Chapter 3 Three

Sophia's POV

I woke up to the faint beeping sound of the machine. The pungent smell of disinfectant and drugs invaded my nostrils as I jerked up from the bed, fully awake.

I looked around slowly to notice the wall was painted white. Just beside me was a small table, and not far from that, a couch. Fresh air hit my face and I looked at my right to see a small window. I looked around further, and the gown I was wearing confirmed I was in a hospital.

I felt a sharp pain in my forehead and I involuntarily cried out in discomfort.

"Ahh!"

I heard a shuffling of feet outside and the door suddenly pushed open. Donald was staring right at me as he walked closer, I couldn't place the look in his eyes. Was it irritation I saw on his face or what was that?

"What happened to me? Why am I here?" I asked but instead he was still staring at me, the irritation in his eyes was now back.

I was about to say another word when the door opened. A man in white robe walked in. He nodded towards Donald, maybe as a form of greeting. He then stopped in front of me, his professional smile not leaving his face even for once.

"Mrs. Briggs, how are you feeling now?" He asked, adjusting the IVs connected to my wrist.

"I don't know," I answered honestly, "I feel like my body weighs a ton."

"That's understandable," the doctor smiled lightly, "it's just your body adjusting to the situation. I'm sorry about your loss."

Loss? What loss was the doctor talking about? I didn't understand, so I cleared my throat, interrupting the doctor who was still offering soothing words.

"What loss are you talking about?"

The doctor looked confused, almost flustered. Then he went from looking between Donald and I, to fixing his gaze back on me.

"Err... I thought Mr. Briggs must have told you." The doctor paused, but seeing the curious look in my eyes, he continued. "I'm sorry, you lost the baby."

"No!"

I cried out in a high-pitched voice before breaking into continuous sobs. The doctor tried to comfort me before stepping out, but even that didn't do justice to the pain I was feeling. Why is my life suddenly turning upside down? First, it was the divorce. And now my baby is gone. Is the universe punishing me for a crime I committed?

Or was it because my parents had warned me and I hadn't listened to them? Even at that, this was too much punishment for my crime - that's if loving someone can be called a crime.

My eyes fell on Donald. He still hasn't said anything to me since he stepped into the room. His eyes were dark as I looked into them. It looked as if he abhorred all the hatred in the world for just one person - ME!

"Donald?"

"Don't," he raised his hands at me. "Don't you dare call my name. How could you even call my name, huh?"

"Please..."

"No, listen and listen good," he drew closer to me, his hot breath hitting my face. "You lost our baby! You lost the only good thing," he paused to catch his breath. "The only thing to come out of this sham of a marriage. Now it's gone. Because of your foolishness, it's gone!"

My chest tightened hard as his voice hit me like a tornado. How could he even think of putting all this on me? Does he think I'm happy for losing my baby - OUR BABY? All I ever did was love him. Why didn't he seem to understand that?

"Thinking about it now, it's all for the greater good."

Donald said and I looked at him sharply. What greater good can come from losing my baby!

"We have nothing binding us together anymore. All thanks to you." He smiled as he said this. "Nothing stops us from going our separate ways!"

I couldn't believe my ears. He didn't even have any sympathy that I just lost my baby. He was still all about himself and getting back with Laura.

"No, you can't do that Donald," I pleaded desperately.

"I can, and that's exactly what will happen. Now if you will excuse me, I'm done here."

He didn't look back for once as I kept calling his name. The sudden realization that he had finally left me hit me, a cloud of tears welled up on my face. This time, I didn't stop the tears as I allowed it to flow freely. I knew Donald to be cold but I didn't imagine him to be this cruel.

I was still trying to console myself when the door opened. I quickly try to hide the tears in my eyes, not wanting Donald to see me in that state. But it wasn't Donald that walked into the room. It was someone I had seen before but I couldn't remember where.

"Who are you?"

I asked the middle-aged man, thinking he might have probably missed his way. He didn't reply to me, he only observed me and I suddenly became conscious of myself. I quickly wiped away my tears as I stared back at the man. He was in a well tailored navy-blue suit that hugged his athletic frame perfectly. The color of his eyes was a sea blue, and despite the lines that were beginning to form on his forehead, I could tell he was a charmer in his younger days. His black shoes were all sparkling and classy. And even his gold wristwatch screamed expensive.

"Are you okay?" He asked, stopping in front of me.

I was about to answer when the door pushed open. The doctor that attended to me earlier walked in with a file in hand.

"Mr. Lance, here's the result of the test," the doctor said, handing the file to the man. "It matched yours, Sir."

The man nodded at the doctor, "I told you, I can never be wrong." Mr. Lance said with a smile.

"I'm surprised, I thought it was just a coincidence," the doctor said, then turned to me. "It turns out you were right afterall. Indeed, blood is thicker than water."

"What's going on here doctor?" I didn't understand what they were talking about so I called out to them. Both men turned to face me, now suddenly quiet.

"Dr. Philips?" I said once again, this time I called his name from the tag on his chest.

"Mr. Lance here was the one who mistakenly hit you," Dr. Philips explained but when he saw the look of anger that formed on my face, he quickly added. "He was the one that rushed you here also, he's your saviour."

"And so what?" I asked bitterly and the doctor slightly recoiled, "he saved me but I still lost my baby."

I sat up properly and faced Mr. Lance. "If you are really a saviour as he called you, why didn't you save my baby?" I questioned him, and he seemed to flinch. Maybe from my harsh tone, but I don't care, at least not anymore.

All I wanted to do was to make all those involved in my misery pay. Starting from Donald, I swore in my mind, he'd regret it. I don't know how I'd make that happen but I would.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry about your baby." Mr. Lance apologized.

I looked at him, as I tried to dismiss all the vile thoughts that were going through my head. I should forgive him knowing he didn't hit me intentionally. Yet, I can't seem to, even when I tried. The future I had planned to have with my child, it was now gone. I knew I shouldn't totally put the blame on him, since I was the one who had foolishly ran after Donald. If I hadn't run after him, I would still have my baby.

Something had shifted in me, I can't pinpoint it yet. But it had happened, when Donald had turned his back on me. It had happened, when he had left me alone to wallow in my miseries.

"I promise you will never experience pain again, not while I live." Mr. Lance said and I grunted in annoyance.

Who was he to think he can stop me from going through pain? I laughed bitterly then looked him straight in the eye, "And how would you possibly do that?" I sneered, "Or because the doctor called you a saviour earlier, you now think you are some kind of messiah?"

"He is Mark Lance, the richest man in the country."

The doctor announced and recognition dawned on me. I remember why I keep having the feeling of knowing him before. Now I understand I must have seen him in the television or magazine. He was truly the most influential man in the country and also a philanthropist.

"So you think you can be my saviour because of your money?" I asked in a harsh tone. "You think you can throw money around and everything will be fine, huh? Tell me."

"No. I can be a saviour because I'm your father."

I looked sharply at his face for any signs of a joke but he wasn't joking.