Tabitha's POV
I recalled the first time I felt the fetal movement during my first pregnancy. Back then, I was over the moon, like a kid on Christmas morning, just itching to share that joy with Derek.
That day, I sent him a ton of voice messages and videos, but he didn't respond at all.
When he finally came home that night, I ran up to him with a big smile and said, "Derek, the baby kicked me today, really. Come feel it!"
At that time, I was only three months along, so my belly wasn't really showing yet.
Yet he just shot me a cold glance and walked away.
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, drenching me to the skin and leaving me chilled to the bone.
At that moment, I realized not everyone got as hyped as I did about this stuff.
So as the baby grew bigger and the kicks became more pronounced, I never told Derek even once.
He was either out early and came home late or away from home for a long time. It was like he didn't seem to care about what was happening with my body at all.
Anyway, during those months of my first pregnancy, he never once touched my belly.
But today, he cautiously asked if he could feel it, a pleading gaze in his eyes.
Feeling ridiculous, I was about to refuse him. Just then, there was a knock at the door of the lounge.
Klein and I both turned our heads toward the sound.
Klein's assistant walked in holding a brown paper bag, followed by Alvin.
With a serious look on his face, he said, "Mr. Hartley, the coroner is still examining the body, but the DNA test results are out. I've been there for every step of it to ensure nothing goes wrong."
Klein slowly took the paper bag. His fingers were visibly trembling as he opened it.
In the silent room, I held my breath, my grip on my dress tightening unconsciously.
I didn't even know why I was so tense—I wasn't related to Klein or anything.
Moments later, Klein's already anxious face went pale as a ghost. Before I could even ask about the results, he slumped to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Mr. Hartley!" His assistant scrambled to catch him while the papers scattered everywhere on the floor.
I looked down and saw the test results. The body indeed belonged to Cynthia. Even though she was basically a stranger to me, sadness washed over my heart like an unexpected wave.
I took two steps back, and Derek quickly steadied me by holding onto my waist.
After taking a glance at my face, he scooped me up in his arms.
"I told you not to get involved in this mess. Look at your face—it's pale as hell! It's late. You need some rest."
Like a rag doll in his arms, he carried me back home.
In the quiet night, I could hear waves crashing against rocks out the window.
I grabbed Derek's hand as he tucked me in, a deep sense of guilt stirring in me. "If only I had been kidnapped earlier! Maybe then I could've saved her, and she wouldn't have died..."
"Stop talking nonsense! Back then you were barely keeping yourself safe—how could you save her? Just chill. This isn't your fault. Everyone has their own fate."
I sobbed, shaking my head, "But she wasn't much older than me. She was so young and beautiful with such a good family background. The Moon Goddess is cruel indeed.
"Klein mentioned she cared deeply about her looks. If she knew her body was bloated by water and eaten by fish, she'd be devastated! She must have regretted it before she died. I mean, she didn't even get to say goodbye to her family. How desperate she must have felt!"
As I was speaking, tears started streaming down my face.
Derek immediately wrapped his arms tightly around me.
Crystal, feeling sorry for Cynthia, yowled in my heart.