Chapter 2 Between Panic

Chapter 2

Between panic

I looked at him in astonishment.

Peter immediately handed me the test results, his face alight with unmistakable excitement about the new life. "You fainted suddenly last night-scared me half to death," he said, his voice tinged with lingering worry.

"The doctors ran some tests and found out you're pregnant."

"But with all the stress you've been under these past few days, your emotions have been unstable, which affected the baby."

"You'll need to stay in the hospital for a while to rest and recover properly."

I took the report absently, but the moment my eyes landed on the grainy image of the barely formed child, I couldn't look away.

My heart, battered and bruised, found a sliver of solace in that instant.

Without thinking, I raised a hand to touch the tiny life captured on the paper, my mind swirling with thoughts.

My father had passed away early, leaving me to grow up in a single-parent household.

I truly didn't want my own child to endure the same kind of childhood I had.

So I spoke up, my voice quiet but firm. "Peter."

He tilted his head slightly, puzzled by my sudden call. "Hmm?"

I lifted my gaze to meet his, as if steeling myself for what came next.

"I won't dwell on what happened before. For this child's sake, let's just... go back to how things were. Let's live well together, okay?"

Peter held my eyes for a long moment before nodding. "Okay."

"Darling." Peter then produced a small red velvet box, his fingers trembling slightly as he opened it.

Inside lay a pair of lily-shaped earrings.

He'd rarely given me gifts since our wedding day. Surprised, I asked, "What's this?"

"It's for you," he replied, his voice tinged with nervousness.

I accepted the box. "Thank you."

No matter what had happened these past few days...

At this very moment, the arrival of this little life filled me with a joy I hadn't felt in ages.

Peter phone rang. After a brief call about company matters, he kissed me lightly and left in a hurry.

I raised my hand to gently caress my belly,

my expression softening with tenderness.

*Ding-dong.*

My phone chimed with a notification. I absentmindedly opened it-

a message from Paul containing a screenshot of Martha Janet's social media post.

I tapped to enlarge the image.

"Thank you, Mr. Andrew, for this morning's dazzling diamond," the caption read.

"Besides, that jewelry company has absolutely no taste. The free gift they gave was this hideous pair of lily-shaped earrings-so ugly I couldn't even stand the sight of them. So I told him to toss them."

The post was accompanied by a selfie of Martha Janet.

What caught the eye first was her hand resting against her cheek, the ring finger adorned with a massive diamond the size of a pigeon's egg. The gemstone was exorbitantly expensive, its cut and craftsmanship flawless. Even through the photo, the diamond sparkled brilliantly.

My grip on the phone tightened, and the corner of my lips-where Peter had kissed me-burned as if on fire, a wave of nausea rising in my throat.

While I was unconscious...

My husband hadn't shown the slightest concern for me. Instead, he had splurged a fortune to buy Martha Janet that extravagant diamond ring.

And after I woke up, he tried to placate me with some unwanted freebie she had discarded?

Did he really think so little of me?

That I was so cheap, so easily pleased, that even the scraps tossed my way would move me to tears and make me forgive him unconditionally?

Despair crashed over me like a tidal wave, threatening to drown me completely.

Why?!

Why did he keep hurting me so brazenly, over and over again?

And why did he always try to win me back with hollow, worthless sweet talk...

I bit my lip, feeling the world spin around me.

The shrill ring of the phone jolted me out of my despair. I answered with a hoarse, "Hello?"

"Mom... I miss you. Can you come see me?" Paul's voice sounded small and dejected.

Just yesterday, he had already done something to hurt himself.

Worried he might spiral again and do something reckless, I sprang to my feet. "I'm on my way. Where are you?"

"Step outside," he said in that flat, childlike tone that gave nothing away. "Turn left and keep walking."

Following his instructions, I walked until I spotted him standing on the staircase.

Pale sunlight streamed through the window, casting a fragile glow over his ashen face. He looked heartbreakingly vulnerable.

Blood ties are strange like that.

No matter how much pain he had caused me before, seeing that fragility in his expression still tugged at my heart.

I crouched down to his level. "What's wrong?"

Paul stared straight at me, unblinking. "Aunt Janet said you're pregnant. That even if Dad doesn't love you, he'll stay in this marriage for the baby. Is that true?"

My heart skipped a beat. Why on earth would Martha Janet say such things to Paul?

As I hesitated, searching for the right words to explain to him, Paul suddenly spoke up.

"She also said that after everything I've done, I must have made you really upset." His voice was small, uncertain. "And that once you have another baby, you'll focus all your attention on them... and stop loving me."

Had he really been carrying all these thoughts alone since finding out about my pregnancy?

My heart softened instantly. He was just a child, after all-one who didn't even know how to ask for help when he was struggling.

I placed both hands firmly on his shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes. "That's not true, Paul. You're my child. No matter what happens, no matter how many brothers or sisters you might have, I'll always love you just the same."

But then, Alexia lips curled into a grin. "Aunt Janet also said..." His voice took on an eerie cheerfulness.

"If this baby goes away, Dad will only love me. He'll listen to me and divorce you... and then marry Aunt Janet instead."

A chill shot down my spine. How could Martha Janet fill a child's head with such poisonous nonsense?

I was about to scoop him up and take him back to the hospital room, to sit him down and talk this through properly. These were adult matters-he shouldn't be dragged into them.

But before I could take another step, my body slid backward uncontrollably...

"Thud!"

The sickening sound of impact was accompanied by Paul's trembling apology: "Mom... I'm sorry."

"Mom Janet... she poured oil on the stairs."

"She said... if I could just get you to come here..."

Warm blood trickled down my temple.

Every inch of my body screamed in agony, but the searing pain in my chest eclipsed all physical suffering.

The world spun violently as dizziness overwhelmed me.

Paul!

Even though his recent behavior had grown increasingly outrageous...

I'd always excused him, thinking he was just a child who didn't know better!

But...

Even a child should have a conscience!

How could he stand by and watch his own mother being set up like this?

With tremendous effort, I struggled to keep my eyes open, my gaze locking onto Paul's guilty face.

A blurry figure scurried away down the corridor.

I screamed with all my might, "Help! Someone, please help me..." But the searing pain strangled my voice before it could escape...

Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead, dripping into the ever-expanding pool of crimson beneath me...

Tears fell like stones.

Paul...

Paul!

...

"Darling..."

Peter eyes were bloodshot, his voice trembling-this man, always so strong, so unshakable, now stood broken before me. "We... lost the baby."

"Mom, I'm sorry..."

Paul stood frozen, his small face ghostly pale, fat tears plopping down one after another. "Please forgive me."

But...

How could I?

Not after the moment he led me toward the stairwell.

Not after the moment he turned his back and ran without a second glance.

My heart had completely turned cold toward him.

Paul kept apologizing over and over, but I remained silent.

He clearly hadn't expected me to ignore him for so long. His words gradually took on an edge of frustration. "Fine, if you won't forgive me, then forget it. I don't need you to be my mom anyway."

I lifted my gaze to meet his, my voice hoarse and brittle. "Paul, isn't it true that you've always wanted your Aunt Janet to be your mother?"

Confusion flickered in his eyes, but he nodded hesitantly.

"Good," I said, suddenly smiling-a hollow, lifeless smile. "Starting today, I'll step aside and make room for her."

"From now on, I won't be your mother anymore. You're free to call whoever you like 'Mom.'"

A fierce, unmistakable joy flashed in Alexia eyes.

Beside us, Peter tensed, a shadow of unease crossing his face at my words. "Honey, don't do anything rash," he said quickly.

"Don't worry. I'm perfectly calm." And I was. My heart felt like stagnant water-utterly still, without a single ripple.

Closing my eyes, I exhaled slowly. "Peter, let's end this farce here."

"I'll set you both free. Now, please... set me free too."