Chapter 2
"Your mom only agreed to let you marry me after she learned I was the heir to the Stowe family. I never held it against her, and I paid her medical bills to keep her alive. Is this really how you, as her daughter, repay the person who helped you?" Nelson said.
"The Stowe family is loaded. I could pay for a million tin boxes and it wouldn't even make a dent," Nelson added.
I gritted my teeth, big, fat tears rolling down my cheeks.
When we got married, my mom tried to stop me. She was just afraid I'd end up suffering, marrying into a powerful family like the Stowes. I starved myself, even threatened to end it all. She got scared and finally relented.
She handed me that rusty old tin box.
She told me that if I ever hit a rough patch, just open it. Whatever was inside would help me get through.
Back then, Nelson was literally on his knees, with tears streaming down his face, promising my mom he'd love me forever.
Now, not only had he broken that promise, but he'd also lost the tin box my mom had given me with her own hands.
Not even pausing to think, I said, "Let's get divorced."
Nelson was stunned for a moment, but quickly regained his composure.
"Stop it. Your mom's still in the hospital on oxygen. If you won't care about yourself, at least care about her," he said.
As he spoke, he pulled out his phone, the screen still glowing.
"Unless..." Nelson curled his lips into a sly smile.
"One of my side chicks is pregnant. You gotta do me a favor. If you help me out, I'll help you get that tin box back," he said.
I bit my lip, hesitating.
"So, you want me to help her through her postpartum period?"
Nelson smirked.
"No, I want you to make sure she gets an abortion. Isn't that what Dr. Lowell does best?" he said.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my skin.
It wasn't until blood trickled straight down from my palm that I finally loosened my grip.
"Fine," I muttered.
Nelson would never let me have his own child.
He never bothered with protection.
After every time we slept together, I had to pop a birth control pill.
Even if I ended up pregnant by accident, he'd just threaten me in that cold, detached way.
"Just get rid of it. You know my rules," he'd say.
I argued, I protested, even went on hunger strikes.
I even tried lying to Nelson.
But in the end, I could never escape his surveillance.
They practically poured that bowl of abortion medicine down my throat, reckless about whether I'd survive or not.
The pain washed over me, hitting every inch of my body. That was the day I lost the ability to ever have kids again.
I couldn't argue with Nelson's response.
He said, "Nydia, we've been together for eight years. Every morning I wake up and see your dull, lifeless face, I just want to puke.
"Just do us both a favor. Let's go our own ways and not bother each other anymore."
The next day, I arranged to meet the pregnant girl.
Evelyn followed behind me, dragging her feet, grumbling the whole way.
"Nydia, did you put ideas in his head again? Otherwise, why would Mr. Stowe suddenly want me to get rid of the baby?" she complained.
"Didn't you say you'd give up your spot as Mrs. Stowe? Why are you already breaking your promise? Are you still hung up on Nelson?" she added.
I stopped and turned, staring Evelyn down.
She couldn't meet my eyes anymore and didn't say another word.
I led her into the surgery room and watched as she perched nervously on the surgical table.
My sweaty palms left damp marks inside my coat pocket.
Watching this scene, it felt like I was back in that nightmare, kneeling before Nelson, pleading with him not to force me to abort our child.
For a moment, my resolve wavered. I was about to speak up and call it off.
But Evelyn suddenly dropped to her knees, almost collapsing.
She gripped her belly tightly, and grabbed my pant leg like her life depended on it.
"I'm begging you, please don't make me get rid of my baby. He's only three months old. Please don't take away my right to be a mother," she pleaded.
"I swear, I'll walk away from him," she added.
Evelyn's drama drew a crowd, and people started jumping to conclusions, pointing fingers at me.
"Hey, isn't that Dr. Lowell?" someone called out.
"She's making a pregnant woman get an abortion!" someone yelled.
"Doctors are supposed to have a heart. That's a real life!" another person chimed in.
"How can someone so cold-blooded even work in a hospital?" someone muttered.
The crowd closed in, looking like they were ready to eat me alive.
I tried to explain, but my throat felt clogged, and no words would come out.
My voice was strangled, nothing escaped.
Evelyn used the commotion as cover and quickly called Nelson.
When he finally showed up, it felt like a lifeline when you were hanging off a cliff.
I looked at him, my eyes pleading, hoping he'd help.
I wished, after all these years together, he'd at least stand up for me.
But reality let me down.
Nelson cared way too much about his reputation. He'd never admit to cheating, and definitely wouldn't own up to having his wife escort his mistress for an abortion.
He helped Evelyn up from the floor.
Then he draped his own suit jacket over her shoulders.
That jacket had been custom-made by an elderly master whom Nelson deeply respected.
The old man was already advanced in years and refused to come out of seclusion for anyone.
Nelson had to visit him three times, practically begging, before the old man finally agreed to make one for him.
He found out the last time I took care of his jacket.
I got hit by a speeding car and almost died.