Chapter 7

　　Outside the hospital, it was pouring even harder than last night. This time there was no wind, just a deluge of water falling from the sky.

　　Zoey was sheltering in a corner by the exit, waiting for the rain to pass so she could grab a ride. Her small hand caressed her abdomen, and her face was full of tenderness. She whispered in a low voice. \"It’s just the two of us from now on.\"

　　Though tears fell from her eyes, her mind had become a little bit clearer.

　　Jerome drove away with Xyrille. Xyrille happily looked at the man beside her. From now on, he was hers. She had spent so much time plotting this, and she was relieved that her efforts had finally borne fruit. She was now the winner, and her friend had lost.

　　Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a lone woman standing near the exit. In the rain, she seemed lost and lonely. Xyrille almost felt sorry for the woman, but froze when she realized it was Zoey. She was caressing her abdomen.

　　The heavy rain continued for an hour before it started to subside.

　　Covering her head with her bag, she went straight to the bus stop. Just after she had crossed the road, a black van suddenly stopped in front of her. A man got off and covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief. Soon, she was knocked out.

　　The car sped away.

　　When Zoey regained consciousness, she found that she was in an abandoned warehouse. The back of her head throbbed in pain.

　　Clicking footsteps approached her.

　　It sounded like a pair of high heels.

　　\"It’s you!” Zoey struggled to free her hands and feet, which had been bound tightly. “You had me kidnapped!\"

　　\"Jerome and I are perfect for each other,” Xyrille began, “You’re the one who took him from me! You were too desperate for him. Look where that got you,” Xyrille said, shaking her head.

　　Without warning, she gave Zoey a slap. Oh that feels good, Xyrille thought. She hadn’t been able to vent her feelings for a while. It gets tiring, she thought, when you’ve been acting for so long.

　　“You want to hear the truth? I was the one who told you to go to the hotel. I was the one who told the man about your mole. I’m so clever, aren’t I?”

　　Xyrille laughed as she caressed Zoey’s cheek, then her slender fingers reached down to Zoey’s flat abdomen.

　　Zoey\'s eardrums were buzzing. There was blood in her mouth, and the smell made her nauseous. Her stomach threatened to empty out its contents.

　　Zoey’s heart tightened. \"What do you need from me? You’ve killed my child, what else do you want?\"

　　\"Really?\" Xyrille circled her and tugged at her hair from behind, forcing her to raise her head. \"Why don\'t I open your belly to see if the child is still there?\"

　　\"No!\" Zoey trembled in fear and anger. \"You’ve taken my husband from me! What more do you want? You are pregnant yourself, aren’t you afraid that your child will pay for your sins one day?\"

　　“Oh, how melodramatic.” Xyrille laughed. \"I like seeing you frightened like that. Don’t worry, I won\'t do anything to your child. After all, that’s my best friend’s child.”

　　Zoey had no idea what she was up to this time, but she was relieved to learn that her baby would be okay for the time being. From that day on, she was imprisoned in that dark, damp factory.

　　At first, she counted the days, but as time went by, she simply drifted. Each day was no different from the last. Ten days, twenty days, thirty days.

　　Her thoughts, her fears and her confusion, all melted together. Sometimes she was incoherent, but there were moments of clarity. Sometimes she heard voices, but there was no one to talk to.

　　Three months later, Xyrille still hasn’t shown up.