Her Unborn Baby’s Voice Chapter 08

Her Unborn Baby’s Voice Chapter 08

On a bright, sunlit weekend afternoon, Jane pushed me through the hospital garden in a wheelchair.

By then, I was already able to walk short distances on my own.

We stopped beside a long bench, and she helped me sit down carefully.

“The air outside feels so good,” I said, taking a deep breath and savoring a long–lost sense of peace.

“Yeah… everything’s over now.” Jane turned to look at me, her eyes gentle and bright.

We sat in silence for a while, enjoying the quiet.

Then, as if she had finally made up her mind, she spoke softly, “Jerry, there’s something I’ve been

keeping in my heart for a long time.”

I had a faint sense of what was coming. My heartbeat quickened slightly as I turned to face her.

“Since college, I’ve always admired you–your integrity, your talent, your composure.”

A faint blush rose to her cheeks, but her gaze remained steady.

“Later, when I found out you and Mary were together, I… I buried those feelings deep down. I just wanted

you to be happy.”

I listened quietly, a swirl of emotions rising within me. Memories of our college days surfaced dimly-

Jane had always been there, quietly present in my world.

“Then you got married, and I hid those feelings even deeper. I told myself I’d just be your friend. But…”

Her voice caught.

“When I heard what they did to you in that recording… when I saw you lying in that hospital bed, covered

in injuries… it felt like my heart was being cut apart. I hated myself for not noticing sooner, for not

protecting you.”

“Jane, that wasn’t your fault…” I tried to comfort her.

“Let me finish,” she interrupted, her eyes glistening with tears. “Jerry, I know you’ve just gone through all

this. Your heart must be in chaos, and you may not be ready for a new relationship.

“I’m not asking you to respond right away. I just want you to know how I feel. I want to stay by your side-

not as a friend, but as someone who hopes to be your partner. I want to take care of you. I want to walk

out of this darkness with you… and face every day of the future together.”

Her words were sincere and fervent, like a warm current flowing into a heart that had long been cold.

I looked at her–this woman who, at my darkest and most helpless moment, had stood by me without hesitation, staking everything on me. Her trust. Her companionship. Her care. Bit by bit, they had already

carved a deep imprint into my heart.

I had hesitated before–afraid I couldn’t immediately step into a new relationship, afraid I might fail her

sincerity. But now, looking into her eyes–filled with hope, yet tinged with nervousness–I suddenly understood that to remain trapped in the pain and betrayal of the past would be the greatest betrayal of

life itself and of the love before me.

She deserved to be cherished. And I deserved a new beginning.

I reached out and gently took her slightly cool hand.

She trembled, and a spark of joy lit up her eyes instantly.

Looking at her, I smiled–a genuine smile I hadn’t shown in a long time.

“Thank you, Jane. Thank you for believing in me when everyone else turned their backs. Thank you for staying by my side when I was at my lowest. Without you… I might not have made it through.”

I paused, tightening my hold on her hand.

“You’re right. Everything is behind us now. As for the future… if you don’t mind being with someone like me, still recovering, I’d like to try–together with you to start a new life.”

Tears welled up in Jane’s eyes–but they were tears of joy. She squeezed my hand tightly, laughing

through her tears.

“Don’t say such silly things, Jerry! I… I’m so happy!”

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, spilling over us–warm and radiant.

I pulled her gently into my arms, feeling the warmth and strength she brought with her. The ice in my heart seemed to melt, little by little.

Perhaps this was redemption. Perhaps this was hope.

Time passed, and a year later, my body had fully recovered, and my career was steadily rising. Jane and I grew closer day by day, our bond deepening through quiet support and mutual strength.

We didn’t rush into a grand ceremony. Instead, on a crisp autumn day, we invited a few close friends who

knew our story and held a simple, intimate wedding.

Jane, dressed in a white gown, radiated happiness–more beautiful than I had ever seen her.

Occasionally, I received updates from the prison about Mary. She had been well–behaved during her sentence. With her education, she had been assigned to clerical work inside.

I heard that she would often stare blankly at the wall.

As for her, I no longer felt resentment. And Brandon… He had become nothing more than a symbol, a warning–buried in thick case files and behind high prison walls, no longer intersecting with our lives.

One evening, after work, I pushed open the door to my home, greeted instantly by the rich aroma of

cooking.

“You’re home!” Jane leaned out from the kitchen, her face glowing with warmth.

I walked over and wrapped my arms around her from behind.

She leaned back into me, and together we watched the soup bubbling gently in the pot before exchanging a quiet smile.

Outside, the city lights flickered on, blending into a vast river of stars across the globe. Our home- shattered once, battered by storms–had finally become a single, steady light within that warm, luminous

expanse.