Love Left Behind

After six years of marriage, I was pregnant with Clayton Barnett’s child again.

I secretly brought the pregnancy test results to work, hoping to surprise him.

Then, a familiar laugh echoed from inside the room.

“Whoa, Clayton truly loves his daughter. He even married the daughter of his sworn enemy just to get her a heart transplant.”

“What did you say? Well, Clayton only loves Gloria. He never even married that woman, Hazel. I had someone forge the marriage certificate!”

It turned out that the car accident that killed my daughter was planned by Clayton himself. The loving marriage I believed in was just an illusion. After learning the truth, I didn’t burst into tears. Instead, I quietly did two things.

First, I went to the hospital for an abortion and took away the tiny piece of flesh.

Second, I had someone cancel my ID card and made plans to leave for Coney Island seven days later.

Since Clayton never truly loved anyone, I decided to let them be together and free myself.

Thirty minutes later, I lost my second child.

I didn’t cry when I walked out of Clayton’s office, nor when I signed the surgery consent form. But I broke down sobbing as I held the bottle containing my child’s remains.

An hour later, someone from the agency called me when I was at home.

“Miss Moran, we’d like to offer you a virtual family service. Would you be interested?”

I paused for a moment, then nodded.

“Please arrange a husband for me instead. The one who will never lie.”

Before I could finish speaking, Clayton came back. He gently hugged me, his voice warm.

“Last time, you said these dumplings reminded you of your mom’s, so I bought them. Eat them while they’re hot.”

I stared at the steaming bowl of dumplings on the table, stunned.

Could this kind of tenderness be faked?

Hoarsely, I asked, “Clayton, our marriage certificate got soaked the other day. Should we go get a new one?”

“No!”

He quickly cut me off, a flicker of awkwardness in his eyes.

“The company has a big order coming in. Can we talk about it after I finish work?”

My heart sank. I clenched my fists without realizing it. Still, he didn’t notice.

His hand slid under my skirt, his voice low and husky.

“Let’s talk later. I missed you so much … ”

A strange scent hit my nose. White gardenia. I was allergic to it.

And it was Gloria Barnett’s favorite flower. Startled, I stood up as if I had been stung. Clayton’s hand froze in midair.

Before I could come up with an excuse, he noticed what was on the floor. It was the pregnancy test report. It was supposed to be my thirdanniversary gift for him that I never had the chance to give.

“You’re pregnant?”

Clayton’s voice trembled with joy.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

He smiled.

“It’s my fault. I’ll go clean up. Wait here.”

I wanted to tell him the baby was already gone, but all I could see was his back.

Water ran in the bathroom. Something pulled me toward it and then I heard Clayton’s voice.

“Gloria, don’t cry. It breaks my heart. I’ve got good news. She’s pregnant. Our child will get a new heart.”

“I know you don’t want me to touch her. I feel sick too. Every time I touch her, I have to shower or I’ll throw up. If it weren’t for Regina and Hazel’s inheritance, I wouldn’t come back here.”

I froze, chills running down my spine.

Since our first child died, Clayton and I had grown distant. Lately, he’d seemed so gentle. I thought he wanted to make up. But it was all a lie, just the final blow for my unborn child.

Gloria’s delicate voice came through the phone.

“If Hazel found out, she’d never agree … ”

Clayton cut her off coldly, “If I could cause one car accident, I can cause another.”

“She’s lost her parents. Without me, she has nowhere to go. Two kids … this is the price she has to pay. What, should I raise her for nothing?”

His disgust stabbed into me like a knife. My heart trembled.

Seven years ago, my parents died in an accident. I fell from a happy home into hell. I was standing on a rooftop when Clayton, my sworn enemy, knelt and proposed.

“Hazel, from now on, treat me like family. I’ll be with you forever.”

Six years ago, a car crash took my onemonthold baby.

Before I could even hold her, Clayton had me sign the heart donation form.

The recipient? Regina Barnett, Gloria’s only daughter.

Now, it was clear that they were the real family.

And I was just a hidden tool in the estate, a walking womb.

If the price of knowing the truth was losing both of my children, then it was time to wake up and leave.

Chapter 2

I woke up early in the morning when I heard the sound of a crying child.

As I stepped into the living room, something hard hit my forehead, sending a sharp jolt of pain through it.

“I don’t want this! It’s such an ugly brand! My classmates will laugh at me if I bring it”

Looking at Regina throwing a tantrum, I suddenly remembered that it was her seventh birthday.

Gloria looked embarrassed, but her eyes flicked around.

“Regina, your Auntie Hazel loves you very much. She didn’t mean to give you something so plain.”

After my parents passed away, they left me a large inheritance and this estate in the city center.

After my heart transplant, I poured all my love into Regina, the one who carried my daughter’s heart. Gloria said she wanted to show her kids the world, so I spent hundreds of thousands arranging a world tour for them.

Regina’s health was fragile, so I helped them buy an estate near the hospital.

And now, Regina had smashed the gift I had prepared long ago, which was a metal jar for my dead baby that I had gotten after I worked very hard.

“I want that little doll with a gold necklace!”

Following her finger, I saw the box I had hidden deep in the cabinet being pulled out.

The solid gold pendant was a birth gift for my first child.

In the past, I would have given it without a second thought.

But today, I didn’t want to keep pleasing a greedy child who wasn’t mine.

“No. That’s for my daughter, not you.”

Regina froze, her gaze drifting suspiciously to my belly.

“Auntie Hazel is pregnant again?”

Then, she said something that made my blood run cold.

“Once Auntie Hazel’s baby is born, I’ll have a new heart. Daddy is so good to me!”

Even Regina knew. I was the only one left in the dark. My hands moved before I could think and I pushed her away. My hair stood on end.

Regina sat on the floor, stunned for two seconds and then she cried out loud. But not a single tear fell. Clayton appeared from nowhere and scooped her into his arms, full of concern.

“Daddy, Auntie Hazel hurt me. She wouldn’t give me the little doll and she pushed me … huhu … ”

Gloria stepped forward with watery eyes and a wounded look.

“I’m sorry. We upset you. Regina and I will leave now … ”

Watching the perfect family of three, I instinctively clenched my fists and swallowed the bitterness.

When Regina first called Clayton ‘Dad’, I had had a huge fight with him.

But all he said was, “You’re being unreasonable.”

He claimed Regina was pitiful, but that was just an excuse.

In the end, I gave in as usual.

After learning the reason behind today’s outburst, Clayton frowned at me.

“Hazel, don’t be so stingy. You don’t need the child anymore, so why not let Regina have it?”

“You weren’t like this before.”

I stared at him, a bitter smile tugging at my lips.

“That’s because before, I was blind … kept in the dark like an idiot.”

Clayton’s face stiffened and his voice softened.

“Regina’s just talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart. I’ll give her the little doll and that’s the end of it.”

When I said nothing, he added tentatively, “Our sixth anniversary is coming up. How about an island vacation?”

He knew that the old me would’ve cried and thrown a tantrum over something like this. But now, after losing two children, my spirit was worn thin. I had no energy left to scream.

I pressed my lips together.

“Okay. I have a gift for you, too.”

A few minutes later, I came downstairs carrying a heavy gift box.

As I passed Gloria, I caught the greedy flicker in her eyes before handing it to Clayton.

Inside were the remains of my unborn child, soaked in murky formalin. Along with the medical records of my first baby and a document severing all ties.

I was ready. I had to leave cleanly, without regrets.

My money, my child … he couldn’t have either.

Clayton smiled, relieved, as he reached for the box.

“Hazel, you’re so thoughtful. It’s heavy, though. Is it perhaps cash or gold bars?”

I looked at him coldly.

“It’s what you’ve always wanted most. But promise me one thing. You open it until seven days from now.”

I came back to my room and kept flipping through the family photo on the table.

Back then, I was carefree and my mother would frown, gently tapping my forehead.

“You silly goose, what will you do when you get married?”

I just gave her a hug, smiling.

“Well then, pick someone for me, Mom. He’ll definitely treat me well.”

The noise downstairs brought back my memory. Frowning, I headed down.

“Little birthday girl, look at the camera and give us a sign!”

I hadn’t even noticed when so many people filled the living room. Children ran around in a noisy mess.

“What’s going on here?”

Clayton looked over, his smile vanishing fast.

He stepped in front of me and asked, “What’s wrong with you, Auntie? Who told you to wear the mistress’s clothes?”

I glanced down at my long nightgown, confused by what he meant.

Clayton whispered, “Regina said her classmates are ignoring her. She wanted to have her party here to save face. Just bear with it for now and I’ll apologize later.”

Before I could reply, the parents nearby started whispering.

“Is that nanny hoping for a promotion? Everyone knows Clayton is madly in love with Gloria. They’re the most admired couple at our school.”

“Their daughter is six already. No matter how pretty she is, Mr. Barnett wouldn’t give up his wife and kid for her.”

The most admired couple?

I stood stunned, staring at Clayton.

Since my parents died, I had locked myself away in this estate, avoiding the outside world and Clayton’s social life.

He’d always been gentle with me.

“Hazel, just stay home. I’ll tell everyone you’re my wife, the only one I love.”

And now they’d become a family.

I was the one branded as the shameless mistress.

Gloria casually picked up my silk scarf from the table, dabbed her eyes and softly apologized.

“It’s my fault for being too kind. My nanny interrupted the kids’ party.”

“Take off my clothes and leave them here. I’ll act like none of this happened.”

I laughed in disbelief and stopped in my tracks.

“Gloria, how did the house I’ve lived in for thirty years suddenly become yours?”

I turned toward the cabinet to dig out my property deed.

Clayton stopped me. The next moment, my silk pajamas were ripped off, exposing pale skin.

“Alright, nanny, stop making a fuss. Return Gloria’s clothes!”

He emphasized ‘nanny’ like a dagger.

A woman nearby gasped and quickly covered her child’s eyes. My blood rushed backward. My hands trembled as I tried to hold onto the shredded clothes.

In this sixyearlong fake marriage, wasn’t I always just a ‘nanny’?

Holding back tears, I said once more, firm and loud, “This is my home. You are not welcome. Please leave!”

Gloria smiled as she stroked the table.

“These are my favorite white gardenias. Mr. Barnett has them flown in from Europe every day.”

My eyes followed her hand. The flowers were beautiful, but I had been allergic to pollen since childhood.

“The décor is my favorite Spanish style. My husband and I picked out every piece together.”

After my daughter died, I couldn’t bear the house anymore, so I redecorated in my favorite Spanish style.

“And these photos, just my husband, me and Regina’s birthday memories.”

“How can you prove this house is yours?”

My face turned pale. The only thing I had left to prove ownership was a key. This estate, where I had lived for over twenty years, had slowly turned into something I couldn’t recognize.

“Please ask the nanny to leave our house now.”

Everyone’s glarings felt like tiny knives, which stabbed my heart.

I shoved Clayton aside and pulled the property deed out from the cabinet.

Just as I lifted it, Regina suddenly collapsed, her eyes fluttering shut.

“Mom … my chest hurts … ”

“What the hell are you doing?!”

Clayton pushed me away and swept Regina into his arms.

His eyes burned red as he glared at me.

“You’re fucking nuts! If anything happens to Regina, I’ll make you pay with your life!”

My lower back slammed against the table corner. Pain surged through me, sharp and breathstealing. He forgot I was supposed to be carrying his child, too.

As Clayton and Gloria rushed out, the other guests slowly filtered out of the room.

In the cold, silent space they left behind, I crumpled to the floor, no longer able to hold back my tears. That night, the door creaked open. Clayton came in, his expression dark.

“Regina was released from the ER after a heart episode. You’ll go apologize to her tomorrow.”

I turned my back on him, coldly.

“No.”

His voice hardened with anger as he grabbed my arm, then yanked me to face him.

“If I had known you were this cruel, I had never have married you! No wonder your parents died in an accident. Even your child got hit by a car … ”

That sentence said everything.

Our socalled marriage had been a lie. The accident? Also a lie.

I stood suddenly, my voice low and sharp.

W“Was it really an accident?”

Clayton froze. For the first time, he saw real rage rise in my eyes. He instinctively shook his head.

“Hazel … what are you saying … ”

His smile twitched. Then his phone rang and he used a work excuse to slip away. Watching him run, I laughed to myself.

A moment later, my phone beeped. The same person from the agency had sent me a few photos.

“These are the candidates to be your husband. Please choose the one you like.”

My eyes landed on the man in the farright photo. He had thick brows and dark, calm eyes, looking down at a book. That book was my mother’s masterpiece. Without hesitation, I picked him.

“This one charges $500,000, Miss.”

“Fine.”

I checked my balance. After purchasing Petra Island, not much remained. Thanks to his reminder, I transferred my estate to Sotheby's International Realty and cut off all expenses that weren’t mine.

Gloria’s beauty packages. Regina’s extracurricular classes. Clayton’s car loan. All linked to my credit card, yet never a word of thanks.

Maybe guilt held him back, because Clayton didn’t question me once over the next five days.

Silently, I reviewed the service list from the agency and checked off a handsome butler, a Michelinstarred chef and a highend beautician.

That was enough. From now on, I would live for myself.

The day of my departure came closer with each breath. I began packing the estate room by room, tossing out anything that belonged to Gloria or Regina. When Clayton came home, he tripped over a box on the floor.

He bent down and pulled out a ring, frowning.

“Hazel, isn’t this our wedding ring? Why did you throw it away?”

Calmly, I said, “Because it didn’t fit.”

The ring had never been my size.

A flicker of confusion passed through his eyes. He took my hand and slid the ring onto my finger, coaxing, “It’s a shame to throw away a good ring. Don’t be upset. Gloria only has me as her brother. I have to take care of them.”

“Regina’s medical bills have been piling up lately, you know … ”

I gently moved my hand, causing the silver ring to slip off. It then landed with a soft clink. After that, it quickly spun on the floor, revealing the engraved words inside.

‘C&G’

In silence, I finally remembered that awful wedding.

No friends, no family, no wedding dress. Just a tendollar veil from a factory outlet and a ring that wasn’t even mine. In fact, Clayton never looked me in the eye during the vows.

Even in the few times we were intimate, he insisted the lights be off.

Every visit after marriage came with a reason, either for the children or for money.

“I’m short on cash lately. I’ll sell a few things and get by.”

Clayton believed it, picking up the fallen ring again.

This time, he placed it in the glove compartment.

“These are your things. You decide.”

Money didn’t seem to matter to him anymore. He stayed a moment longer, then hurried off. Meanwhile, I kept packing.

My parents’ belongings filled twenty suitcases. My own filled barely half. I thought for a moment, then threw most of it away, slipping just one photo into my chest pocket.

As I stepped outside, two bodyguards grabbed me and pulled me into a car.

“Miss Moran, Mr. Barnett wants to see you.”

At the hospital entrance, Clayton stood with a serious face.

“You can cancel my card, but why would you stop Regina’s extracurriculars? Her heart condition came back after she got kicked out.”

“Come apologize to her and promise to pay for her classes again.”

I stepped back, voice firm.

“No. I’ll spend my money on who I choose, not someone trying to take my place.”

Clayton’s brows furrowed. He grabbed my arm, trying to pull me into the hospital. In the struggle, the family photo I had protected for years slipped from my pocket.

I lunged to pick it up, but a pair of polished leather shoes stomped on it first. They were the shoes I had picked out for Clayton after weeks of searching, custommade by a master shoemaker. The moment the photo was crushed into the muddy ground, something inside me snapped.

In my mind, the young and ambitious Clayton, the older Clayton, the businessman, the gentle husband, all of them, shattered at once.

Then, I heard his cold, disappointed voice.

“Hazel, you’ve lost children and family before. How can you not understand Gloria’s love for her daughter?”

“If that’s how you feel, then kneel here and remember what loss feels like.”

He left two bodyguards behind to force me to kneel. I didn’t look at him. With shaking hands, I picked up the rainsoaked photo. The sky poured rain mixed with hail, slicing my skin and drawing blood.

In the hospital’s highrise window, I saw the reflection of Clayton and Gloria kissing tenderly. As I lost consciousness, I used my last ounce of strength to block all contact with Clayton, erasing whatever feelings I had left.

In the hospital room, Gloria played on her phone. When she saw Clayton, she quickly hid it.

He hesitated, then asked, “Does Hazel know something? What if she runs away? What happens to Regina’s heart then?”

“I’ll take her on the Petra Island trip tomorrow, try to calm her down…”

Gloria’s eyes welled with tears, her voice soft with fake sorrow.

“Okay. If it’s for Regina, I’m willing to share you with another woman…”

Her ‘sacrifice’ stirred something in Clayton. His face darkened as he hardened his tone.

“Don’t cry. I’ll take you, too. I planned to have her apologize to you anyway.”

He took out his phone and typed a message.

[Hazel, meet me at the dock tomorrow at 8 a.m.]

Inside the speeding car, a butler in a tailored suit handed me a thermos.

“Miss Moran, please drink this herbal tea to warm up.”

I trembled under the towel. The heat helped melt the cold that had settled deep inside. The butler smiled kindly.

“Get some rest, Miss. You’ll be on your island when you wake.”

“Your credit card has been frozen. Both estates have been handed over to the real estate agent. Just wait for the sale.”

I nodded, took out my SIM card and flung it out the window.

It disappeared into the wind, just like my fake marriage.

Goodbye, Clayton. I hoped to never see you again.