###Chapter 5
“Ah!”
Someone rushed past and bumped into me. I fell with a heavy bump to the ground. My palms burned with sharp pain where the skin was scraped.
Upon looking up, I saw Silvia weakly leaning against Robert's shoulder all the while sneaking me a winner’s smile. Robert then carefully carried his adopted sister into the car. He didn’t even look back at me.
Strangely, the pain in my chest suddenly went numb.
I stood up. Under the pointing and mocking looks of the people around me, I straightened my back and walked out of my family's estate. I took a taxi and went home.
Once I stepped into the living room, I took off the wedding ring I had worn for three years and threw it into the trash bin. I soon packed my stuff as fast as I could. Halfway through, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Silvia.
There were two pictures: an ultrasound and a pregnancy report. Her words were so proud they almost jumped off the screen:
[I’m carrying his baby. You don't have anything to compete with me.]
Looking at the pictures, the first thought in my mind was a loud question.
Was that child really Robert’s? Ha! This woman doesn’t know that her “good brother” has severe infertility.
It was almost impossible for him to make a woman pregnant. Even the doctors called my unborn child a miracle at work.
I smiled coldly and dialed a long-forgotten number. “Help me investigate Silvia Kleinn. I want everything, especially her relationships with men.”
“Oh? Who is this? Oh, my dear Ms. Kayla Wayne. Didn’t you say you’d never talk to me again? Why are you suddenly interested in your husband’s adopted sister?”
The man on the phone said lazily as he mocked. Strange though, I felt relieved instead.
Trevor Weiss. My childhood friend. We grew up together in the slums, depending on each other. He was an orphan. My mother died early because of the affairs my father kept having. Eventually he went bankrupt and became an alcoholic. When we were thirteen, several black luxury cars came into our broken street and took him away.
Well... Trevor wasn't exactly an orphan at all. He was the illegitimate son of a rich man overseas. We met again five years after the abduction of my father.
He crossed the ocean just to celebrate my eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately, that night ended badly. He beat Robert without mercy in the restaurant. I was so angry that I cut Trevor off completely.
Now, holding the phone tightly, I realized that Trev was right. I was the stupid one. Because back then, he said very clearly: Robert was not a loyal man and would never love me for life.
“You really have sharp eyes. You were right. I was wrong.” My voice became low.
“Wait… are you crying? Please, I’m scared of women crying. What happened?” Trevor said half jokingly.
My tears suddenly poured out because of his casualness. I told him everything about Robert’s betrayal.
“Fine. Now you can laugh at me,” I muttered.
But his voice became serious, yet gentle. “Don’t cry, Ayla. Leave it to me.”
“…Okay.”
After hanging up, I continued packing. In four days, I would leave Robert forever.
***
Robert didn’t come back home that night. He was probably busy taking care of his “woman and child,” and hiding it from his parents.
The next evening, after I finished showering, I was suddenly pulled into a warm embrace.
“I’m sorry, baby. Work has been crazy these days,” the voice said.
Robert lifted my left hand and put a silver ring back on my ring finger. It was the same wedding ring I had thrown away.
“I know you’re angry that I gave Silvy some of our company's shares, but this ring is our promise for life. Don’t ever take it off.” He kissed my fingertips, looking so sincere as if he hadn’t been trying hard to get another woman pregnant.
Promise for life? What a joke.
His kisses were hot, moving along my collarbone. His breathing became heavy. In the past, his actions would make me give in instantly. Now, it only made me feel sick.
“Baby, you should apologize to Silvy. Even if you don’t like her, you shouldn’t harass her,” he said softly.
I suddenly pushed his hands away.
“I won’t apologize,” I said confidently. “I did nothing. Robert, this is my bottom line.”
Seeing my red eyes, he wanted to reply, but finally sighed.
“Forget it.” He tried to hold me again. “My parents want you to go to the hospital tomorrow and do the abortion surgery. Then we can have another healthy baby.”
How ridiculous. I would never have his child again.
“I don’t want to, Robert.”
He kept persuading me, afraid I would change my mind and refuse to make room for his “sister’s” bastard child.
I finally lost control and pushed him away with all my strength. “The baby is already gone, Robert! It happened when you were busy taking care of your drunk ‘good little sister’!”
“I fell down the stairs. There was so much blood… I was in so much pain. When I needed you the most, you were with her the whole day!” I had never been so hysterical. “Are you satisfied now? Do you still want me to apologize?!”
Robert froze completely. His eyes widened in shock. It was like something had grabbed his throat. For several seconds, I saw he couldn’t even breathe.
