Chapter 1 Interlude

Her eyes opened slowly, vision blurred, unfocused, and hazy. She could picture a masculine face before her. She wasn't sure who it was, but his facial features were symmetrical, with a strong jawline and well-proportioned.

This is not the time to process information; she couldn't process anything.

"You are safe now", he murmured, pressing closer to her bed.

She struggled to keep her gaze steady and have a clearer vision.

She knew who he was, that voice!

Eden!

Her lip curled with a tiny smile. She knew he would always care; he was always there.

The thought of him being around lifted her mood; she felt excited, and her stomach rumbled.

The Baby...

She moved her hands slowly down her lower abdomen and under her breast and settled on her tummy. A surge of excitement ran through her.

This is my world! She exclaimed in her thought, and Eden is the father of my unborn child.

She allowed herself to be drowned in the urethra of the moment.

"Are you okay"? He interrupted, studying the sudden change in her body movement.

She studied his gaze for a while and immediately retrieved her hands from her stomach.

She wouldn't disclose the pregnancy to him yet, she thought, not this way. The situation was already too messy, telling him would worsen it.

Eden would fight for his child no matter what, and that would be messy. He will ruin everything. She would have to figure out the right way and time.

Eden is a resilient, self-aware, and emotionally intelligent young man, but he also possesses a dominating and assertive personality. He was fearless and would go to any length to reclaim what was his and what had been stolen; that was her belief.

" I'm okay, Eden", she replied, her voice weak but soft and distracting.

"You know you shouldn't be here, she teases him, if Brian comes in....

"Ish...." he stopped her from finishing the sentence, tipping his index finger between her lips.

"I can't imagine my life without you, Abigail, he murmured, inching nearer to her. She could feel his breath breezing down her lungs; his scent clouded her mind. It reminded her of how much she had missed him, and she wanted more of him. She closed her eyes as he moved closer, his lips brushing gently on hers, and she couldn't help but surrender to his gentle touch, allowing him to wrap her in a warm, tender kiss. Everything around her melted away, leaving only their sweet moments and the thrums of their heartbeats.

Eden threw his arm around her neck, gently supporting it as she lay on the bed, and their kiss deepened. As they went on, a rush of excitement filled the room, and thoughts of how they wanted more of each other filled their hearts.

Eden pulled her closely, moving his palms around her like his life depended on it. He moved from her breast to her stomach, to her thigh, and just then, the door swung open.

It was a nurse.

"Good morning," Mrs Williams, the nurse, greeted hurriedly, her look showing disappointment.

"I'm, erm, good morning nurse", Abigail struggled to reply, feeling so embarrassed as she tried to arrange herself. Eden quickly steadied himself, his movement swift and fluid as he regained his composure. He was not ashamed; he was neutral, adjusting his clothes. His eyes met the nurse's, and he gave her a slight nod as a gesture of response to her greeting. She threw her face away, ignoring his nod.

She wouldn't acknowledge him, she thought to herself, not after what she had just seen. She was only here to attend to Mrs. Williams. And hadn't Mr. Williams just called the hospital, telling them to take good care of his wife? So who was he? She dismissed the thought; it wasn't her place to worry about it.

"I can see you are awake, ma'am," she stated rhetorically. Mr. Williams phoned to check in on you. he said his busy schedule won't allow him to visit the hospital today.

Abigail felt a sense of relief; she wasn't expecting him to come. He didn't care; he had never cared.

"Okay", she said with indifference, facing the nurse.

The nurse softly grasped Abigail's hands, "I need to take your vitals now, ma'am." She then turned to Eden and requested, "Sir, would you mind waiting outside while I attend to Mrs. Williams?

"Okay", he muttered, his eyes flickering back at Abigail. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, allowing her to focus on him. A thin smile formed on his face, a subtle curve of his lips that hinted at his love and commitment. They both stared at each other for a while, acknowledging the unspoken understanding between them. He suddenly broke the tension that was beginning to rise in the room as he stepped out into the hallway, leaving Abigail and the nurse alone.

As she watched the nurse take her vitals and administer fluid to her body, Abigail couldn't help but wonder what could be going on in the nurse's mind. What does the nurse think of her?

"A two-timing wife?"

She was nowhere near that!

She could never cheat on anyone, not on her husband! Her case was different, but the world would never understand. No one freaking care!

She had to suffer the torture, the pain, the hate. For what exactly?

She could remember how happy and peaceful her life was before she became a Williams. She had dreamt of being the best bride to Eden, her man.

Her life was shaped by tough circumstances. Her father had gotten into lots of debt, and the Williams' wealth was the way out. But it meant giving up on her dreams.

She felt trapped. Like her life was no longer hers. Her father's mistake had become her problem, and she was paying the price. Her heart fell heavy, weighed down by the responsibility of fixing her family's financial mess.

She sighed silently as she wondered what her life would be like if she had a chance to make her own choices.

Happier, peaceful, and uncomplicated, she thought.

3 MONTHS EARLIER

Noah Oliver could barely feel at ease on his living room couch, the couch was dimly lit, with only a sliver of sunlight peeking through the curtains. The air was stale, and the upholstery creaked softly as he shifted his weight. The steady whir of the ceiling fan above created a soothing background hum, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing in his mind. The weight of his situation bears down on him, his mind racing with thoughts of what could have been done differently.

As Abigail entered the room, she noticed her father's distant expression, his eyes fixed on some unseen point. She walked over to the windows and drew the curtains open, allowing warm sunlight to flood the space.

"Dad, what's wrong? You've been sitting here for hours", she murmured as panic started to set in. She hadn't seen him in such a state before.

He turned to face her, forcing a smile, but his lips betrayed him.

"Nothing Abi", how long have you been here?