Chapter 4
I finally understood why he was acting so strangely today.
He wasn't doing it for me.
He was doing it for himself.
He was out for revenge, and I, along with the baby I was carrying and the Sullivan family behind me, were the most crucial pawns in his scheme.
He needed a solid support system and the Sullivan family's backing to deal with the enemies from his previous life.
That was why Judson said to me, "I'll protect you and the baby."
Because to him, we were his trump card for a comeback in this lifetime.
Once it all clicked, I felt sick to my stomach.
From start to finish, I was something he could use, a pawn in his game.
It was true in my previous life, and nothing had changed now.
I yanked my hand away from him, my stare icier than his. "I want nothing to do with your revenge. Judson, I'll say it again. We're getting a divorce. I'll protect my baby myself."
With that, I didn't give him a chance to say another word. I opened the black umbrella and walked resolutely into the rain.
Judson stayed behind, not coming after me.
I could still feel his icy gaze, like a leech stuck to my back, impossible to shake off.
When I got home, I locked myself in my room, my whole body trembling uncontrollably.
Judson's words kept haunting my mind like some curse.
Paloma was the killer.
Judson had been killed in his previous life, too.
No, I couldn't trust him.
He was so cold-blooded, selfish, and scheming. I didn't believe a single word that came out of his mouth.
I had to look into this myself.
I needed to get to the bottom of what really caused my baby's miscarriage in my previous life.
If Paloma really did it, then this time around, I'd make her pay, blood for blood. My eyes hardened with a ruthless resolve.
Over the next few days, Judson played the role of the model husband, like the kind every woman dreamed of.
He skipped out on all the unnecessary dinners and parties, coming home right on time every single day.
He even rolled up his sleeves and cooked for me, following those nutritionist-approved recipes he found online for pregnancy-safe meals. As for the taste, let's say, it was unforgettable, and not exactly in a good way.
He never forgot to remind me to take my folic acid, and he'd bring home all kinds of fruits that were supposed to be good for the baby, washed, sliced, and served them right in front of me.
At night, he stopped sleeping in the study and moved back into the master bedroom.
But he kept his distance, lying on the far side of the bed, never once crossing the invisible line between us.
If I hadn't traveled back, if I didn't know how cold and selfish he really was, maybe I'd have been fooled by his fake tenderness.
But there was no "if" for me.
The more he played the perfect husband, the more wary and sick I felt inside.
I knew it was all an act.
He wanted me to drop my guard and become the perfect pawn in his grand revenge plan, the way he needed me to be.
That night, Judson came in with a plate of apple slices with peanut butter.
"Anna, have some apples. It's good for you and the baby." He handed me the plate, with an unreadable look in his eyes, as if he was looking forward to something.
I stared at the apple slices with peanut butter, and my stomach turned violently.
In my previous life, Paloma had tampered with the daily pregnancy medicine I took.
This time, I couldn't bring myself to trust anything prepared by anyone else, especially by Judson.
"I don't want to eat it. Take it away," I said, turning my head aside, coldly refusing him.
His hand hovered awkwardly in the air, and a flicker of hurt crossed his face.
"Why? Is it not to your taste?" Judson asked.
"No reason. I don't want it," I said.
"Anna." Judso's tone turned serious. "I know you're still angry with me, but you can't take risks with your health or the baby's."
I scoffed, turning to face him. "Judson, are you worried about me, or about your tool for revenge?"
His expression soured, and his gaze turned icy.
The atmosphere in the room instantly turned cold as ice.
We locked eyes in a silent standoff, neither of us willing to give an inch.
In the end, he seemed to give in.
He picked up one of the apple slices and took a bite himself under my watchful gaze.
Then he pushed the plate back toward me, his voice rough. "Is that enough to put your mind at ease?"