Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Gloria sat in the dark living room, the grandfather clock ticking away the seconds. She hadn't slept. The image of Darwin and Elyssa at the villa was seared into her mind.

The front door opened quietly just as the first light of dawn painted the sky grey. Darwin tiptoed in, trying not to make a sound.

He froze when he saw her sitting there, a dark silhouette in the armchair.

"Gloria!" He jumped, his hand flying to his chest. "You scared me. Why are you sitting in the dark?"

He quickly composed himself, a guilty flush creeping up his neck. She could see it clearly now, another fresh hickey, darker this time, nestled just below his ear. A souvenir from his "creative retreat."

"Couldn't sleep," she said, her voice raspy. "Where were you?"

"Work," he said instantly, the lie slipping out with practiced ease. "A crisis at the international office. I was on calls all night."

He had promised her, after their first year of marriage, that he would never spend a night away from home, no matter how bad the crisis. Another promise turned to ash.

A wave of utter despair washed over her. It was a hollow, empty feeling, the final death of a love she had cherished more than anything.

Just two more days, she reminded herself. The thought was a lifeline. Two more days.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit her. The room spun, and she felt a warm trickle from her nose. She brought a hand to her face. It came away stained with blood.

"Gloria!" Darwin rushed to her side, his face pale with genuine shock. "You're bleeding! What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she said, pushing his hand away. "Just stressed."

"This is not nothing!" he insisted, his voice tight with alarm. "We're going to the hospital. Now." He tried to pull her up, his grip firm.

She recoiled from his touch, sidestepping him gracefully. "I can walk on my own."

His face fell, a flicker of hurt and confusion in his eyes. He was starting to feel it, the invisible wall she had built between them. He didn't understand it, and it made him uneasy.

As they were about to leave, his phone rang. A special ringtone, a soft, sultry jazz tune she had never heard before.

He glanced at the screen, then guiltily at her. He hesitated.

"Go on," she said, her voice flat. "Answer it."

He walked into the other room, his voice a low, irritated murmur. "What is it now, Elyssa? I'm busy."

So, it was Elyssa. Of course.

He came back a moment later, his expression strained. "That was the office again. I have to go in. It's an emergency."

Gloria looked at him, at this man who had been her entire world. He was a stranger. A collection of lies wrapped in a handsome package. How could he stand there, fresh from his mistress's bed, and pretend to care about her? How could he love two women at once? Or did he love neither?

"Okay," she said.

He seemed relieved. He gave her a quick, distracted kiss on the forehead. "I'll call you from the car. Be a good girl and go see the doctor."

He turned and left without a backward glance.

Gloria went to the hospital alone.

An hour later, a kind-faced doctor looked at her test results, a gentle smile on her face.

"Well, Mrs. Mcintosh, your blood pressure is a bit high, which explains the nosebleed. But it's not surprising, given the circumstances." The doctor's smile widened. "Congratulations. You're six weeks pregnant."

The words hit her like a physical blow. Pregnant. A baby. Their baby. The one thing they had both wanted for years.

It had arrived. At the worst possible moment. A cruel joke played by fate.

"Are you alright, dear?" the doctor asked, noticing the color drain from Gloria's face.

Tears welled in her eyes. This child was supposed to be a symbol of their love, a new beginning. Now, it was just a link to a man who disgusted her, a permanent reminder of his betrayal.

She couldn't do it. She couldn't bring a child into this world of lies.

As she stood in the hallway, trying to compose herself, she heard a familiar voice from around the corner.

It was Darwin.

"A baby? Oh, Elyssa, that's wonderful!" His voice was filled with a pure, unadulterated joy she hadn't heard in years. "Our baby! This is the best news of my life!"

Gloria's blood ran cold. She peeked around the corner. Darwin was hugging Elyssa, spinning her around in the sterile hospital corridor. Elyssa was beaming, her hand resting protectively on her stomach.

So that was his "emergency."

The last fragile thread of hope inside her snapped. The pain was so immense it was cleansing. It burned away everything, leaving only a cold, hard resolve.

She turned and walked back to the doctor's office, her steps steady and sure.

"Doctor," she said, her voice clear and calm. "I've made a decision. I don't want this child."