Chapter 2 Pain To The Max

After relentless waves of nausea that felt like a storm raging inside her, Hadley ended up in the hospital.

"Doctor, what's happening to me?"

She sat nervously in the waiting area while the doctor examined her test results.

Pausing for a moment, the doctor looked at her curiously and inquired, "Are you married?"

There was a pause before Hadley responded affirmatively, "Yes, I am."

"Congratulations," the doctor finally announced. "You're pregnant."

The news momentarily took Hadley's breath away, her eyes widening as she processed the information.

The recent summer heat had been oppressive, causing her to lose her appetite and frequently feel nauseous.

Hadley had assumed it was the heat or perhaps the greasy food.

Now, she questioned, "Is this what morning sickness feels like?"

Had this revelation come before the events of the previous night, it would have been a joyous occasion for Hadley. But now, everything had changed.

Hadley paused, and then voiced her concern to the doctor. "Is there any chance this is a mistake? Could there be an error in the diagnosis?"

"When did you last have your period?"

Upon thinking back, Hadley's expression changed as she made the connection. "I'm... a week late."

The doctor gestured expansively as he handed over the test results.

"Here's your answer," he said, pushing the document towards her. "See for yourself. The blood test is quite clear. You're definitely pregnant."

Hadley's eyes were drawn to the bolded words "early pregnancy" showed on the report, underscored by the doctor's signature.

She took a deep breath, picked up the report, and softly said, "Thank you, doctor."

Leaving the hospital, the harsh rays of the summer sun prompted tears to gather in her eyes.

With her eyes closed, Hadley whispered to herself, "What am I going to do?"

Her marriage to Eric was still new, barely two months old, and their physical relationship had been limited-quick and infrequent.

Hadley had previously thought that Eric simply wasn't interested in being intimate, and frankly, she didn't much enjoy their encounters; they were just too painful.

Now, the painful truth hit her.

It wasn't the intimacy he was averse to. It was her.

The rare occasions they had been intimate were probably just to fulfill Nyla's wish to produce a Flynn heir.

Now, Hadley found herself pregnant at the most unfortunate moment.

"What should I do?" Hadley pondered once more.

Was it right to keep the baby?

At only twenty, the gravity of such a decision overwhelmed Hadley. She felt too inexperienced to handle it on her own.

She decided she must speak with Eric.

He was, after all, the father.

Currently, Eric was at the hospital where Linda was recovering from her miscarriage, having set up a makeshift office in her room.

When Hadley tried to enter, she was halted by Eric's security, Xander and Theodore Todd. "Mrs. Flynn, you must stop here. You're not allowed inside."

Confused, Hadley blinked and asked, "Why?"

"The order comes directly from Mr. Flynn," they replied.

Eric's orders?

Did he think she would harm Linda again, or was he concerned Linda might be distressed by her presence?

Hadley bowed her head, feeling a mix of defeat and desperation, yet a trace of resolve lingered.

Hadley pleaded, "I don't need to enter. Just let him know I must speak with him. It's urgent."

The two bodyguards looked at each other. "We'll relay your message."

Theodore went inside to inform Eric of her request.

Eric dismissed the request coldly once Theodore delivered it. "I won't meet with her," he instructed. "Make sure she doesn't come near this room and disturb Linda."

"Understood, Mr. Flynn," Theodore responded before returning to deliver the news to Hadley.

Upon hearing the stern rejection, Hadley's face lost all its color, and her hands began to shake uncontrollably.

"Mrs. Flynn, it's best you leave now. Miss Harris might awaken any moment, and it would be problematic if she saw you here."

"I'm going now."

Hadley's lip quivered as she bit down hard, drawing blood, though she hardly noticed.

Exiting the hospital, Hadley paused abruptly, rooted to the spot.

She couldn't just walk away!

Tomorrow, she was scheduled to fly overseas, to a place where everything would be strange and unfamiliar, leaving her even more isolated.

Determined, Hadley chose to stay by the entrance, hoping to intercept Eric as he left the hospital.

As the hours ticked by, her legs grew stiff with cold. Darkness fell, and a sudden downpour drenched the evening.

Hadley began to fear that Eric might spend the night in the hospital, but then he appeared.

The soft illumination from the streetlights enhanced Eric's striking appearance as he walked out.

"Eric!" Hadley called out, dashing towards him.

Eric's expression turned into a deep scowl. "Stop her!"

"At once, sir!"

Hadley was halted halfway by the guards, her path to Eric blocked.

"I need to speak with you-it's urgent!" Hadley yelled, her voice laced with desperation.

Eric continued forward, ignoring her plea.

As his car pulled up, he entered without a backward glance.

"Eric! Please, just listen!" Hadley's voice broke with despair and disbelief as she called after the departing car.

Eric disregarded her completely, shutting the car door and commanding the driver, "Let's go."

As the vehicle began to move, Hadley's expression turned to one of shock and desperation.

"Eric!" Hadley yelled, mustering every ounce of her strength to break free from Xander and sprint after the car.

"Eric, please! Stop the car!"

Tears mingled with her cries as she pursued the car relentlessly.

The cold air burned her lungs, yet she continued.

However, the car accelerated, quickly distancing itself from her. Just as she neared the hospital gate, Hadley's foot caught, and she tumbled to the pavement.

"Ah..."

The pain elicited a sharp cry from Hadley.

From the car, Theodore looked back and murmured to Eric, "Sir, she fell."

Did she?

Eric casually checked the rearview mirror and saw Hadley lying on the wet ground, drenched and helpless. His expression briefly showed concern.

However, he quickly dismissed the sentiment. "She's tough. She'll recover. Drive faster. Let's ensure she doesn't follow us and complicate things further."

"Understood, sir."

Accelerating, the vehicle quickly vanished into the distance. Helplessly, Hadley watched as it disappeared, the spark in her eyes dimming.

Struggling to rise, Hadley noticed her arms and palms were scraped and bleeding, the blood diluting in the rainwater.

The pain she felt was sharp, almost soul-deep.

Tears mixed with the rain as Hadley shut her eyes, overwhelmed by the moment.

Later at Silver Villas, completely spent both physically and emotionally, Hadley collapsed onto her sofa still in her damp attire, too exhausted to change or shower.

What options did she have left? Who could help her now?

A sudden memory prompted her to grab her phone. She bypassed her contacts, dialing a number she remembered well.

As she hit the call button, a surge of hope briefly animated her.

The phone rang, and she held her breath in tense anticipation.

"Hello?" A female voice answered.

Immediately, the flicker of hope in Hadley's eyes faded.

"Hello, who is this? Speak up!" The woman on the line warned, "If you don't respond, I'm hanging up."

Shortly after, the line went dead.

Her expression hardened, Hadley clutched her phone tightly as tears streamed down her face. She realized the call had been a mistake. Frustrated, she threw the phone aside and buried her face in a pillow, her cries muffled.

The night dragged on in a blur of anguish.

She wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but she was jolted awake by the incessant ringing of the doorbell, each ring sharper than the last.

Possibly tired of waiting, the person stormed in as the door burst open.

Eric entered, irritation evident on his otherwise striking features.