I paid him no mind, letting the pull of sleep wash over me once more.
When I opened my eyes again, Axel’s cold face loomed over me, his features distorted with tension. His eyes were bloodshot, his voice trembling with frustration.
"Why did you do this? Do you hate me that much?"
He was almost pleading now, but I couldn't bring myself to care.
"I know I’ve made mistakes, but how could you make the decision to end our child’s life without even giving me a chance?"
The doctor and nurses, sensing the charged atmosphere, quietly slipped out of the room, leaving only Axel and me.
"Because I refuse to be tied to a filthy man," I shot back, my voice steady despite the weight in my chest. "And I don’t want to bring a child into this world with someone like you. Do you understand?"
"And besides," I continued, my words laced with bitterness, "you already have a child with her. Losing this one hardly matters, does it?"
My father had betrayed my mother when I was just a child. Despite the humiliation, she quietly endured because she had me to protect.
They both loved me deeply, but growing up in such an environment left me with an insatiable hunger for genuine affection.
The moment I discovered I was pregnant, I became hyper-aware of Axel's behavior toward me.
To the world, he appeared to be the perfect husband, but I had made up my mind that if he ever crossed the line, I would protect myself, no matter the cost, even if it meant ending the pregnancy.
"Axel, let’s get a divorce. I’ll leave the papers on the table tomorrow. Make sure you sign them."
I pulled my thoughts back to the present, my gaze locking with his as he exuded a heavy, suffocating presence. I could feel the tension rising as I delivered the ultimatum.
For a moment, he was silent, as though processing my words, then a mocking smile twisted his lips.
"Do you think this will make me forgive you for ending our child’s life? Belle, I’ve never been one to bow to threats."
"And you really believe you can talk about divorce? Don’t forget, with your current status, you’ll never find someone as good as me once it’s over."
Axel had become a towering figure in Phoenix, with the Moore Corporation flourishing and his reputation soaring. He was a force to be reckoned with.
But none of that mattered to me.
"Think what you will. Now get out and stop disturbing my rest."
"You’ll regret this!"
Axel’s fury was palpable as he stormed out, slamming the door with such force it shook the room. He barked orders at the doctor to leave me where I was, refusing to let them move me to a private room.
"Let her suffer a bit longer; she’ll learn her lesson soon enough."
I rolled my eyes, unfazed and began booking a plane ticket.
I was done with Phoenix. The Grasslands were calling to me where I truly belonged.
After booking my flight for the day after tomorrow, a sense of calm washed over me.
Not long after, Briar Thompson sent me a friend request and I accepted without a second thought.
She wasted no time, sending over several photos, each one more brazen than the last.
They were intimate selfies of her with Axel, along with their chat records, leaving no room for doubt.
[Belle Rodriguez, I’m Axel’s girlfriend. You must already know everything by now.]
[Since you’ve already terminated the pregnancy, stop holding onto Axel. Someone as broken as you doesn’t deserve to compete with me.]
I didn’t even bother opening the photos.
[Are you out of your mind? Playing the role of the mistress and still acting so smug? Should I post all of this on social media to help advertise for you?]
I could practically feel Briar’s surprise on the other end of the line. She fell silent for a few moments before finally responding.
[Even if you post it, people will just laugh at you.]
[Belle, I know you’ve been by Axel’s side for seven years, so I don’t want to hurt you. Do the sensible thing; step aside gracefully so we can both save face.]
