He Streamed My Fifth Abortion For Her Chapter 10

He Streamed My Fifth Abortion For Her Chapter 10

On my daughter’s one-month birthday, a package arrived.

There was no return address.

But I recognized the handwriting immediately.

Damien had written my address himself.

My mother frowned.

“Throw it away.”

I didn’t.

I opened it.

Inside was an old wooden box.

The corners had been worn smooth with age.

When I lifted the lid, I froze.

Four bracelets.

Each one was made from a simple red cord, with a tiny gold bead tied into the center.

My fingers went completely still.

After every surgery…

Damien had given me a gift.

The first time, a ring.

The second time, a necklace.

The third time, earrings.

The fourth time, a bracelet.

Back then, I thought they were apologies.

Proof that he cared.

After learning the truth, I had taken every single one off and left them behind at the Sterling estate.

But these…

I’d never seen these before.

A folded note rested beneath the bracelets.

[I went to a temple after every surgery.

I prayed for each of our babies.

One bracelet for one life.

The monk told me that if I kept them together, maybe our children would have better lives in their next ones.

I know none of this changes anything.

But there hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t thought about them.

I’m sorry.]

I stared at the four red bracelets for a very long time.

My hands didn’t shake.

I didn’t cry.

Three years ago…

I would have believed him.

Now…

I didn’t.

I closed the box and placed it in the very back of my closet.

I didn’t throw it away.

But I didn’t wear them either.

They could stay there.

Those four children had existed.

Whether Damien’s remorse was genuine or not…

I no longer cared enough to find out.

When my daughter turned two months old, Caleb called.

“Clara… there’s something I think you deserve to know.”

“What is it?”

“They found proof about Ethan.”

I stayed quiet.

Caleb continued.

“Damien confronted him.”

“He beat the hell out of Ethan.”

“Ethan called the cops.”

“Damien spent seven days in jail.”

After a pause, Caleb went on.

“When he got out, he confronted Vivian. He laid everything on the table.”

“She didn’t deny any of it.”

“It’s finally over between them.”

I shifted my daughter to my other arm.

My voice stayed calm.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Caleb hesitated.

“He wants to see you.”

“No.”

“He said he isn’t asking you to get back together.”

Another pause.

“He just wants to see his daughter… even if it’s only from a distance.”

“No.”

Several seconds of silence filled the line.

Finally Caleb sighed.

“…Okay.”

“I’ll tell him.”

After hanging up, I looked down at my little girl.

Her big round eyes stared curiously back at me while her tiny fingers tugged at my hair.

I kissed her forehead.

“The two of us are enough.”

Life settled into a quiet rhythm.

At three months, she learned to roll over.

At five months, her first tooth appeared.

By seven months, she could pull herself to her feet while holding onto the couch.

I found remote work as a freelance translator.

The income wasn’t impressive, but it comfortably covered our expenses.

My mother visited often, helping with the baby while constantly reminding me to eat more because I was

getting too thin.

Peaceful days.

Ordinary days.

No psychic consultants.

No operating tables.

No surgeries broadcast under general anesthesia.

Just the simple life I’d once dreamed of.

On my daughter’s first birthday, I took her to the park.

Holding my hand, she wobbled forward a few tiny steps before plopping onto the grass.

She didn’t cry.

She simply looked up at me…

And laughed.

I crouched down to scoop her into my arms.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone standing beside a park bench.

Far away.

Damien.

He looked even thinner than before.

Standing beneath the shade of an old oak tree, he held a small pink gift bag in one hand.

He never walked toward us.

He simply stood there.

Watching.

I picked up my daughter.

Resting against my shoulder, she turned her head curiously to look at the unfamiliar man in the distance.

I never looked back.

Holding her close, I walked forward.

One step after another.

Straight into the warm afternoon sunlight.

Whether the man behind me stayed where he was…

Or followed…

I never found out.

I never stopped walking.

This was the road I had chosen for myself.

All I had to do…

Was keep moving forward.