Chapter 3
The man's voice held a trace of nervousness, and his hand around her waist reflected that tension. As Arabella thought about leaving soon, she wanted to make the parting less awkward and replied, "I got here just this morning."
Graham's shoulders relaxed slightly, and he began asking about her health.
Graham Thomas was a man of considerable wealth. He had taken Arabella Martin to a prestigious private hospital in the city for her prenatal care. The check-up went smoothly. The doctor handed the examination report to Arabella, saying, "Congratulations, both babies are healthy, and their heartbeats and development are looking great."
"Arabella, the next few months might be quite challenging," Graham gently caressed her belly. "Once the babies arrive, I'll make sure to show my gratitude."
His face was gentle and filled with the joy of impending fatherhood. Yet, Arabella's heart was heavy with bitterness. Perhaps he was so hopeful because the child was his with Josie Perez.
Beside them, the doctor, unaware of the real situation, looked on with envy. "Mr. Thomas, you truly cherish your wife."
"Of course," Graham replied, glancing at Arabella. "If it hadn't been for my wife's encouragement back then, I might never have been able to stand on my own two feet."
Arabella's eyes moistened. Everyone assumed she was "Mrs. Thomas." But only she knew they weren't actually married. The reason was straightforward: the Thomas family was quite prestigious, while she was just the daughter of a care worker.
In the past, Graham had argued with his parents countless times about marrying her. Eventually, Graham's mother compromised. Arabella had to bear both a son and a daughter before she could be accepted into the family. For safety's sake, she resorted to in vitro fertilization to conceive twins. Little did she know her painstaking efforts would end up benefitting someone else.
As they left the hospital, the car hadn't traveled more than a few hundred yards when suddenly another vehicle swerved into their path.
"Crash!"
The jarring impact sent Arabella's body uncontrollably forward. Her head collided with the windshield, and her abdomen slammed against the dashboard.
Agonizing pain flooded her senses, as if every nerve were on fire.
"Arabella, are you okay?" Graham's concerned voice reached her ears.
Arabella clutched her stomach in agony, unable to speak a word...
"Josie!"
Graham's voice rang out again, even more anxious than before.
He quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door to get out.
It turned out the driver responsible for the crash was Josie Perez!
Through the open car door, Arabella heard Josie's tearful complaint, "Graham, my hand hit the steering wheel, it hurts so much..."
"Don't worry, don't worry. I'll take you to the hospital right away," Graham reassured her, lifting Josie before swiftly heading towards the hospital.
Arabella, in pain and clutching her abdomen, couldn't even muster the strength to unbuckle her seatbelt and leave. She could only watch as Graham carried Josie away, not once looking back at her. It was as if he'd forgotten there was another woman in the car—a woman carrying his children.
Perhaps she'd hit her head during the crash, as Arabella suddenly felt her mind spinning, her ears picking up harsh noises. The temperature around her seemed to rise steadily.
Soon, unfamiliar voices broke through the haze.
"It's on fire! The car's on fire!"
"There are people inside! Can we get them out?"
"The door won't open, it's jammed!"
Arabella drifted toward unconsciousness, feeling the heat intensify, the clamor of voices fading away.
Was this the end for her...?