A Devil's Deal To Destroy My Ex-husband

Eloise's fingers trembled as she fumbled for her phone, her heart thudding against her ribs like a trapped bird. With one hand, she pulled out her phone and dialed.

No answer.

She pressed the phone to her ear again, desperate.

Still nothing.

With trembling hands, she decided to leave a voice message. "Hey, honey," she sniffled, her voice cracking. "I'm at the hospital. Alisha got really sick-vomiting, crying, high fever. The doctors are checking her, but they're not saying anything," tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I'm scared, Mason. Please call me when you get this." She hung up, biting back a sob as she clasped her trembling hands on her lap.

Helplessness. Guilt. Eloise's heart raced every time her mind replayed the image of her baby girl, Alisha. It had started like any other day, cleaning the house, feeding her daughter, doing the chores. Then, out of nowhere, Alisha began vomiting, her cries became intense, and her fever soared. Eloise had tried everything she knew, but when the symptoms only worsened, she had no choice but to rush her to the hospital. Tears blurred her vision as she pulled out her phone from her old bag sitting on her lap and dialed her husband again.

Still no answer.

"Eloise?" The call of her name from a familiar voice snapped her out of the spiral. She looked up to see Laera rushing toward her, her face drawn tight with worry.

"Oh my God, Elly, are you okay?" Laera asked as she sat beside her and grasped her hands.

Eloise's heart sank upon seeing her; she tried to nod, tried to force a smile, but it collapsed.

" No, you're not." Laera pulled her into a tight hug, patted her back, and pulled back.

"What happened? Where's Alisha?"

" She's inside," Eloise replied, pointing towards the ward.

" Have the doctors said anything?"

"No, nothing yet."

Laera glanced around, looking for a nurse to question, but everyone seemed too busy. She turned back and squeezed Eloise's hand.

"Don't worry, Elly. She'll be fine. I'm sure they're doing everything they can."

Feeling a little comforted, Eloise nodded weakly.

Laera's heart ached as she took in Eloise's appearance, barely recognizing the woman she once knew. This was a 27-year-old lady sitting right by her side, yet she looked thirties, with her messy bun hair, hollow eyes, pale skin, and the cream gown that hung loosely on her thinner frame.

'Is this the result of childbearing?' she asked in her mind, remembering the Eloise she once knew, vibrant, fiercely competitive, impeccably beautiful, a fashionista, and outgoing, but right now, she's just the shadow of herself.

"Where's Mason? How could he not be here?" Laera asked, her eyes scanning the room, but he was nowhere in sight.

Eloise lowered her gaze. "I can't reach him...."

"Did you call him?"

Eloise nodded, "I called, but he's not picking up. Probably busy."

Laera's brow furrowed. "Busy?" She snorted. "He should be here with you," she gritted her teeth, "you know, I still don't get what you see in that man that makes you so fixated on him, did he perhaps have something on you?"

Eloise could feel her voice laced with anger, and she knew she had every right to be furious, especially after what her husband had done to her.

Laera had once been her colleague and business partner-until Mason took over the company and had Laera fired because he didn't like her. And Eloise had let it happen. That guilt hadn't left her. Laera has been out of reach since then until that morning when she called to check up on her, only to hear her voice panicking over the phone about her sick baby.

"I'm sorry," Eloise said, her voice nearly inaudible," I know you're upset, and you have every right to be..."

"Don't say sorry to me," Laera said gently. "I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at what's happening to you. Look at you, Elly, you're fading."

"What are you talking about?"

"Can't you see what that man is doing to you? He's draining the life out of you, and your family warned you, everyone did."

"Laera, please, not now," she pleaded wearily.

Truth that nearly everyone around her was against her relationship with Mason, especially her parents, but her love for him was beyond any warning.

Mason was the managing director of her company, where she was the CEO. He was a young, intelligent, and hardworking man who hooked her attention at first glance, challenging her personality, capturing her heart most beautifully, and then an inextinguishable love bloomed between them, deafening her ears against every warning.

"I know you love him. But love shouldn't make you a ghost."

"I'm not a ghost, and stop talking about Mason like that. He's an amazing husband and a good father."

"Elly, we're talking about the same man who proposed to you the week you were grieving your parents,"

"He was assuring me,"

"Of what?"

"That he'd never leave me," her lips quivered, tears welled up in her eyes, "I lost my family in a day, Laera, my parents and my brother, he was there for me when no one was, he was right by my side, stood by me through the nights and days,"

"We were all there!" Laera snapped, "I was there, your best friend was there, your employees, we were all there."

"He said he'd never leave, and he was just trying to reassure me," she whispered, her voice cracking.

"And so you gave him everything? Your shares? Your company?"

Eloise gulped down bile, looking away; her eyes were red and puffy.

"You're not alone, Elly. You never were, you don't have to live like this. I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy," she said too quickly.

Laera looked deep into her emerald eyes, and her face dropped. The spark she used to see in her eyes was gone. No fire, no fight, just exhaustion.

"Mrs. Cormac?"

The sudden call from the doctor broke the tension like a whip, causing Eloise to jump to her feet. Her breath quivered as she turned to the doctor.

The doctor approached, her face unreadable, but her eyes were heavy with unspoken words. Eloise's heart raced.

"Please, come in," the female doctor beckoned gently.

Eloise and Laera hurried after her into the ward. The sterile, cold air hit them as they laid eyes on the tiny figure on the hospital bed.

"Oh, my baby," Eloise gasped, collapsing beside the bed. Her daughter, Alisha, just a year and a half old, lay motionless with an IV drip attached to her frail arm. The sight drained the color from Eloise's face.

Laera placed a comforting hand on her friend's back.

"Doctor, how is she? Please tell me she's okay," Eloise begged, her voice cracking.

"She's stable now," the doctor said with a reassuring smile. "She's out of danger."

Eloise heaved heavily, her knees buckling with relief.

"What happened to Alisha is a genetic condition called Hereditary Fructose Intolerance, known as HFI," the doctor explained.

"HFI?," Eloise looked from the doctor to Laera in surprise and turned back to the doctor, "I don't understand."

"HFI is a rare genetic disorder where the body can't break down fructose, and if a baby with this takes solid food containing fructose or sucrose, it would cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and lethargy, just like we saw today."

Eloise covered her trembling lips with her palm, her eyes welled up in tears, and her chest felt so heavy that Laera's pat on the back wasn't felt. Her eyes turned towards her child on the bed, and her heart broke.

"It's okay, Mrs Cormac," the doctor said, "it is not life-threatening as long as it's been managed, and I'm sure you must be familiar with how that can be done."

"Huh?" she glanced back at the doctor, and shook her head, "No, I'm not familiar."

The doctor looked at her, surprised, "Don't you have the same diagnosis? Or is it your husband who has it?"

"None of us has it, doctor, we take fruits regularly, honey, table sugar, and we're fine, no allergies,"

"Well, that's strange, Is there anyone else in your family with a record of...?"

"Not at all," she replied before the doctor finished,

"I'm surprised, Mrs Cormac, cause it is hereditary, and according to the test result, she got it from a close relative, either from the mother or the father."

Everyone stared at one another. Eloise looked confused and surprised at how impossible the diagnosis was.

"You sure no one has this?"Laera asked,

"No one," she insisted, then suddenly paused. A memory flickered.

"I know of someone, though, with the same intolerance."

"Who?" the doctor asked,

"It's not possible to have gotten it from her, Tamara, she's my best friend from childhood, she's the only one around me with such."

Dr. Monica and Laera glanced at each other. Monica sighed and made to speak when a fellow blonde-haired doctor strode into the room.

"Dr. Monica, are you busy?"Dr. Glenda asked,

"What's it?"

"I need your help with a five-month-old baby in Ward C," she said,

"Please give me some minutes,"

"Sure," Dr. Glenda nodded and made to leave when her eyes locked on Eloise.

"Mrs. Cormac?"

Eloise turned, eyes lighting up. "Dr. Glenda? Oh my God, you're back!"

Glenda smiled and hugged her. Years melted away in a second.

"You two know each other?"Monica asked.

"Yes! She was my doctor," Eloise said. "She helped deliver my baby, then left for overseas the same night."

"I'm sorry I had to go so suddenly," Glenda said, guilt flashing in her eyes.

"It's okay. You're forgiven," Eloise smiled warmly.

"So what brings you here?"Glenda asked.

"My baby got sick, so I brought her in."

Glenda walked to the bed and looked at Alisha. Her eyes softened."She's beautiful. How old is she now?"

"Has it been that long that you don't remember the age of the baby you delivered?" Eloise teased, but Glenda's smile slowly faded, confusion and heartbreak hit her heart and facial expression.

"Wh. What do you mean by the baby I delivered?, she asked, her heart pounding.

Eloise chuckled mildly, looking at Glenda strangely, confused at her question and gradual change of attitude.

"Alisha, the baby you helped me deliver a year and a half ago."

Glenda stepped back, looking between Eloise and Monica. Her hands started to sweat.

No. This wasn't right. She did deliver a baby that night... but that baby didn't make it.

"Are you feeling okay?"Eloise asked.

"Of course," Glenda said quickly.

"Are you on any medication?"Glenda asked suddenly.

Laera and Monica exchanged a look.

"What kind of question is that?"Eloise asked, frowning. "Why are you acting weird?"

Glenda's throat tightened. Her pulse raced. She couldn't lie anymore.

She was certain, other nurses were there; she had witnesses, and there was no way she was mistaken.

"Are you okay? Dr. Glenda?"Dr. Monica asked worriedly, noticing her breathing raggedly.

She had managed to live past that night, that night that tormented her career for months, causing her fear every time she stepped into the delivery room. She couldn't have been mistaken about that night.

"Is everything okay...,"

"No," she shook her head, managing to swallow as she felt a lump in her throat.

"I did deliver your baby," she said quietly. "But... the baby didn't survive. It was a stillbirth."

The room went dead silent.

The room froze.

Laera's gasp cut through the silence, and Eloise burst into laughter, a loud outburst that echoed through the white wall. She fell on her knees laughing and pointing at Glenda.

"You're joking, right? That's a terrible joke."

Monica pulled Glenda aside. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm serious," Glenda whispered. "There were other nurses there. It was recorded. I left that night because I couldn't face it..."

Glenda felt her heart ripping apart as she recalled that night, that would be the first time in her career that she'd be witnessing a stillbirth, one that came from a patient she so loved and admired. Eloise was a healthy, glowing pregnant woman, but the delivery wasn't an easy one; Eloise lost consciousness the moment she conceived after an hour of pushing.

The baby was registered dead, but Glenda couldn't bring herself to tell the mother about it, and so she accepted the offer of her transfer, which had been pending, and travelled abroad that night. Even though the experience took a huge toll on her job, giving her tokophobia.

"You know too well not to be making that kind of joke, right?" Dr. Monica whispered as she pinched her,

"I'm not," she shook her head," they were nurses there, it was registered, I have no idea about what's going on right now, and how come she has a baby?"

"I don't understand what's going on here, but you can't just come here and claim that Alisha isn't her daughter, like what are you talking about?"Laera cut in, glaring at the doctor.

Glenda looked at Eloise, who had stopped laughing, her face contorted with confusion, but her heart ached for her.

Eloise stood up slowly, her body felt like stone. Her mind, worse. She glared at Glenda with her jaw tightened.

"Enough of your jokes, don't make me disrespect you," she said, gritting her teeth.

"Mrs Eloise, we've known each other for quite a while, and you know I have no reason to lie to you, I'm so confused right now cause even your husband was aware."

Eloise furrowed her brow, shocked, confused, and speechless. Her heart started racing, and she parted her lips but found no words. All she could do was shake her head. "You must be mistaken. You know what? Just get out! Get out!" she ordered, her breath getting ragged.

"Let's all calm down," Dr. Monica interjected, "There's one way to be sure. A quick DNA test."

After a lot of convincing from Dr. Monica, Dr. Glenda, and Laera, Eloise finally agreed to the DNA test-even though she thought it was ridiculous. Her heart burned with anger toward Glenda. With tightened lips, anger blazing through her eyes, she sat in the lounge.

"Who does she think she is? Coming in here like some kind of queen, saying my daughter isn't mine, is she crazy?" Eloise snapped.

Laera glanced at her but didn't say what she was really thinking. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it out loud.

"She's my daughter. She's mine." Eloise's voice softened with emotion as images of Alisha's smile filled her mind. Her hands balled into fists. No matter what anyone said, no one was taking her child from her. And Glenda? She wasn't getting forgiveness-not for this.

Suddenly, Eloise's phone rang. She dug it out of her bag and frowned when she saw the name of her grandfather's doctor on the screen. Her heart dropped. She swiped to answer.

"Hello?" she said.

Whatever she heard made her go pale. Without a word to Laera, Eloise jumped to her feet and ran.

"Eloise!" Laera called after her, confused and worried, but she stayed behind, waiting for Monica and Glenda.

The news had hit like lightning-fast, sharp, and devastating. Eloise didn't stop to think. Her body moved on instinct, racing through sterile hospital corridors that now felt cold and endless.

She reached the ward where her grandfather was being treated. It was in a different wing of the hospital. The nurses looked up, startled by her panic, but didn't stop her.

She pushed open the door and froze.

There he was.

His body lay still, covered. The air smelled like antiseptic, and the silence was loud.

"Grandpa?" Her voice shook. She reached for him, hands trembling.

He didn't move.

She shook him gently, as if he'd wake up. But the body was cold-too cold.

"Grandpa?" Her voice broke. Tears poured down her face, her nose running, her chest so tight it hurt to breathe.

"I'm so sorry," the doctor said softly. "He asked us to give this to you."

They handed her his wristwatch.

She broke down again, sobbing. It was his favorite watch-he never took it off. He believed in superstitions, in time, in the strange and unexplained. He was funny, full of life, and had a heart of gold.

(Flashback)

"Cute Pa!" Eloise had giggled, kissing his cheek.

"My favorite fox!" he grinned, using her nickname.

"Miss me?"

"Always, even though I saw you this morning."

He pointed to his watch. "Haha, You're jealous of this, aren't you?"

"Totally," she joked. "You love that thing more than me."

"No," he shook his head and burst into laughter, "don't you know time is precious, I have to always check the time, and sometimes when life seems so hard, and suffocating, your only rescue is time."

(Back to present)

Eloise clutched the watch close to her chest and wept bitterly. Now, that precious watch was in her hand. He was gone. And so was the piece of her heart that lived with him.

Eloise felt utterly alone; This was the moment she needed Mason the most. This was the moment she wished at least Tamara, her best friend, would be by her side, cause she feared she might run out of air with how tightening and suffocating her chest felt.

****

Hours later, Eloise walked out of the ward like a ghost. Her face was streaked with dried tears, eyes swollen, nose red. Her hair was a mess, but she didn't care. She felt hollow.

"Eloise."

She stopped. Laera stood there with Monica and Glenda, all three wearing that look-the one people give when they're about to say something that will break you.

Without saying anything, Monica held out a brown envelope.

Eloise stared at it for a few seconds, then took it with a shaky hand.

She opened it slowly.

Her eyes scanned the paper inside. It trembled in her grip.

"What is this?" she asked, her voice sharp and shaking.

She looked up at them, pleading. "This can't be real. There's a mistake!"

She shoved the paper back at them.

"It's true, Mrs. Eloise" Monica said quietly. "Alisha isn't your biological daughter."

"Don't! Stop saying that! She's mine, so take this thing back." Eloise's voice cracked and her chest heaved.

"I don't know exactly how it feels, but I know it hurts, a truth no one would want to accept, but the result can't lie, Alisha's HFI also says a lot," Monica added,

Eloise tried to speak, but no words came. Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor.

The memories hit like a tidal wave. Alisha's baby cries. Late-night feeds. Her little hand gripping Eloise's finger. The first laugh. The milestones. Her daughter. How could she not be hers?

She clutched her chest. "No!" she cried out, the scream raw and deep. "I sang to h...She knows my voice... She cries when I leave the room..." Tears streamed down her face.

Glenda knelt beside her, her eyes welling up with tears as she watched Eloise cry out her soul, "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I thought you knew, I thought your husband told you,"

"I'm so sorry," Glenda whispered. "I thought you knew. I thought your husband told you."

"Ma.mason? He knew?" she cracked.

Glenda nodded, sniffling.

Eloise's whole body went cold.

"No. There is no way he'd knew and he couldn't keep that from me." Her voice was thin, desperate. "And this test,this paper-it's fake! If she's not mine, then who's?"

Glenda looked at Monica, who gently said, "I think there's only one person who can answer that."

Laera added softly, "You need to talk to Mason."