Pampered By His Uncle But He Wants Me Back

Evelyn's POV

The clattering sound of the cutlery filled the dining room as everyone around the large table ate. My husband, his family, my aunt, and my cousin were the ones surrounding the table and eating peacefully.

However, I couldn't eat because I felt unsafe and their eyes on me made me uncomfortable. I could only stare at my food. Perhaps I couldn't eat because I wasn't happy.

"Why haven't you touched your meal, my child?" That was my mother-in-law. She sounded so nice but everyone at the table knew how much she hated me. I could say everyone around the table didn't like me. How did they expect me to eat peacefully when I was in the midst of people who hated my existence?

Before I could think of what to say, she uttered. "Who knows, perhaps the reason you cannot give my son a child is because you lack nutrition."

Those words hit me harshly at the right spot. I swallowed hard and when everyone around the table began to laugh at her statement, I felt embarrassed. I should be used to it by now. I mean it isn't the first time they all bullied me, including Nathan, my husband.

I stayed quiet and decided to pick my cutlery to start feeding myself but it only led to more. "My goodness, come on Evelyn, do you think you can get pregnant because you choose to eat now?" that was my mother-in-law again.

I glanced at Nathan who appeared pleased by what she was saying to me. "It took me a week to get pregnant at my husband's house after our marriage. But you, Evelyn, you've taken more than three years. Tell me, how unfortunate can you be?"

What could I give as an answer? I sat there enduring all the insults being thrown at me. I felt worthless, especially when my husband refused to defend me. He had never done that, but still, deep down inside me, I hoped and expected him to.

"Her grades are bad, her facial appearance is poor, she has no luck in getting a job and she's nothing but a burden to everyone around her. Is having a baby a big problem?" My aunt joined. She and her family raised me after I lost my whole family in a fire accident.

I lowered my gaze, crying bitterly inside but while I was looking down, I caught my cousin touching my husband. I raised my gaze a little and saw Nathan smiling at her. They were gazing at each other and it brought pain to my heart. The pain felt like disappointment and betrayal. I was trying hard to hold my tears and I believed I succeeded.

Lately, my husband and my cousin have grown close. First, it was his secretary, and now Rachel, my aunt's daughter.

Their voices slowly became a background voice in my head as I stared into space. I looked at the cutlery in front of me, seeing myself cutting my skin with the sharp one. My breath was unstable. I wanted to scream and tell them that it was enough. I was on the verge of crying out loud because it was too much to endure any longer, but pictures of what would happen if I expressed myself played in my head, so I forced myself to take in that heavy breath that felt like it would scatter my lungs.

I was shaking and biting the inside of my mouth but no one cared about me.

Eventually, it ended. Everyone left for their home, except Rachel. She spent time with my husband while I did the dishes and cleaned the house.

I had been doing that for years because they all felt like it was suitable work for me. My husband told me that he didn't need a maid because I could do the job.

I went to our room after finishing my work but my husband was in the guest room with my cousin.

Why didn't she marry him then when she knew she'd want him this much? I thought to myself as I tried to catch sleep.

Three years ago, my aunt's family instructed me to get married to the bachelor who wanted Rachel but because he wasn't Rachel's taste-a man with wild wealth, I replaced her and realized that Nathan married me because he needed a child.

When I couldn't offer that a few months after our marriage, Nathan and his parents changed their ways and began to mistreat me just like my aunt's family used to do to me. I was wrong about my freedom. I was just moved to an upgraded prison.

Evelyn is my name and I am just so unlucky with everything that involved me.

____

"You are eight weeks pregnant, Mrs O'Brien," I heard from the doctor after she explained some things to me about my condition. I wished it was a deadly disease after I came for a check-up but I was wrong. I had just received the news I had been waiting for but now it didn't make me happy anymore. "Congratulations," she smiled brightly at me.

"There's no complications?" I asked because I really wanted to die.

"No, Mrs O'Brien," she chuckled because she thought I was joking.

I collected the test result and began to stare at it as I left the hospital. Then it struck my mind that Nathan could love me now that I was carrying his baby. This news could actually save our marriage and also help me gain his parent's love and affection.

After three years, I can finally bring a child to the family. I filled my mind with hope and rushed home to wait for my husband to get back from work so I could tell him.

When I entered the house, I felt really happy about the news and went straight to my room to change my clothes. Upon reaching close to the entrance, I overheard the word 'pregnancy.'

"You are carrying my child?" I heard Nathan and knew instantly that he was with my cousin, Rachel.

"Congratulations, my baby!" He kissed Rachel's belly, causing me to look down at my own.

"This is what Evelyn cannot achieve," he mocked me.

"Shouldn't you have divorced her by now?" My cousin asked. I wasn't surprised that Rachel could do that to me.

"Now that you are pregnant, it's high time she left my life. She has done nothing but cause trouble in my life. She always needed money. How could I have married a woman like Evelyn? She isn't even pretty or sexy," I couldn't believe that my husband could say that about me, but there was one thing he achieved: he made me insecure about myself and my appearance just by mentioning those words.

Evelyn's POV

"But you love her," Rachel uttered and tangled herself for Nathan's lovey-dovey hold. I felt a little joy in one part of my heart when I heard that but the fear that it might be false killed that feeling.

"You are the one I wanted from the beginning," Nathan drew her close to him and it hurt so much because I have never been able to be childish around my husband to receive a treatment like this. I guess it wasn't hard for Rachel to achieve that side of Nathan; the Nathan I had craved all these years. I had wanted to be romantic with him.

Our lovemaking was never because of love. The sole reason we ended up having sex is because he was happy about something and he celebrated it by having sex with me. And when he kisses me I would lose my senses and forget how he used to treat me because I've always wanted him to love me that way.

He wasn't wrong. The marriage proposal came for Rachel and not me. I replaced her then because Rachel didn't want him. Why now? Why was she trying to end my marriage with Nathan when she didn't like him from the beginning?

"We are having a baby now. You wouldn't want our child to have a stepmother, would you?" She tangled herself around his body even tighter.

How could Nathan, without a conscience do this while he was still married to me?

How was I going to tell him about our baby now that his beloved mistress is also carrying his child? I bit my lower lip, trying to hold my tears as I remembered what I had been through all my life.

Unable to endure what was going on, I left the door entrance and went to the back of the house to clear my mind but it didn't work.

My friend, who had been with me since high school, called while I was staring into space. "Mariam," her name was the only thing I could say after answering the call.

"What happened?" She questioned. "You mentioned visiting the hospital."

"I've returned from the hospital, Mariam," tears began to drop from my eyes. My heart was aching because the more I wanted to talk about it, the more I couldn't help thinking about everything that had happened to me because of my aunt and her family.

"Talk to me, Evelyn, I can hear you cry."

I sucked my lower lip so I could stop my tears from entering my mouth. My throat burned as I tried to hold my tears. "I'm pregnant," I told her the result as I stared at the paper in my hand. "Two months pregnant."

"Isn't that what you've been waiting for?"

"Yes, Mariam. Yes," my eyes got filled up again with tears, I could feel my head throbbing. I felt weak and wanted to break down but I didn't. "It's all over now."

"What do you mean?"

"It's over, Mariam," But I couldn't hold it any longer, I lost the strength I had in my arm and dropped the phone from my ear.

Sobbing by myself, I remembered how I fell in love with Nathan. It happened on our wedding day when he kissed me deeply. I thought that was the beginning of a new life for me but it wasn't. It was only the start of a more miserable life. Why am I so unlucky?! I cried to myself.

Images of Nathan playing with Rachel earlier flashed in my head and I grimaced because even the image hit me badly in that spot. I raised my head only to be hit by the bright unbothered sky. I needed to breathe so I pushed my head back.

Mariam kept calling but I needed to ease my chest from this pain.

"What am I going to do now, Mariam?" I eventually answered the call after recovering from the pain a little.

"You didn't tell me anything," she sounded angry. "I know you are feeling this way because of that bastard!" She yelled on the phone. "Tell me what that bastard did!" She shouted one more time but before I could say anything I felt someone's presence behind me.

I immediately squeezed the paper in my hand and I dipped it in my dress. I didn't know why I did that. I just felt disgraced about my pregnancy. "I'll call you back," I hung up the call and turned around to see Nathan.

Far behind him was Rachel watching both of us. "Hi," I was the one to speak first. I wondered if I looked pitiful.

"Have you been crying?" He asked.

For a moment, I thought he cared and began to feel a little excited about it. I wonder how the little things he does make me forget about the big, bad things he has done to me in the past few years. I guess I was that stupid.

"Well, you should be crying to God so he will help you out of this awful fate you have."

And then I was wrong. I was too hopeful and expectant, but it only brought me nothing but disappointment, pain, and wounds.

There wasn't even any look of sympathy on his face. He looked stern and nonchalant. But his words hurt me. I began to question my fate as he looked at me.

"I have something to tell you, Mrs O'Brien," he walked closer to me.

I knew what he wanted to tell me but I didn't show any hint of knowing. I glanced at Rachel who seemed happy about everything. She had hated me ever since I began to live with her family after my family died in a fire.

I returned my gaze to Nathan. He must be serious about the divorce for him to call me Mrs O'Brien instead of my name.

"You will no longer bear my surname, Evelyn because I will be divorcing you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Why?" I didn't act surprised but I found myself asking.

"Because I'm carrying his child. It is something you cannot do so why should he remain in the marriage?!" Rachel interrupted our conversation.

"You are pregnant?" I acted surprised but my expression was dull. "You cheated on me, Nathan," I faced him.

Nathan laughed. "Don't tell me you consider yourself a wife. How can you be one if you can't bear a child? I wonder what you did to yourself to make you so unable to conceive!"

That was harsh.

That hurts.

I was pushed to tell him that I was carrying his child and that I was able to conceive, too. At least it would hurt less.

Evelyn's POV

Do you think he deserves to know about the baby? A voice rang in my head with that question after I studied Nathan's face. Remember what he said to you when he noticed you cried, what he told Rachel about you, and cheated. Remember that he never loved you.

I opened my mouth to tell him about the baby but I listened to that voice instead. "Congratulations, Rachel for doing what I'm not able to do," then I dragged my gaze to Nathan. "You'll meet me at the court where we registered our marriage tomorrow morning."

With that I walked away, feeling their gazes on my back, which made my back tickle. I was sure I had shocked them with my declaration. I wasn't going to stand there and act like the fool I used to. They'd rain insults on me and make me feel worthless if I had stood and entertained them, but I was proud of myself for summoning the courage and bravery to walk out after ruining their expectations as they do to mine.

"She didn't make a fuss about it," I heard Rachel as I turned to a corner to get to my room. I needed to pack my bags since I'd be Evelyn Rose once again tomorrow.

"You told me she wouldn't want you to go. Do you think she's seeing another man?" Rachel seemed so concerned, which I didn't expect from her.

"Do we care?" Nathan answered but I could hear a hint of disappointment in his voice. He didn't sound confident as he always did.

I spoke with Mariam after that and spent the night in my room. The next morning, I got dressed and went to the bank first because I needed to know how much I had in my savings account.

I learned that the money I had was enough to sustain me for a month so I needed to find a job in one month after divorce. I didn't want to get any share from Nathan after the divorce.

"I don't want any share from you Nathan," I uttered after I read the divorce agreement documents. "Could you change this because I'm not interested in that?"

"What do you mean?" He frowned at me.

"I believe you heard me right, do I still need to explain more?" I could see him grimacing his face, surprised by my response; even I couldn't believe that I could speak that way to him. I'd always wanted to speak with confidence, but I never had the guts to. Doing so now made me feel better about myself.

"I don't think you should decline my generosity, Mrs O'Brien."

"Attorney Gomez, am I able to do that?" I asked the lawyer because I did not see any point in reasoning with Nathan.

"You do know what you are losing right now?" Nathan asked.

"Are you that surprised to see that I don't need your money?"

He scoffed. "You cannot survive without my money," he remarked.

"That's how someone who thinks they are the main character sounds. I don't need your money, Mr. O'Brien; please accept it."

"So it's true," he grabbed my wrist, "...you have another man."

I stayed quiet for a moment, looking into his brown eyes. "Why do you look upset about the thought of me having another man?"

"Answer the question!" He almost yelled at me, forgetting that there was a lawyer in front of us.

"Take it easy, Mr O'Brien. Mrs O'Brien, you can decline the share, but once it's signed, you cannot ask for it anymore. Think about your decision before stamping."

I dragged my hand out of Nathan's hand and faced the lawyer. "I won't regret my decision. In just two hours, Mr O'Brien will be my past, and I'll be known as Miss Rose again," I smirked at Nathan, who looked stunned by me.

He couldn't say anything about it anymore. After the document was adjusted, I went through it again and saw that the adjustment was made before signing it.

The paper was passed to Nathan and he signed. Attorney Gomez declared our divorce and it became final.

With that, I walked out of the court and approached the road so that I could get a cab but I met Rachel standing in front of Nathan's car, waiting for him..

I ignored her and went to stand by the road. I soon found a cab but before I could open the car door, I felt a tug by my hand and turned around to face the person stopping me.

"Happy now?" He seemed upset.

I glanced at Rachel who was behind him. She was frowning and glaring at me. "I don't recall requesting a divorce, Mr O'Brien."

"You must have been waiting for this moment so you can be with him."

I chuckled. I wish his assumption was right because I could see that he didn't want to accept that I might have a man but I could endure seeing him with his secretary and my cousin. "You must have been waiting for this moment so you can be with her," I pulled my hand from his grip and pointed at Rachel.

Nathan couldn't speak. "When others do the same to you, you can't accept it but you are very good at condemning them as if you aren't the worst."

I ended it there after we glared at each other for a while. I was about to close the car door after settling in when he stopped me.

"You can never be loved, Evelyn. You are disgusting, ugly, and ill-fated. He'd eventually leave you and you'll come begging. Trust me you'll regret not accepting my generosity," he threatened.

I responded by closing the car door. I needed to get my things from his house before he got home with his new partner.

I met Mariam at the gate, and we both went to get my belongings, as I'd be living with her for the time being.

I didn't know my former mother-in-law was in the house until she saw me moving my bags. Mariam had reached the cab outside with two of my bags and was waiting for me.

I didn't want to get involved in an unnecessary conversation with the cruel lady, so when I saw her, I decided to ignore her.

"Finally, the witch is leaving. I'm sorry but I cannot wish you the best. I mean, I don't have the power to lift the curse placed upon you," she tried to hurt me like she used to, but now their words meant nothing to me.

"It must be an achievement to give birth to a man like Nathan," I didn't have to say much for her to understand.

If she understood, it meant she knew the affairs her son had been having with other women.

"He couldn't get a woman pregnant. Isn't that poor?" when I saw her expression of being pissed. I gave her a salute sarcastically and left the house, the family, and my family for good. I hope I never see or cross paths with them ever again.

It is time I changed my life and lived it to the fullest.