His Regret Began When She Let Go

Rachel sat on the examination bed with her fingers twisting the edge of her purse, trying to ignore the sound of her heartbeat thudding inside her ears.

Across from her, Dr. Halden flipped through her medical file, his brow slowly creasing the deeper he read.

"Mrs. Voss," he began with a sigh that already felt like bad news.

Rachel lifted her eyes, forcing a smile that barely reached her eyes. "It's okay, you can tell me."

The doctor hesitated. That alone made her stomach twist in an unusual way. She had been coming for tests for months, chasing the answer to the nagging pain in her lower abdomen, the bleeding.

"You've been coming here for months," he said gently. "We've run multiple scans, blood tests, tissue samples. I wanted to be absolutely sure before speaking to you."

Her throat tightened, "Doctor...please."

He nodded slowly, "The abnormal cells we observed earlier have progressed. You have early stage cervical cancer."

Rachel blinked, her fingers tightening around her purse. "You mean cancer?"

Dr. Halden nodded slowly, adjusting his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "Yes, it's in its early stage, that's the good news."

"Is...is that why I can't conceive?" Rachel asked softly.

"Yes," He confirmed, setting her file aside, "your infertility was not a simple hormonal imbalance. The cancer has been developing for some time. As I said earlier the treatment is still time sensitive."

Those words stung. The word 'Infertile' had already shattered the joy in her blissful marriage but she held onto one thing which was hope. But it turns out that hope wasn't there for her anymore.

Bryce, her beloved husband had already become so distant and disappointed, and Evangeline-his mother, was even worse. She despised Rachel from the very first day the doctor announced the complications in her womb.

"Will I still be able to have children?" She muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No," Dr. Halden said gently, "I am afraid not. Even with the treatment, it might still be impossible. Unless there is a miracle."

A quiet, strangled breath escaped her. She covered her mouth, afraid it would break into sobs.

Dr. Halden watched her carefully, sympathetic but professional. "We will begin treatment immediately, You will survive this." He assured.

Rachel nodded, though she wasn't sure she would ever survive this. Not after almost three years of marriage, destroyed with the news of infertility.

She stood up slowly, "please, don't send anything to my husband's office," she said quietly. "I'll handle it."

Halden frowned. "You can't face this alone."

"I have been facing it alone,"she murmured before she could stop herself. "Please,"

He let out a tender smile, "I won't let anyone know, but please, try not to overwork yourself."

She nodded. "Thank you."

Rachel's mind reeled as she walked out of the clinic. 'Cancer', the word felt heavy. She climbed into the black limousine that waited for her at the curb.

"You okay, Mrs. Voss?" Alton, her driver asked.

"Yes," she forced a smile, "just tired."

As the car pulled away, Rachel leaned her head against the window. She pressed her hands to her abdomen, tears threatening to spill out.

Would Bryce care? Of course not. He would act polite- maybe concerned as a husband should be, but there will be no warmth.

Evangeline had already manipulated his mind towards Rachel and he was so loyal and complied to every of her words. They had not even slept in the same room for almost a year.

Right now, all she wanted was Bryce's arm around her, cuddling her and making her forget the cruelty of life, just this once. Only if it could be possible.

On reaching the mansion gate, Rachel immediately composed herself, blinking away the tears that clouded her eyes and sitting upright.

She got down from the car and walked inside the mansion slowly, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. She could hear voices- Bryce's voice and another feminine voice coming from the living room.

Bryce was standing in his tall composed manner with his fingers dipped inside his pocket. But standing next to him was a woman- young, beautiful and heavily pregnant. Her hands rested on her round belly.

Bryce held the lady with warmth and stared into her eyes, then lowered his head and gave her a peck on the forehead.

Rachel gasped.

Bryce's head snapped up immediately. "Rachel? What are you doing home so early?"

Rachel stared at the woman, then at Bryce and then round the stomach.

"Who...Who is she?" Rachel whispered.

The woman immediately clung to Bryce's arm with intimate familiarity. Her beauty was impeccable, dark curls spilling over her shoulders and cascading down her back.

The woman rubbed her belly proudly, "it's so good to finally see the mansion," she said sharply, "it would be a very perfect place to raise our son. Right dear?"

The words pierced through Rachel like a blade. Son? Who's son? Bryce would never impregnate any woman out of wedlock. It was a rule the Voss family followed. So why would this lady claim to be pregnant for Bryce- her own husband.

Bryce stood besides the woman,as though it were normal. His hands now wrapped against the lady's wrist. Rachel felt her lungs tighten, her heart pounding painfully against her ribcage.

"Rachel," Bryce finally said, "We need to talk."

Before Rachel could say a word, another voice boomed from the top of the grand staircase.

"Bryce, if you claim Marissa is pregnant with your child, I demand you end this farce immediately. Right now!" Evangeline descended from the stairs.

Rachel swallowed hard, "Bryce? Is this child yours?"

"Rachel," Bryce said, "Look-"

Rachel clenched her fist, "please Bryce- Just tell me."

"What? Tell you what?" Evangeline cut in sharply, "After everything he has been through? After years of marriage without a child? No heir! No progress!"

Rachel closed her eyes tightly, trying to process what was going on. "Bryce, what have you done?" She whispered.

Evangeline stirred. "Bryce, I demand you divorce her tonight!"

"I demand you divorce her tonight," Evangeline repeated, descending from the stairs. "It's been almost three years of marriage- Bryce, will you keep waiting for a barren lady?"

Barren? Rachel kept her expression composed, though the words felt like a slow acting poison quietly destroying her from the inside.

"Rachel, we need to get a divorce." Bryce said, voice cold. "As you can see, Marissa is already pregnant with my child. I don't think you have a place in this family again."

Something inside Rachel cracked, she wouldn't have felt anything if those words came from Evangeline or the lady who claimed to be pregnant for her husband, but hearing those words from Bryce felt like a betrayal.

"Yes. We can't afford to raise our child in such a hostile home." Marissa chipped in resting her perfectly manicured fingers on Bryce's chest.

Rachel lowered her head, biting her lip from the pain threatening to spill out. She swallowed slowly.

Rachel lifted her eyes to Bryce and her chest twisted painfully- an ache she had not expected even after all the distance between them.

"Bryce," she whispered, but before he could respond, Evangeline stirred.

"You will not embarrass this family any longer," she hissed at Rachel. " You just flaunt the riches you did not earn, getting favors from strangers using the Voss name. Nothing but shame!"

Rachel's fingers curled at her sides. No one here knew she had just left the hospital, no one here knew the true reason for her infertility, and she had no intention of telling them... not when they will use it against her.

Evangeline's voice sharpened, "the sooner you sign the divorce papers, the sooner this family can finally thrive. My son deserves happiness and so does his child."

Marissa, glowing with false sweetness, rested a hand on her stomach. "Exactly," she added softly.

Rachel inhaled, slow and steady. If she broke down now, she would never forgive herself.

"Bryce," she said again, this time stronger, though her voice trembled. "If you want a divorce, I will sign it."

A relieved sigh passed through Evangeline, and Marissa's smirk grew.

Rachel lifted her chin with dignity, "But I have one request."

Bryce's gaze narrowed, "What request?"

"Fourteen days," she said, locking her gaze with Bryce. "It's fourteen days to our anniversary to complete the three years. Give me the fourteen days, as your wife."

Evangeline's jaw dropped. "Absolutely not-"

Rachel's glare met her calmly. "I am not asking for a lifetime, just two weeks. Then I'll leave without creating a scandal." She turned to Bryce, "Please."

"Why fourteen days?" Bryce said carefully.

Rachel's heart clenched. She thought of the doctor, the diagnosis... She needed time to gather herself, to say goodbye to the life she once dreamed of, and maybe get ready to die. But she could not tell him any of that.

So she simply said, "Because I need it, to repay you for accommodating my suffocating presence for three years. And I will never ask anything else from you ever again."

Bryce hesitated.

Marissa tightened her grip on his arm. "Bryce, this is unnecessary-"

Bryce raised his hand, silencing her. His expression hardened as he turned to Rachel.

"Two weeks. Fourteen days." He repeated slowly, then he nodded once, "Fine."

Evangeline gasped. "Bryce!"

"It's only two weeks." He said flatly. "Let her have it."

Rachel smiled. A faint, almost invisible smile. At least, he gave her a chance.

Evangeline clenched her fist but said nothing. Marissa pouted, clearly displeased, but she bit down her irritation in favor of looking fragile and accommodating.

Bryce turned back to Rachel. "We'll discuss the arrangements later."

And with that, he began leading Marissa further into the mansion, Rachel stepped aside automatically giving them room to walk.

"You're so pathetic!" Evangeline sneered, brushing past Rachel.

Rachel bowed slowly, respecting her departure. She was glad that at least Bryce didn't turn down her request, now it's time for her to brace herself.

Later that evening, Rachel stayed up in her room, her presence was not called and she could hear Marissa's constant laughter. She sat on her dresser and began removing her jewelry when there was a slight knock on the door.

"Who's there?" She asked softly, arranging her jewelry.

"Ma'am, Mr. Voss requested your presence in his room," Monica, the housekeeper said.

Rachel's heart skipped a beat, after they both separated rooms, Rachel has never stepped her foot into his room, why does he need her now?

"I'll be there in a minute," Rachel responded, removing her wedding ring. The only evidence of marriage she carried. How has her life spiraled so quickly? She could remember her younger self making promises to herself.

She put the ring back into the case Bryce had used to propose to her, the same way he had proposed to her is the same way she was going to return it.

A few minutes later, she was at the door of his room, not sure if she should open the door or knock. She finally made up her mind to knock.

"Come in," Marissa's voice cut through the air and Rachel frowned. Why was it Marissa that gave her the permission to enter her husband's room?

She sighed. She opened the door and stepped in and found Marissa lying down on the bed, holding the Rolex watch Rachel had gifted Bryce on their first anniversary, with her wedding picture with Bryce.

"I am looking for my husband," Rachel said firmly without hesitation.

Marissa laughed, "You're looking for your husband? You're so stupid. Well, he's currently in the shower, maybe you can stay over there and wait."

Rachel scoffed, "Then I'll leave, whenever he is-"

Marissa cut her off sharply, "Shut up and wait." She said, shooting Rachel a glare.

Rachel stepped forward, "this is my husband's house and you are nothing but a mistress, please, mind your words when addressing me. I still have a place in this house."

A dismissive laughter escaped Marissa's lips, "oh my goodness, you're so funny!" She said amused. "A place? What place if I may ask? Is it your matrimonial room? Your mother-in-law? Or maybe your beloved Bryce?"

Rachel didn't respond.

"Well, let me make this clear to you. Even Bryce had said it earlier, you do not have a place in this house anymore. Just stop hallucinating and snap back to reality. Bryce is mine now and forever."

Rachel smiled a little, "I know. I am fully aware that he will soon be yours, I am not going to push lines between the both of you, but I deserve to be respected." She said calmly.

Marissa stood up from the bed and stormed towards Rachel with a smirk.

"I want to know," Marissa said, placing a hand on her belly, "if you will still be here to watch me give Bryce the child you never could."

Rachel's blood ran cold. Of course, she was right! She wasn't able to conceive for Bryce but that isn't the reason why Marissa would look down on her.

"With all due respect, I advise you to stop using people's suffering against them because you feel you're perfect." Rachel took a shallow breath, "and how do you feel taking people's place and being the second? If I were you, I would never even think of doing so."

Marissa swallowed hard, her hands clenched into fist, "you idiot!" She snapped, her voice seething with rage. "Let's see who gets Bryce's heart."

"I am not competing-" Before Rachel could finish her statement, Marissa staggered backwards and pushed herself to the floor, landing on her butt.

"Marissa-" Rachel screamed and reached out for her when the bathroom door opened. She ran towards Marissa who screamed in pain.

Bryce glanced briefly at the two women, but spotting Marissa on the floor he ran towards her, shoving Rachel aside abruptly.

"Marissa, what happened?" He said, carrying her up in his arms.

Marissa locked her eyes with Rachel and raised a finger pointing directly at her, "she pushed me," she cried, "because I'm pregnant, she pushed me! To kill our baby."

Bryce slowly kept Marissa on the bed and turned to face Rachel who was in deep shock. She did not even know when Marissa fell.

"Bryce- I swear, I didn't- I can't... I did not push her, I promise," Rachel stuttered. She couldn't even think of pushing Marissa down with her pregnancy, or even trying to kill her child.

"I knew it," Bryce's voice was dark. He pulled Rachel's grip holding it tight. "You have been trying every way to destroy the peace of this family. Are you not aware that she is pregnant?" Bryce said harshly, tightening her grip.

Rachel merely winced at the pain from the harsh grip but quickly composed herself, "I did not push her, she stumbled and fell!" Rachel defended, but Bryce released her arm pushing Rachel back with force, making her fall.

Rachel felt an uneasy pain in her abdomen. She placed her hands on her stomach, watching Bryce with teary eyes.

"This is how it feels," he said, voice cold. "We both agreed on fourteen days to repay me for letting you in, but your alternative is to kill the child. It's not gonna work."

Rachel frowned her face in resignation, Marissa set a trap and Bryce fell quickly into it. She stood in pain, wiping her eyes with the back of her palm.

"I understand, I am so stupid by trying to kill your child, I think I need to take my leave." She said turning to leave, when Marissa's voice came from behind.

"Bryce, you can't just let her go. Punish her!" She demanded. Rachel closed her eyes, trying to contain the rage storming inside her.

"Rachel," Bryce said, without looking at her. "From today henceforth, you will be preparing Marissa's breakfast, but you will be the first to taste it, in case you poisoned it."

Rachel nods and leaves the room.

***

"Are you stupid, Rachel?" Elara, Rachel's best friend and cousin yelled. "Why would you do that? I have always been against your marriage with Bryce, now you're adding an extra fourteen days to your departure. That's crazy!"

Rachel rested her head on Elara's shoulder. "I want to cut ties with the Voss family entirely and focus more on my business, I don't want them to break me, Elara. I just want to divorce on my own terms... not theirs."

Elara has always taken care of Rachel ever since her mother died and her father dumped her. Elara picked her up and worked her ass off just to put her in college- but when the Voss family showed up, showing interest in Rachel, Elara was distressed and deeply against it.

But Rachel, young and innocent, accepted their request in order to increase the funds of her business.

"I understand you, Rach, but you should have just signed it and come back to me. You're so damn resilient. I even wonder how you breath the same air with those fucked up bitches." Elara hissed.

Rachel smiled, a smile that barely reached her eyes. "I was diagnosed with an early stage cervical cancer but I did not tell anyone, not even Bryce."

Elara turned to Rachel in shock, "What the- cervical cancer? You need to begin treatment, girl. Are you alright?" She said, staring into Rachel's eyes.

Rachel nods with a faint smile, "After I get the divorce, I'll begin with treatment. Don't worry too much, it's still in its earliest stage."

Elara pulls Rachel into a deep hug, "I'm so sorry Rach, but I promise, I'll always be there for you. Anytime things gets so fucked up, do not hesitate to place a call."

Rachel nods, breaking from the deep hug. "I will. Elara how is the business thriving? Have we made much sales?"

Rachel owned a resin gallery, which she anonymously operated in. She didn't want anyone to know she was the CEO of the business, so she stayed hidden, letting Elara do her job.

"We've made a lot of sales for the past six months, earning over eleven million dollars, and more are still coming. I also employed some staff to reduce the workload."

Rachel pulled Elara into another hug, "I love you so much Elara, you've always been there for me." She said, tears of joy pouring out.

Elara patted her back slowly, "it's nothing. After all, you are still my sister and best friend!"

Rachel nodded, at least when the time for her divorce came, she had someone to lean on and a business to manage. At least even if there is no deep love- there is hope.