Liam noticed her distance and a hint of panic flashed in his eyes, but he just thought she was still sad about the loss of her child.
During the day, he would sit by her bed and talk to her, telling her interesting stories in the company and how difficult a certain client was; at night, he would sleep beside her bed .
But she knew that it was just a show he put on for her. After all, this man was on the phone a few days ago, thanking everyone that she "would not be able to have children in the future."
Once, Clara was staring at the sycamore tree outside the window in a daze. Liam came over, hugged her gently from behind, rested his chin on the top of her head, and said in a flattering tone: " Clara , are you still blaming me? I shouldn't have let you go to the hospital alone that day. I will never leave you again, okay?" His embrace was very warm, with the scent of cedar he often used. Clara always liked to nestle in his arms, thinking that was the safest place, but now, she just felt stiff all over, as if she was entangled by something and couldn't breathe.
She gently pushed him away, her voice calm: "I'm tired and want to sleep for a while."
On the day of discharge, Liam woke up at dawn, helped Clara pack her things , and even brought her a thick coat: "It's windy in the morning, don't catch a cold." Clara sat by the bed, watching his busy figure in silence , feeling ridiculous. The man who pretended to love her so much had already had a child with another woman behind her back.
" Clara , wait here for a while. I'll go drive and be back soon." Liam handed the crutches to Clara and helped her tidy up the loose hair on her forehead .
Clara nodded but said nothing.
After he left, Clara sat on the bench at the door of the ward as the sun slowly climbed in . She waited for almost an hour but didn't see Liam .
She pulled out her cell phone and called him—no one answered.
The sky darkened, dark clouds rolled in, and soon a heavy rain began to fall. The large raindrops pounded the ground, splashing muddy water and soaking Clara 's clothes. She couldn't help but shiver. Her ankle hadn't healed yet, and she stood at the hospital entrance on crutches. The slightest movement caused excruciating pain.
She called Liam again , and this time, the phone rang for a long time before it was connected.
A woman's voice came from the other side .
" Liam , you really don't like me anymore?"