Arielle's POV
Chester's mocking laugh after what happened between us felt just like it had in my past life, cold, dismissive, and dripping with contempt.
It stung in a way I couldn't quite shake off.
No matter how I struggled, Chester carried me to the car like I weighed nothing. My heart raced, not because of his proximity, but because I could feel everything spinning out of my control.
Chester knew exactly who had shared that night with him. He knew it was me.
But what I couldn't understand was, if he hated me so much, why wouldn't he just let me go?
Could it be that he had been reborn, too?
But that didn't make sense. If Chester truly had been reborn, there was no way he would have touched me in the first place.
No, there had to be something else going on here.
I treated him like a venomous snake, avoiding him at all costs.
As I slid into the back seat of the car, Chester watched coldly as I moved from the passenger seat to the back, his entire body radiating an icy hostility I couldn't read.
After a long moment of silence, he rolled up the window and slammed his foot on the gas. We sped off, leaving Penelope behind, stomping her feet in frustration.
"Chester, Penelope can't see us anymore. You can let me out now," I stated.
But Chester shot me a vicious glare, then pushed the accelerator harder, heading straight for the hospital.
That single sharp and cold gaze instantly silenced me.
I thought to myself, 'He's taking me to the hospital. He's trying to make sure I'm not pregnant with his child, right?'
I was fine with that.
But instead of going to the gynecologist's office, Chester carried me straight to the orthopedic department.
"She sprained her ankle. Check for any bone injury," he said, completely unfazed.
I blinked, surprised. 'Shouldn't we be dealing with the pregnancy first?
Wasn't that the priority here?'
The doctor examined my ankle, made his assessment, and referred me to an orthopedic specialist before finally sending us to the gynecology department.
Meanwhile, Chester's face remained as hard as stone, his mood clearly not improving.
"I want medication," he told the doctor in a clipped tone, his words curt and cold.
The doctor, clearly confused, asked, "What kind of medication?"
Chester quickly replied, "She might have gotten pregnant from last night. We need to get her abortion pills."
I felt a sudden sinking feeling in my stomach at the thought. The fertilized egg likely hadn't had a chance to implant yet, but Chester was already eager to eliminate it.
That's how much he despised me and our unborn child.
My poor daughter. Even in my past life, she never got an ounce of love from him. Not even a hug.
I felt a bitter smile tug at my lips as I looked at the doctor.
"Just give me emergency contraception, Doc," I said, my voice flat.
Chester, looking a little embarrassed by the misunderstanding, went to fill the prescription himself. He even poured me a cup of warm water, his hands gentle but somehow strangely personal.
Once I swallowed the pill, he finally sighed in relief.
"Drop any delusions you might have," Chester said, voice cold again. "Since you drugged me last night, I'll let it go this time."
Having lived through this once already, I couldn't help myself. I had to ask.
"What if I told you I didn't drug you? Would you believe me?"
Chester's expression turned even colder. "Shut up. This matter ends here. If you ever pull something like this again, be ready to face the consequences."
"Fine," I replied simply, knowing that nothing I said would change his mind.
My obedient response seemed to catch him off guard. He had clearly expected more of a fight, but I wasn't interested in playing games with him anymore.
...
On the way back, Chester slipped back into his usual authoritative tone, giving orders as if it were second nature.
"In 12 hours, come to my room and take the pill again. In one month, we'll check if you're pregnant. Until your ankle heals completely, you're not allowed to leave the house. I don't want any more scandals, especially ones involving you."
A quick look in the rearview mirror told me everything I needed to know.
Chester's disgust for me was written all over his face.
"Fine," I said again, my voice neutral.
After everything I had endured in my past life, I no longer had any illusions about him.
Chester, however, seemed satisfied with my newfound obedience. He finally looked at me, the tension in his posture easing just slightly.
Halfway through the drive, his phone rang. He put it on speaker without hesitation.
A sugary-sweet voice came through immediately. "Chester, I'm back! Meet me at the usual place!"
It was Lorraine Hartman, his first love, the woman he could never seem to let go of.
The moment Chester heard her voice, his expression melted like ice. The change in him was instant as his whole demeanor softened like a switch being flicked.
They chatted for over ten minutes, exchanging sweet words that made my stomach churn.
Finally, he ended the call, his reluctance almost palpable.
I sighed, trying not to let it get to me.
"Will you let me out of the car?" I asked again.
But Chester ignored me completely, insisting on taking me along to buy roses and a gift.
"You're going on a date. I won't get in the way," I said in a matter-of-fact tone.
When we reached the mall, I flagged down a cab without a second thought and left.
