Chapter 5
Jim’s face twitched slightly with discomfort, and after a few seconds of hesitation, he snapped in frustration.
“Does it even matter if it’s true or not? Hayley, the real issue here is that you’re picking on Sadie. Don’t try to shift the focus.”
Sadie bit her lip and looked apologetic, tears brimming in her eyes. “Mrs. Upton, I never meant to treat Jim that way three years ago. I really didn’t… Now that you’re bringing it up again, I just feel so ashamed I could cry.”
She sniffled and added, “Please don’t get upset at Ms. Bronson because of me. I’m too embarrassed to even bring up what I did three years ago.‘
I watched her play the victim, and I just smiled quietly.
Yes, three years ago, when Jim went bankrupt, it was Sadie who humiliated him by making him kneel like a dog for just 150 dollars. In the end, it was me who handed over the money to preserve what little pride he had left.
“Silly girl, don’t say that. You’re still carrying…”
Before Petra could finish, Jim cut her off.
“Mom, that’s enough.”
He looked at Sadie and said gently, “Sadie, I don’t–blame you for what happened back then. Just stay here and take care of yourself. Don’t worry about anything else.”
He was clearly trying to steer the topic away.
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Then, without warning, he bent down and scooped me up from the bed like I was nothing more than dead weight.
The sudden force made my vision spin. I staggered once and leaned against the wall to steady myself, feeling the dizziness wash over me.
From inside the room, I could faintly hear Petra and Sadie whispering.
“Sweetheart, your only job right now is to focus on having that baby.”
Then, I heard Sadie asking quietly.
“Mrs. Upton, are you really not angry with me?”
“Of course not. I said all that just so Hayley would hear it. I can’t stand that she used that filthy money to help my son and still had the nerve to force him into marriage.”
Thinking back to how grateful Jim’s mom looked when I was the only one helping them during their downfall three years ago… It honestly felt laughable now.
Jim must have heard their conversation too, because after a moment of silence, he said, “Don’t take what Mom said too seriously. You know her temper’s been worse ever since she got sick.
“You should stay somewhere else for now. Sadie’s pregnant and Mom’s not doing great either. Having you here might upset them.
“Pregnant women come first. You get that, right?”
I did not say anything. My face was blank, expressionless. No anger. Just calm.
Jim noticed something off and cleared his throat before adding, “Hayley, whoever you are, if I’ve promised to marry you, I will. That won’t change.”
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I nodded absentmindedly.
He saw the nod and let out a breath of relief.
Yep. Still the same Hayley.
The one who just wanted to marry him.
Just like that, I was quietly pushed out of the Upton family’s life.
When we left, Jim only gave me the address of the place I was being sent to, then rushed back inside to comfort Sadic–who was oh–so-“hurt” by my harsh words.
My hands were empty, and the clothes I wore were too thin for the wind
outside.
Three years ago, I walked into the Upton family with everything I owned. Three years later, the only thing I took away was the child in my belly.
And now, I didn’t even want that.
Because the thought of giving birth to a child with Jim’s blood made my
stomach churn.
I searched for the nearest private hospital and booked an appointment for a pre–abortion exam.
Better for a child to not be born than to suffer in a world like this.
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Chapter
