On our wedding anniversary, my husband's "true love" was taken hostage by a criminal wielding a knife.
As an emergency doctor, I was called to the scene. But before I could process what was happening, Colin, my husband, pushed me forward.
“Go take Siena’s place,” he ordered. “She’s pregnant. She can’t handle this.”
I bit my lip and didn't listen to him. I couldn't risk my life for his mistress. However, before I knew it, Colin pushed me toward the criminal and swiftly pulled Siena into his arms.
The criminal was shot dead shortly after, but not before his knife pierced deep into my abdomen.
As blood pooled around me, Colin was already carrying Siena in his arms, frantically calling for the obstetricians to check on her.
With all the strength I had left, I managed to whisper, "I’m pregnant too… Please save my baby."
But Colin, with a look of disdain, spat out each word slowly, cutting deeper than the knife ever could:
“Do you even have a brain? Lying about being pregnant just to steal attention from Siena?”
——
His words drained the last bit of light from my eyes.
Siena had only suffered a minor scratch, yet she clung to Colin, melodramatically complaining about stomach pains.
Colin’s eyes were full of concern as he reassured her.
“We need to check Siena first,” he told the doctors firmly. Then he glanced at me and intoned coldly, “If anything happens to her, I’ll take full responsibility. I’m her husband.”
The obstetricians hesitated, looking between me, lying in a pool of blood, and Siena. But Colin’s words were enough. After all, with Colin as the family member taking responsibility, it didn’t matter who they saved.
They hurried to Siena’s side, leaving me behind. It didn’t matter who was truly more injured—Colin had made his decision.
I lay there, slipping in and out of consciousness, watching as Colin tenderly held Siena. His concern for her cut deeper than any wound on my body.
Whispers from the doctors and nurses floated around me, stabbing straight into my heart.
“I can’t believe it. His wife is seriously injured, and he’s fussing over another woman?”
“And she’s not even hurt! It’s just a scratch!”
“Poor thing… What kind of husband ignores his wife like that?”
The pain was overwhelming. Breathing became impossible. I tasted blood in my mouth as I tried to call for help.
Desperately, I grabbed a nurse’s hand. “Please... save my baby,” I whispered, voice trembling with pain and fear.
Before I could say more, the agony from my wound silenced me.
Colin walked past me, cradling Siena in his arms. His face twisted in disgust as he glanced down at me.
“You’re still lying? Even now, trying to steal my attention?”
His voice dripped with contempt. “I told you Siena is pregnant, and now you're claiming to be, too? Competing with her for doctors? Unbelievable.”
He turned to the doctors. “Siena is the real pregnant one. She needs a full exam. Now.”
I could no longer fight back. Blood was filling my lungs, and I let out a small, involuntary groan as a stream of it escaped my lips.
The nurse beside me screamed in alarm. “She’s crashing! This patient won’t make it!”
The doctors surrounding Siena finally rushed to my side.
Colin barely glanced at me, his anger palpable. “How dare you show favoritism! If anything happens to Siena, who will take responsibility?”
His words hung in the air, freezing the doctors in place. Who would risk their careers to go against him?
Everyone moved away, leaving me in the nurse's care, her hands trembling as she held mine tightly.
"Stay with me," she whispered tearfully. "The next ambulance is on its way."
But I could feel myself slipping. My vision blurred, and the world around me faded.
Through the haze, I saw Colin gently place Siena in the ambulance, his arms wrapped protectively around her. He was too busy comforting her, too busy making sure she was alright. Too busy to even glance my way.
He didn’t see the blood pooling beneath me or the life draining from my body.
It wasn’t that Colin was heartless. His heart was just too full—of Siena. There was no room left for me, his wife.
As the ambulance doors closed, he cast a fleeting glance in my direction.
But it was just that—fleeting.
“Eloise,” he said indifferently, “you’ve always been healthy. Hang in there. They’ll come back for you soon.”
Then, without hesitation, he shut the doors, and the ambulance sped off, leaving me behind.
The wail of the sirens faded into the distance as darkness crept in.
I could feel my blood leaving my body, warmth slipping away. Tears welled in my eyes as I lost my grip on consciousness, a single thought echoing through my mind.
Why does it hurt so much…?
After seven years of marriage, and when faced with life and death, Colin chose his first love.
Eloise, is it the knife in your stomach that hurts more, or the gaping wound in your heart?
In a haze, I heard a voice calling me. Slowly, I opened my eyes and realized I was in the emergency room.
"Ms. Cromwell," a familiar voice said softly—it was the young nurse from before, looking downcast.
"Can you contact any other family members?" she asked, her voice low and hesitant. "We've tried calling your husband, but he hasn’t answered. The surgery requires a family member’s signature..."
A sharp pain shot through my chest, but not from my injuries. Colin was probably too busy fussing over Siena to even think of me right now. Why would he bother answering?
"I’ll sign it myself," I murmured, forcing the words out. My hand trembled as I scribbled my name on the paper. Just as I thought I might pass out from the pain, I overheard the nurses talking nearby.
"It’s so unfair, isn’t it? That pregnant woman with the last name West—her husband treats her like a queen," one said in disbelief.
"And here this poor woman is, barely clinging to life, and we can’t even find her family."
Afraid that I might feel worse hearing this, the young nurse quickly interrupted them, her voice thick with emotion. "Stop talking! She can hear you."
But I wasn’t angry; in fact, I found it oddly amusing. If only they knew the 'good husband' they were praising had left his wife to bleed out while rushing to care for another woman—I wonder what they would think.
But none of that mattered now. All I cared about was saving my baby.
As the anesthesia started to take effect, I struggled to stay awake. My eyes found the nurse’s, and with the last bit of strength I had, I whispered, “My baby...”
But before I could finish, darkness overtook me.
...
I didn't know how much time had passed, but when I woke up, my ears were filled with frantic voices. Doctors surrounded me, bright operating room lights glaring down on my pale face.
"The patient is losing too much blood, and the baby’s heartbeat is gone! Call Dr. Levine from obstetrics—now!"
My right hand was still gripped tightly by the young nurse, who whispered, trying to calm me, “It’s going to be okay. Dr. Levine is an expert. She’ll save your baby.”
Her voice trembled, betraying her worry. I nodded weakly, holding on to the hope that my child could still survive.
The sound of hurried footsteps filled the room, and then a nurse’s excited voice rang out, "Dr. Levine is here!"
For a brief moment, relief washed over me.
"...118, 119, the baby's heartbeat has returned!"
The operating room was filled with cheers of relief. But that was short-lived.
A loud, forceful knock came from outside the operating room. The nurse went to check and returned, her face brightening.
"Ms. Cromwell, your husband is here to see you!" she said excitedly.
But before I could even register her words, Colin’s voice cut through the air, sharp and hurried.
"Dr. Levine, my wife is pregnant! She’s in pain—please, you have to check on her now!"
The room fell silent. Dr. Levine’s eyes hardened as she answered firmly, “I’m in the middle of a critical surgery. You’ll have to wait.”
The young nurse holding my hand suddenly stormed out, her anger palpable. "Are you insane?" she shouted at Colin. "Your wife is here fighting for her life, and you’re trying to steal her doctor for someone else?"
Colin’s voice faltered, confused. "Eloise? Eloise Cromwell? She’s the one in surgery?"
Then he laughed—a cruel, sarcastic laugh as he spat, "Don’t be ridiculous. She’s not pregnant. Why would she need an obstetrician?"
He tried to barge in, but the nurses blocked his path. His voice rang out in anger.
"You have no ethics! Neglecting a real pregnant woman—I'm going to report all of you!" he barked.
Tears welled in my eyes, not from the pain but from the realization. Whether I was pregnant or not, if he interrupted the surgery, it could cost me my life. Apparently, to him, my life—and the life of our child—was meaningless. The people fighting to save me were strangers. But my husband, the man I had loved for seven years, didn’t care whether I lived or died.
"She’s losing consciousness! Her blood pressure is plummeting!" someone shouted.
I could hear Colin’s footsteps retreating, leaving me behind, just as he had always done.
Chapter 3I woke up to a soft voice calling my name. The young nurse was by my side again, holding a syringe.
"You’re awake!" she smiled gently, though her eyes were still red. "You were lucky. The knife didn’t hit any vital organs, or it could have been much worse."
My hand instinctively reached for my stomach, searching for the small bump that had been there before. But all I felt was emptiness.
The nurse’s expression darkened. "I’m so sorry. We did everything we could..."
Even though I had braced myself for this, hearing it said out loud crushed me. My vision blurred, and my chest felt hollow.
My baby, who had been with me for three months, was gone.
Perhaps he had known—known that his father didn’t want him. Perhaps that’s why he chose to leave me so quietly.
Just then, the door swung open, and Colin entered, holding a bouquet of red roses. The moment I saw him, the nurse’s demeanor hardened.
"What are you doing here?" she snapped. "She doesn’t want to see you."
Colin’s expression darkened. "Is this how you talk to family members? I’m her husband."
"Family?" the nurse shot back. "What kind of husband abandons his wife, leaving her to fight for her life alone?"
As her words fell, Colin's jaw clenched and his face twisted in anger.
I watched him, feeling nothing but cold irony. A man I had been married to for seven years now felt more like a stranger, while a stranger had just shown me more kindness than he ever had.
The tension in the room was thick, and I could see Colin's gaze shift to the nurse’s name tag.
He sneered, his voice laced with venom. "Nicole Elsher, is it? Looks like I’ll need to have a word with your supervisor about how they’re training their nurses."
Nicole's face flushed with anger, and I could tell she was on the verge of standing up to him. But I raised a hand, stopping her.
After living with Colin for so long, I knew exactly how vindictive he could be. If she spoke another word, he would use every connection he had to make sure she lost her job.
"Nurse Elsher, it’s fine. You can leave now. I’ll speak with him alone," I said calmly.
Nicole hesitated, biting her lip in frustration, but eventually turned and left the room, clearly unhappy with how things had played out.
Only once she was gone did Colin's expression soften. However, when he looked at me, his face was gleaming with smugness, as if he was saying, "See? I knew you’d want me to stay."
Tsk. He had the nerve to act as if nothing had happened.
"The staff here is awful," he muttered, shaking his head. "I’ll have you transferred to a better hospital in a few days."
I couldn't help but scoff internally. He still hadn’t changed. Always trying to control things, to make it seem like he was in charge of my well-being—when all along, he had been the source of my suffering.
He set the roses down on the bedside table, smiling as if everything was fine. "I brought your favorite—red roses. Don’t they look beautiful?"
I looked away, disgusted by his casual arrogance. But he didn’t seem to care about my cold response. Instead, He pulled a chair over and sat next to me, still smiling. "Come on, you’re still mad?"
"Siena is pregnant. Anything could’ve happened to her and the baby. Don’t be so petty."
"When you’re feeling better, I’ll take you shopping, okay? Buy whatever you want."
His tone was so indifferent, so dismissive. He truly believed that a few gifts and empty promises could fix everything—that I was just upset and would get over it soon.
How could he be so blind?
I didn’t even want to argue anymore. Just being near him made me sick.
"Colin," I said, my voice was steady but cold. "There’s nothing left to say. Let’s get a divorce."
Chapter 4Colin’s face darkened. “Eloise, are you seriously trying to use divorce as some twisted tactic to get attention?”
He scoffed, his words dripping with disdain. “First, you fake being pregnant just to steal the doctor from Siena, and now you’re throwing around threats of divorce. Can you stop being so childish?”
I furrowed my brows, feeling the exhaustion settle deep into my bones. I couldn’t entirely blame him for not believing me. After all, I used to love him with such blind devotion. No matter how many times he hurt me, I would swallow the pain and keep smiling.
But now? I was just tired.
“Colin, this isn’t a game or a threat,” I said, my voice calm but weary. “I’m exhausted—mentally, emotionally. Would a divorce really be so terrible? You’re in love with Siena, she’s divorced now, and I’m offering to step aside. You two can finally be together.”
For some reason, my words seemed to strike a nerve. Colin’s eyes flared with anger, and he cut me off sharply.
“Enough, Eloise! Stop with the theatrics. These manipulative tricks are only making me more annoyed.” He sneered, his tone condescending. “I won’t hold this against you, but you need to seriously reflect on your behavior.”
He turned to leave as if that was the final word on the matter.
“Wait.”
Colin halted, glancing back at me. His anger seemed to waver slightly, as if he expected me to back down, like always.
I pointed to the bouquet of red roses on the bedside table, my voice steady as I spoke.
“You remembered wrong. The one thing I hate most in this world is red roses. Take them with you.”
Colin froze, caught off guard by my words. A flash of panic crossed his face—just for a moment—before he tried to cover it.
He opened his mouth as if to argue or explain, but I had already turned my head away, dismissing him without another word.
All I heard were his hurried footsteps as he grabbed the roses and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Finally, the room fell into silence. I closed my eyes, hoping for some rest after all the chaos.
Suddenly, my phone vibrated on the bedside table. Sighing, I grabbed it and immediately saw a message from Siena.
[Eloise, is Colin with you? Tell him to come back quickly; I want him to make me some porridge.]
I stared at the message, feeling the urge to block her. But as I swiped the screen, my fingers slipped, and I accidentally opened her social media feed instead.
There, staring back at me, was a photo of a lavish bouquet of red roses alongside a smaller bouquet of delicate white jasmine.
Her caption read: [Red roses are so tacky. When he saw I didn’t like them, he bought me jasmine to make me happy!]
I instantly recognized the roses. They were the very same ones Colin had brought to me.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place—Colin had given me the flowers that Siena had rejected.
A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I scrolled down to see Colin’s comment beneath her post:
[Jasmine for you, my wish is that you never leave.]
The comment section was filled with a stream of supportive messages from his friends, offering their congratulations and blessings.
I stared at the screen, stunned.
Colin’s friends had always disliked me, thinking I was the one who had come between him and Siena. They believed I was the third party in their story.
But they couldn’t have been more wrong.
I had been with Colin for ten years—married to him for seven. It was Siena who had reappeared out of nowhere and inserted herself back into his life.
Our marriage had been happy—almost perfect—until Siena returned from abroad.
Colin had claimed his involvement with her was purely out of gratitude, that she had done him a favor in the past and he was simply repaying the debt.
But it wasn’t long before their relationship became inseparable, and their closeness suffocating.
I used to ask him if I had done something wrong, constantly trying to please him, thinking I could win back his affection.
Until the day I overheard him in a private room, talking to his friends.
"Eloise isn’t bad, but compared to Siena, she just doesn’t measure up.”
“Siena, if only you’d come back a few years earlier, we could’ve had a kid in school by now.”
I remember Siena laughing softly, playfully teasing him. “Colin, am I your true love?”
His friends had cheered them on, calling them the real couple.
Siena would always brush off their comments, but she would still post ambiguous messages on social media. And Colin wasn't any different—he loved the attention, the way people thought he was Siena’s true husband, not mine.
We fought about it once. However, Colin told me I was overreacting, that there was no need to prove anything, and that I should respect his choices.
He promised me he’d set boundaries with Siena, but those boundaries never held.
Whenever she looked at him with those teary eyes, he would forget all sense of reason.
And as for me? He always believed I would never leave him. That no matter how far he pushed, I’d always come crawling back.
Seven years of marriage had taught me the harshest lesson.
To Colin, Siena was the untouchable 'first love'—the woman he would always cherish from afar. As for me? I was like the 'cow dung,' the thing he could casually mock and discard.
But what he forgot was that I was not like him. I won’t grovel forever.
And as for his so-called savior, I had my doubts. Was Siena truly the one who saved his life all those years ago?
Or was that just another story she spun to keep him hooked?