Taipei was cold, grey, and smelled of rain and stinky tofu—a far cry from the humid warmth of Kuala Lumpur. For the first six months, Nicole lived like a ghost in her parents' luxury apartment in the Xinyi District.
Her father had kept his word. He moved the regional headquarters to Taiwan, telling their social circle it was a "strategic expansion." To the world, Nicole was just a dutiful daughter following her family. To Nicole, she was a ticking clock.
"You look pale, Nicole," her mother whispered one afternoon, placing a bowl of bird's nest soup on the table. "And... your clothes. They are getting tight."
Nicole looked down at her waistline. The secret was becoming a physical reality. She had blocked Kenneth on every platform. Every night, she looked at his profile—seeing his heartbroken posts about "missing a piece of his soul"—and every night, she cried until her eyes were swollen.
"I'm keeping her, Ma," Nicole said, her voice hardening. "And I'm going to finish my degree here. I won't be a hidden shame."