CHAPTER 30
“I’ll call you back,” I whispered urgently into the phone. “I just need a little more time. Three days at most.”
As the hospital room door closed behind Alexander, I quickly slipped the phone under my pillow, my heart hammering against my weakened ribs.
“Who was that?” he demanded again, his voice calm as he approached my bed.}
“My pharmacist,” I lied smoothly. “About my heart medication.“>>
He studied my face for a long moment before glancing at his watch.
“Victoria’s having false contractions,” he said dismissively. “She’s asking for special ice cream from that place downtown.“}
Even in a medical emergency, her cravings took precedence over my recovery.>
“I have meetings all afternoon,” he continued coldly. “I’ll check on you tomorrow.“}
Tomorrow came and went. Then another day passed. And another.
Alexander never returned to the hospital.
Instead, through our mutual friends‘ social media feeds, I watched his life unfold without me. Video clips of Alexander escorting Victoria to her prenatal yoga classes. Photos of them shopping for nursery furniture at exclusive boutiques.
The worst was the live stream of him at a charity gala, his hand possessively curved around Victoria’s waist as he proudly announced to the crowd. My child will be born in five months. The Pierce legacy continues!“}
Not once did he mention that he already had a wife.”
On my discharge day, after signing my own papers and refusing the wheelchair offered by a nurse, I checked my phone one last time before leaving.
Alexander had posted a professional photoshoot on his social media: Victoria in a flowing white gown, her baby bump prominently displayed, while he knelt before her, pressing his lips to her stomach. The caption read: “The beginning of my real family.”
With trembling fingers, I typed a comment:
[Congratulations. May your child grow up knowing true love.]}
Within minutes, my phone rang with Alexander’s call. I silenced it and slipped the device into my pocket.”
As I made my way through the corridors, I passed the fertility clinic where we had once discussed treatments–before Alexander decided the problem must be with me, not him, and refused further testing.”
That’s when I saw them–Alexander and Victoria standing at the reception desk, his arm protectively around her shoulders.”
“Mrs. Pierce, your prenatal vitamins are ready,” the receptionist called out cheerfully to Victoria. “And Mr. Pierce, the special fertility supplements you ordered for her have arrived as well.“>
My feet froze to the floor. He’d never once purchased supplements for me during our years of trying to conceive.}
“Alexander is so attentive,” Victoria gushed to the receptionist. “He even installed a special air purifier in every room of our home to protect the baby.“}
I remembered the mold in my bathroom ceiling that Alexander had refused to fix for two years, claiming I was “being dramatic” about the respiratory infections I kept developing.
A nurse approached Victoria with a tablet. “Mrs. Pierce, I’ve scheduled your next three appointments. Mr. Pierce has already approved the dates.”
My hand instinctively moved to my flat stomach.
Three years ago, I’d lost our baby after falling down the stairs. I later discovered that Alexander had “forgotten” to mention that he’d asked the housekeeper to wax them that morning.”
When I called him from the emergency room, sobbing as they prepared me for surgery, I heard Victoria’s voice in the background. “Hanging up already? But we’ve only just started…“}
Alexander had called back an hour later, Victoria curled against him in the frame.
“Why are you always so clumsy?” he’d snapped. “You can’t even carry a child properly. What good are you to me?“}
Then, lowering his voice to a whisper that only I could hear: “Maybe this is nature’s way of telling us you were never meant to be a mother.“>
The memory burned like acid in my throat.
I was about to turn and find another exit when Alexander spotted me. His eyes narrowed as he strode toward me, leaving Victoria at the
desk.
“Why are you lurking around like some pathetic stalker?” he hissed.”
“I wasn’t–I was just leaving,” I stammered, hating how quickly I reverted to defending myself.”
“Wait.” His hand clamped around my wrist, and I noticed Victoria watching us, her expression darkening.”
She quickly composed herself and floated over, her face a mask of angelic concern.
“Olivia! You poor thing, you look terrible,” she cooed, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. “Thank you so much for the bone marrow donation. The healer said your cells are already helping our baby develop stronger. You’ve been such a blessing to our little family!”
She turned to Alexander with pleading eyes. “Darling, shouldn’t we give Olivia a ride home? It’s the least we can do after her sacrifice.”
Alexander brushed a strand of hair from her face with tender care. “Whatever makes you happy, my love.“}
CHAPTER 2
2/2
8.7%
8:25 PM
Since I needed to retrieve my remaining possessions from the mansion anyway, I accepted Victoria’s false kindness with a silent nod.” Inside Alexander’s custom Bentley, Victoria suddenly gasped dramatically.
“Oh! What’s this?”
She reached between the leather seats and pulled out a small velvet box.
“Alexander,” she exclaimed with surprise. “You didn’t mention buying me another gift!”
Opening the box revealed a charm bracelet–identical to the one I’d received from my mother on my sixteenth birthday. The one that had mysteriously “disappeared” from my jewelry box last month.
“Oh, this must be a mistake,” Victoria said, examining the inscription inside: To our beloved daughter, forever in our hearts.
She held it up with a mocking glint in her eyes. “Isn’t this… yours, Olivia? How strange that Alexander would have it.”
Alexander’s jaw tightened before he smoothly replied, “I had it resized for you, darling. I thought you might appreciate having a family heirloom, considering your connection to our family now.”
The bracelet–the last gift from my parents before they died dangled from Victoria’s wrist as she admired it in the sunlight.N
“It’s perfect,” she cooed. “Practically made for me.”
8:25 PM
