Chapter 2
My dad couldn't say no to me, so he pulled some strings and got the wedding arranged.
I was so naive, thinking that if I just tried hard enough, if I was perfect enough for Freddie, I could eventually melt his icy heart.
But now, I saw just how wrong I was.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
Some cold hearts were just impossible to thaw.
"The baby..." I finally forced the words out after a moment's hesitation.
Even though I already knew the answer in my heart, I still held onto a sliver of hope.
Dad's face darkened with anguish.
He opened his mouth, but no words came. He could only shake his head, again and again.
Will, standing nearby, punched the wall hard, the bang echoing through the room.
"It's gone," Will said, his voice trembling with barely contained rage.
"Christine, that bastard kid is gone!
"Freddie, that son of a bitch—he's the reason his own kid is dead."
Bastard.
The word cut through my heart like a knife.
Born into a family that never wanted you? What else would you be but a bastard?
I couldn't hold back anymore—my tears finally trickled down my face.
I didn't break down or sob; I just cried quietly.
For the baby who was gone before ever seeing the world.
And for those three miserable, ridiculous years of marriage.
Just then, the hospital room door swung open.
A tall, commanding figure filled the doorway.
It was Freddie.
He was dressed in an expensive, tailored suit, his hair perfectly styled, and his handsome face showed nothing but impatience and annoyance.
He probably thought coming to the hospital to see me was just cutting into the time he'd rather spend with Ella, the woman he truly cared about.
"Are you done making a scene, Christine?" Freddie snapped, his tone was cold and accusatory.
"Ella just twisted her ankle. Do you really have to act like you're dying in the hospital over it?
"And now you've got your family here to put pressure on me.
"What are you trying to pull?"
Every word he spat was like a venom-tipped dagger, piercing right through me.
I stared at him, and out of nowhere, a bitter laugh escaped me.
I laughed, and tears rolled down my cheeks.
This is the man I've spent three years loving.
He'll never trust me.
To him, I'm nothing but a malicious, manipulative woman.
And Ella? She'll always be the gentle, fragile little fairy he wants to protect.
"Freddie," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.
Suddenly, a crisp slap rang out in the hospital room.
My dad put everything he had into it and smacked Freddie right across the face.
Freddie was left dumbfounded by the slap.
He grabbed his cheek, which was turning red and swollen, gaping at Dad, totally floored.
"How dare you!" Freddie sputtered, his eyes wide with outrage.
His voice was thick with shock and fury.
To Freddie, the Banks family had always needed something from the Rowe family.
Dad was always polite around Freddie, even trying to please him most of the time.
So, Freddie never would have imagined that this usually gentle old man would ever hit him.
"Why wouldn't I?" Dad was trembling with fury, jabbing his finger at Freddie's nose.
"That slap was nothing—consider yourself lucky!
"Freddie, you heartless bastard.
"Do you even know what Christine has gone through because of you..."
He choked up halfway through his sentence, unable to finish.
He stared at my pale face, the agony in his eyes practically spilling over.
"She lost the baby." Will's eyes burned with rage as he jumped in. "Christine was pregnant—over a month along.
"You forced her to kneel in the pouring rain for two days and nights, and now the baby's gone.
"The baby is gone—yours and hers.
"Are you satisfied now?"
Will's words exploded in the hospital room like a bomb, leaving everyone stunned.
Freddie froze, rooted to the spot.
His eyes widened sharply, and all the color drained from his face.
"What did you say?" Freddie looked at me, his voice carrying a barely noticeable tremor.
"Pregnant?" His face was full of disbelief, barely able to get the word out. "How could she be pregnant?"
The look on his face was priceless—so shocked, it was almost funny.
Yeah, like he'd ever believe I was pregnant.
In three years, I could count on one hand how many times we'd actually shared a bed.
Every time he touched me, it felt like he was just checking off a chore—cold, distant, like I didn't even matter.
Afterward, he'd hand me the pills without a second thought.
He was always afraid I'd get pregnant, scared I'd use a baby to tie him down.
This time, it was just an accident.
That night, he came home drunk and totally out of control.
And that was how I ended up pregnant.
I never even got the chance to tell him before the baby was gone.
Maybe it's for the best.
Honestly, being born into a family like this would've been hell for the baby.
"Freddie, we've all seen how much Christine has suffered for you," Will said, his voice heavy with anger.
He stepped closer to Freddie, his aura downright intimidating. "We thought you had a heart, that someday you'd actually be moved by her."