Chapter 2
Thomas, who'd been shielding Eva, suddenly froze. "Nina, are you okay?" he asked. His face was pale, his lips trembling.
I forced a smile through the pain. "I'm fine."
Thomas had taken countless lashes because of Eva, while I only got one.
Honestly, I knew this beating was Deacon's way of giving me one last shred of dignity.
"Deacon, let's sit down and talk," I said calmly.
Deacon let out a sigh. "You silly child. Alright, come with me to the study."
Thomas kept his eyes fixed on me, but I didn't look back at him.
In the study, Deacon personally poured me a cup of coffee and gently explained the history between Thomas and Eva.
He said, "When Thomas was twelve, he was targeted in an assassination attempt by a spy. Eva saved his life.
"She was so badly hurt, she almost didn't survive. From then on, Thomas treated Eva like no one else.
"But even so, I know the baby Eva's carrying isn't his. That's not something he'd do. He's trying to pay her back for saving his life. I never imagined he'd go this far."
I nodded. "I understand."
Now I knew for sure. Thomas hadn't told anyone but me the real story behind Eva's pregnancy.
He was willing to shoulder all the blame and let everyone gossip to protect Eva and her child. How could I not help him do what he felt was right?
"Nina, don't worry. I won't let him get tangled up with Eva for long. In the Carter family, you're the only daughter-in-law we recognize," Deacon said.
I nodded and stayed silent.
*****
That night, Thomas came back. I was hurting and exhausted, so I took some painkillers and went to bed early.
The cool sensation and sharp pain on my back jolted me awake.
"Don't move," Thomas said.
His long, strong fingers moved gently over my back, applying ointment layer after layer.
"Professor Carter, we're already divorced," I said.
His fingers suddenly froze behind me.
I hesitantly turned around, sat up, and adjusted my clothes to cover my belly, trying to keep the guilt from showing in my eyes.
"Eva is your wife now. Acting like this isn't fair to any of us," I said.
Thomas looked uncomfortable, but he withdrew his hand and stood up.
"I didn't think this through," he said.
He set the ointment down. "Remember to change it."
"Okay," I replied.
As Thomas was leaving, he said, "Nina, wait for me."
He walked away into the night, but I just stared at the two bottles of ointment, lost in thought.
I wouldn't wait for Thomas anymore. I wanted to chase after my own dreams now.
*****
I shut myself away for three days, just resting at home.
On the fourth day, Pauline showed up with Eva.
They walked in arm in arm, looking so close it was like they were mother and daughter.
Pauline led Eva to the sofa, her posture elegant and refined, every move radiating quiet dignity.
She gestured for me to sit down, then spoke with a heavy, meaningful tone. "Nina, I admit the Carter family owes you an apology this time. But you and Thomas were never really suited for each other.
"You ended up here because your father served under Deacon, and out of old loyalty, he brought you into the family to look after you."
Pauline pulled out a stack of bills.
She said, "Here's 30 dollars. Take it as compensation from the Carter family. Make sure you don't say anything you shouldn't in front of Deacon. Even if it's about the baby you're carrying."
I always knew Pauline looked down on me, but I never thought she'd hold my unborn child over my head like this.
She was so protective of Eva. If she ever found out that Eva's baby wasn't even Thomas's, I wondered what she'd do.
I didn't say anything to contradict them, just respectfully saw them out.
Whatever happened to them was none of my business anymore.
Right after I sent them off, Rebecca Lewis from next door peeked in, nosy as ever.
She said, "Nina, you'd better keep an eye on your Professor Carter. He's young, promising, and every girl in town is after him, especially Eva.
"She's always all dressed up and showing off, parading herself in front of him. Who knows what she's plotting?"
Honestly, Pauline bringing Eva over today was clearly her way of legitimizing Eva in front of everyone. I wasn't about to ruin her little scheme.
"Rebecca, Thomas and I are already divorced. I'd appreciate it if you didn't say that again," I said.
Rebecca's eyes went wide. "Divorced? Wait, did they really?"
She clapped a hand over her mouth, like she'd stumbled onto some earth-shattering secret.
"Oh, you poor thing. How could they treat you like this, and you're still pregnant on top of it?" she said.
She grabbed my hand, her face full of pity and concern.
I gave her a faint, indifferent smile. "If fate isn't on your side, you can't force it."
When I married Thomas, the whole compound said I wasn't good enough for him, and Rebecca was the loudest of them all.
Some people talked for the sake of talking. I didn't let it get to me.
Once I'd recovered, I picked up my old study materials again.
I heard that Krufbert University was looking for a researcher for one of their labs.
Back then, the country was desperate for talent, and college graduates were still worth their weight in gold.
The position was a perfect match for my major, so I buried myself in my studies for a month and aced the written exam, landing first place and a spot in the interview round.
The lab was only hiring one researcher, and I had a solid shot at it. If not a sure thing, at least a good seven or eight out of ten chance.
But on the day of the interview, someone swooped in and stole the spot right out from under me.
"No need for an interview. Didn't anyone tell you?" the supervisor said.
"Why?" I asked.
I couldn't wrap my head around it, and I was pissed. I'd poured so much time and energy into this.
The supervisor rolled their eyes and pointed toward the lab.
He said, "See? This lab is actually a branch project run by Professor Carter. His wife got back from studying overseas, and her field matches ours perfectly.
"You only spent a few years with Professor Shaw. How could you possibly compare? So what if you topped the written exam?"
I spotted Thomas and Eva.
They were coming out of the lab, and when they looked up, they caught sight of me.
"Nina, what are you doing here?" Thomas asked, looking genuinely surprised.
I waved the papers in my hand with a sarcastic grin.
I said, "I came for the interview after topping the written exam, but apparently someone just told me not to bother. The position was already reserved for someone else."
Everyone looked uncomfortable, except for Eva. She looked pretty pleased with herself.
Thomas looked pale and uneasy. "Nina, I—"
"Don't worry about it. That's just how people are," I said. I waved my hand dismissively and walked off.
Thomas started to move after me, but with all those people around, he stopped himself.
I walked out of the lab and ran straight into someone.
"Oops, sorry," I said.
"Nina!"
I looked up and met James Howard's eyes, suddenly feeling awkward.
"James, long time no see. So, you're back?" I asked.
James looked calm and spotless. He said, "Yeah, I've been back for a while. I saw your name on the interview list for the lab next door.
"Instead of going there, why not try Professor Shaw's lab? He keeps saying he wishes you hadn't quit your studies."
I felt my cheeks burn with shame. "I-I just didn't want to hold you guys back," I stammered.
James said, "There's an exam in two weeks. Only one spot."
He didn't say anything else. He just handed me a list of books and left without another word. I watched him walk away, feeling so ashamed.