Chapter 3
The car pulled up outside the hospital. As soon as Frankie stepped inside, a woman in postpartum clothes threw herself into his arms.
I finally got a good look at her face.
That was the doctor who operated on me, Daisy.
Then, a woman in her fifties walked over, holding a baby.
"Look," she said. "This is your daddy."
In that moment, it felt like someone had carved a hole in my heart, and the cold just kept seeping in.
I shut my eyes, unable to believe what I was seeing.
But the voices around me kept hammering the truth home.
This wasn't a dream.
Why was this happening?
He promised he'd only ever love me, that he'd stay loyal to me forever and never cross the line.
He even declared to the whole world that I was the only woman for him, that he'd never even look at anyone else.
Then how could he end up having a kid with another woman?
I kept trying to come up with excuses for him.
Maybe the baby was adopted?
Maybe he was just helping out financially?
But Frankie's quiet acceptance shattered my last bit of hope.
The gentle, tender look in his eyes as he held the baby told me everything I needed to know.
He really had a kid with another woman.
"Frankie, look! Your son looks just like you!" the woman said.
She was all smiles, her eyes sparkling with joy.
Frankie held the baby for a moment, then handed him back, his face as cold as ice.
"What are you doing?" Frankie asked coldly.
Daisy kept her head down, tears streaming as she sobbed.
"I was trying to feed Jake, but I must've messed up. He started choking and couldn't breathe," she stammered, voice shaking.
"If I hadn't rushed him to the hospital in time, Jake would've..." Daisy's whole body trembled as she broke down, fear written all over her face.
The woman holding the baby was fuming.
"Look, Frankie, I'm just saying. No matter what you think about Daisy, Jake is your own son. How can you be so cold?" she snapped.
The baby waved his tiny hands in her arms, all soft and cuddly, enough to melt anyone's heart.
But Frankie's expression was icy, not even glancing at the baby.
After what felt like forever, he finally sighed.
"Let's go home," he said.
Frankie picked up the baby, with Daisy right by his side.
From a distance, they looked just like a happy family.
I turned my head away, not wanting to see it.
But I couldn't stop the tears from falling, no matter how hard I tried.
Frankie told them to sit in the back, then pulled away down the road.
I trailed after them, my chest feeling like it was being ripped apart, until the car pulled up in front of a villa.
My breath caught in my throat.
My whole body started shaking uncontrollably.
This was Rosy Manor, the place he gave me.
He used to say it was way too secluded to live in, so it just sat there, empty.
But I never thought he'd let someone else move into the place that meant everything to me.
They walked inside, leaving the windows wide open.
I hid under the eaves, watching everything happening inside, feeling like some sneaky thief.
Once Daisy got the baby settled, she gave Frankie a pleading look.
"Can you... stay with the baby tonight?" she asked softly.
Frankie kept his face cold and indifferent.
"Looks like everything's fine, so I'm heading out," he said.
Just as he turned to leave, Daisy grabbed him from behind, hugging him tightly.
"Frankie, I'm really scared. Please, don't leave, okay? The baby misses his daddy so much. See? He sleeps so much better when you're here. Just for tonight, please?" Daisy pleaded.
Frankie pried her fingers off one by one, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"You know very well that today is my anniversary with Bryanna," he said coldly.
"I've already made an exception by being here for two hours. Bryanna's waiting for me at home. I have to go back."
"If you're scared, just call your mom over," he added.
Seeing Frankie about to leave, Daisy reached out and grabbed his wrist again, her tears falling nonstop.
"Frankie, please, just stay with me a little longer, okay?" she begged.
"You know, it's been half a year since the last time... You must be so frustrated. Bryanna can't give you what you need, but let me take care of you tonight," Daisy whispered.
Frankie's gaze sharpened. He whipped around and grabbed her wrist, his grip like iron.
"I told you, I don't need this," he said.
Daisy flinched at the pain, but refused to back off. She stepped even closer to Frankie, her hand reaching for him.
"See? You can't hold back anymore. Don't worry, I won't ask for anything from you. You can't keep resisting forever. I'm happy to be whatever you need," Daisy whispered.
Frankie's eyes clouded over, impossible to read, but he couldn't bring himself to walk away.
The lights dimmed, and in the half-light behind the curtains, I watched their bodies slowly come together.
I slapped a hand over my mouth, just barely stopping myself from sobbing out loud.
My heart was racing, like it was being sliced to pieces. Each cut was so raw that it felt like I was bleeding out inside.