointing to the steps that had been cleaned by Mrs. Taylor until they were reflective, and said: “You don’t want to go to the hospital? I can just push you down these stairs, and your baby will be gone.”

She felt his hand pressing on her back with more force, and she tried to stabilize her body while shaking her head in tears. But his face was so cold and unmoved, his hand gradually pressing harder, and then, her feet left the ground, and she tumbled down the stairs…

Ruby suddenly sat up on the bed, her movements so strong that they woke up Madeleine beside her.

She wasn’t completely awake from the nightmare yet, panting heavily.

Still drowsy, Madeleine opened her eyes and said in a confused voice: “Ruby, what’s wrong?”

That’s when Ruby looked around, and noticing that she was sitting on Madeleine’s bed, she sighed in relief and said to Madeleine: “Nothing, just had a bad dream.”

Afterward, she laid back down in bed.

Maybe Madeleine wasn’t fully awake yet, as she turned over and fell asleep again after hearing Ruby’s words.

Ruby lost any sleepiness she had left, staring at the ceiling, thinking about the scenes from her dream. She realized how terrifying they were, and her back broke out in cold sweat.

It was only 3 a.m., and Ruby couldn’t fall asleep again. Besides Madeleine’s steady breathing beside her, there were no other sounds. She lay awake until dawn.

–

Ruby got up and prepared some breakfast. She was about to go wake Madeleine when she saw that Madeleine had changed into casual clothes and was coming downstairs.

Madeleine seemed to have forgotten last night’s conversation over alcohol. After eating breakfast with Ruby, she smiled at her and asked, “Ruby, do you have time later?”