Bao Caihong checked her missed calls and messages, realizing they were all from her business partners, and James had handled everything. Curious, she opened Instagram and was greeted by posts from Gao Ming and his mistress, Xuan Yin.
Her heart started racing faster, like she was going to run out of breath. She placed her hand on her chest as she controlled her emotions.
She wanted to close the app, but she was curious.
There were three different pictures: one of them sitting together, dressed in matching outfits, another of them facing each other with Gao Ming kissing Xuan Yin's forehead, and the third of Xuan Yin seemingly being held by Gao Ming from behind.
Feeling a mix of betrayal, heartbreak, and anger, Bao Caihong couldn't help but despise both of them, especially Gao Ming. While she was in pain, he seemed to be enjoying himself with his mistress.
Tears of anger welled up in her eyes as she tapped on Gao Ming's account, only to find that he had replaced all their pictures with ones of him and Xuan Yin.
Her heart sank.
Was she so easily replaceable?
She bit her lower lips trying to stop herself from crying over a man that doesn't worth it.
Reading through the comments, she saw questions about their relationship status, who Xuan Yin was, and even some people expressing joy that he was dating someone new. Gao Ming didn't respond to any of them. At that very moment, the remaining hope she had vanished, and was replaced with seething anger.
With fury in her heart, she unfollowed him and blocked his account, muttering curses under her breath. As tears of anger blurred her vision, Bao Caihong clenched her fists and mouthed curses at the screen. "You heartless traitor!" she seethed, her voice trembling with rage. "How could you do this to me?" Her knuckles turned white with the force of her grip as she vowed revenge. "I'll make you regret the day you ever crossed me, Gao Ming!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled to catch her breath. Placing a hand on her chest, she closed her eyes and let herself cry. She vowed to never let Gao Ming know about their child – he didn't deserve to be its father.
As she sat in her wheelchair, with tears streaming down her cheeks, she heard the door creak open behind her. Startled, she quickly wiped her tears and closed her phone.
"CEO Bao?"
"Yes, James?" she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, her throat hoarse from crying.
James stepped into the room, his gaze filled with concern as he approached her. He had never seen her so vulnerable before, and it pained him to see her like this. "I brought you some food," he said softly, his tone gentle. "It's according to the doctor's prescription. You need to eat."
"Oh, yeah. That's true" Bao Caihong nodded silently, realizing that she hadn't eaten since she woke up. Her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her of her hunger. She watched as James set up a foldable table in front of her and began to serve her the food.
As the food was placed on the table, She didn't know why she was feeling so hungry. She scanned the array of dishes before her, her stomach rumbling in anticipation. She reached out to grab a spoon and took a sip from the soup. Her facial expression changed immediately and she placed the spoon down gently. The soup was tasting sour and she didn't like the smell.
Perhaps, James noticed this and frowned. "Is there a problem?" he asked in a low voice.
"Uhm... Can you get me something else?" She ran her fingers through her hair, embarrassed as she said, "Something more spicy and salty?"
James didn't know what to say, but he still did as he was told. He immediately called the chef to cook something different just as she wanted and hurriedly went out to get her a drink.
In not less than thirty minutes, James came in with the drink and another set of trays filled with food. Two young girls dressed uniformly stepped in, bowed and quickly packed the food that was on the table, replacing them with the newly cooked food. The moment she saw the food, her eyes lit up and she wasted no time digging in.
With each bite, Bao Caihong felt a wave of contentment. Although she knew that her cravings was because of her baby, she still didn't care. She already made a promise to herself and her unborn child that she would do everything to make it live the best and perfect life. She would give it what it deserves.
—
Bao Caihong leaned back in her chair, a contented smile gracing her lips as she rested her hands on her belly. The satisfying flavors of the food lingered on her tongue, and she felt a sense of warmth spreading through her body.
"I feel so good" she said, a smile appeared on her lips. She lowered her head to look at her belly and whispered to her child in a low voice, "Baby, are you satisfied?"
James watched her and quietly packed the trays and empty plates and walked out of the room.
Late in the night, Dr. Li came over to do a quick check up on her and with the help of the nurses, Bao Caihong was gently moved back to the bed, where she nestled into the soft pillows and blankets.
She glanced at the scan once more, a smile playing on her lips as she marveled at the miracle growing inside her. Tenderly, she kissed the image of her unborn child before placing it carefully on the bedside table.
Closing her eyes, Bao Caihong allowed herself to succumb to the embrace of sleep. The events of the day began to fade away, replaced by a sense of calm and serenity.
---
Bao Caihong found herself walking alone in the forest at night, barefoot and dressed only in her hospital gown. She looked around and saw that she was the only one. She felt scared and her hand tightened into a fist, but despite the darkness and eerie sounds surrounding her, she pressed on. She felt like she was driven by an unknown force.
Suddenly, a man's voice sounded, echoing through the trees. "Bao Caihong"
She halted, scanning her surroundings, but saw no one. "Who's there?" she called out, her voice trembling with unease, yet receiving no response.
Feeling vulnerable and exposed, she searched for something to defend herself with and spotted a sturdy stick nearby. She hurriedly reached out to grab it and she clutched it tightly, she braced herself for whatever was to come.
"Bao Caihong!" Then, the voice spoke again, this time a sinister laughter accompanying it, now in a woman's tone.
Fear gripped Bao Caihong's heart as she realized she was not alone.
With a surge of panic, she began to run, her footsteps echoing through the silent forest. But no matter how fast she ran, the presence behind her seemed to draw nearer, its footsteps echoing ominously. She dared not look back, consumed by a sense of dread.
As she was running, her ankle twisted and she tripped, falling flat on the floor. The first thing that came to her mind was her baby. She hurriedly sat on the floor, her shaky hands on her belly trying to feel her baby's movements. "My baby... baby" tears welled up in her eyes. Her eyes moved around, desperately trying to look for the person.
In a desperate plea for answers, Bao Caihong called out, "Who are you? What do you want from me?"
The response came as another chilling laugh, filled with malice. "What do I want?" the voice replied, dripping with malevolence. "Your life."