Xiaoxi stood frozen, the doctor's words echoing in her mind over and over again.
"She's not pregnant."
The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, igniting a flurry of chaotic thoughts that sent her spiraling into a pit of self-blame and guilt. She had thought Ling Buyi was pregnant—everyone had. That was the narrative her husband had spun. Ling Buyi's body language had been off during their last few meetings, her posture tense, her eyes dull, her voice quiet. Xiaoxi blamed herself for not noticing the signs sooner. She had failed her.
How had she missed it?
Ling Buyi's husband had been the one to announce the pregnancy. She remembered it clearly now—the triumphant grin on his face when he shared the news, his arm slung around Ling Buyi's shoulders as if to solidify his control. Xiaoxi hadn't thought much of it at the time, except to wonder why Ling Buyi herself hadn't spoken up.
