11%
Third Person’s POV
After the call abruptly ended, Rusty felt like he was going insane. He kept calling Shannon over and over, but she never picked up. The fear of losing her completely overwhelmed him. He wanted to run out and find her, but then realized he didn’t even know where she might’ve gone.
He stared at the divorce papers in his hand like they were something toxic. In a sudden burst of anger, he tried to tear them apart.
Just then, Gale appeared and snatched them from him. When she saw Shannon’s signature on the page, her smile widened so much that she didn’t even notice the look of devastation spreading across Rusty’s face.”
“So she finally signed the papers, huh? No wonder you were in such a rush to get home from the hospital,” she said sweetly. “Once the baby’s born, we can plan the wedding properly. I’ll look better in a dress by then, too.“}
“Enough. Just stop talking!” he snapped. “The only wife I’ll ever have is Shannon.”
The room instantly fell dead silent, and Gale’s smile froze mid–air. Her expression twisted in disbelief. She was used to being adored and flattered, so she was clueless as to what was happening to him.”
But then she thought about the crumbling state of her family and her visibly pregnant belly. So she could only force down her anger and soften her voice, gently wrapping her arms around his.”
“Rusty, didn’t you say your biggest dream was to marry me? That we’d have a baby and live a quiet, happy life together, just the three of ys?”
That line had always worked before, but not this time.
Rusty pulled away from her grip. His gaze, once full of tenderness, now held only frustration and warning.”
“Gale, stop living in your fantasy. Whatever we had, it’s over. The only woman I’ve ever loved is Shannon, not you.”
But when his eyes drifted to her pregnant belly, his voice softened, despite himself, as he added, “Gale, this was all a mistake. When the baby is born, I’ll give you enough money to raise them comfortably. Just take care of the child.“}
Without waiting for a response, he turned to leave. He needed to find Shannon.
But Gale grabbed his shirt, desperate to stop him. In the struggle, he pushed her away, too hard. She stumbled back like a puppet with its strings cut, crashing to the ground.}
Soon, a dark stain spread from her legs, bright red pooling beneath her.
She clutched her belly instinctively, breathing fast and shallow. Her eyes were wide with panic, locked onto the blood now seeping out of her.
“Rusty… it hurts… the baby, the baby…”
Rusty froze. But the word baby finally snapped him out of it. Just before she passed out, he scooped her into his arms and raced toward the hospital.
Later, Gale woke up to the sound of people talking around her. The first thing she heard was Rusty’s cold, urgent voice, saying, “I’ll pay double. Just find out where Shannon is within the next three days.”
Lying there, Gale touched her now–flat stomach, and her eyes darkened.
She knew the baby had been too young. There was no telling if it could’ve survived. With the current situation, how could she claim a place in Rusty’s family?
Her heart was filled with bitterness as she hatefully thought, ‘Why does everyone love Shannon?‘
They had the same father, yet she had to call him “uncle.” When she and her mom finally got into Shannon’s family after the latter’s mother died, she thought she had the upper hand. But Shannon went and got married to Rusty, the heir of their family.”
No matter what, she couldn’t let Shannon come back and take everything from her again.
As Rusty turned around, tears rolled silently down Gale’s cheeks. She looked fragile, pitiful, even beautiful in her sadness.”
“Rusty, where’s our baby?” she whispered.?
