“When are you going to get rid of her, then, Jameson?”
I halted on my steps, frozen on spot, as my hands trembled with the pregnancy test result and Lamborghini keys I had planned to surprise my husband Jameson yet I didn’t expect to be the one surprised.
“Gosh, she’s so clueless. Does she even know about us?”
That voice. Sasha. Jameson’s first love. The woman who haunted our marriage in ways she never should have.
The door to Jameson’s office was cracked open, and I hesitated for a moment before inching closer. My heart sank as I peeked through the gap.
“What do you think she’ll do if she finds out about us?” Sasha played her fingers around Jameson’s neck as she sat on his lap.
“She won’t find out about us…” Jameson’s voice finally broke through, cutting me deeper. “You know that Katerina’s just a replacement. It was always you, my love.”
“Still, I hate that she’s with you!” Sasha continued.
“Katerina’s naive. She believes in everything I say, clinging to the hopes that I was her prince charming after her father and brother died… don’t worry, soon, she’ll be gone in our life…”
I backed away from the door, my heart hammering in my chest. The hallway blurred around me as their words replayed in my head.
I didn’t stop walking until I was in my car. I threw the pregnancy results in the nearby trash bin before getting in. Tears blurred my vision as I drove aimlessly through the city.
Then the headlights appeared out of nowhere. Three black SUVs swerved in front of me, forcing me to slam on the brakes. My car skidded to a stop, and before I could react, men were already stepping out.
“Step out of the car,” one of them ordered.
I hesitated, my heart racing.
“Now.”
I opened the door, my hands shaking as they pulled me out.
“Call your husband,” the man said, shoving a phone into my hand.
“What do you want with him?” I asked.
“He owes us,” the man said simply. “And if he won’t pay, we’ll settle for you.”
I dialed Jameson’s number, my fingers trembling so badly I nearly dropped the phone. The line rang twice before he picked up.
“Kat? What’s going on?” His voice was calm, almost bored.
“They—” My voice cracked as the man yanked my arm, his grip bruising. “They’re saying you owe them.”
Jameson sighed, and I could practically hear him rubbing his temples. “Kat, I’m in the middle of something. Can’t you handle this?”
“Jameson, please!” I cried as one of the men struck me across the face. Pain exploded in my cheek, and the phone slipped from my hand.
I scrambled to pick it up. “Jameson, they’re hurting me!”
There was silence on the other end. Then, his voice, cold and detached: “You’ll figure it out. I’m busy.”
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone as I couldn’t believe he just left me alone. The man grabbed me again, pulling me to my knees. His fist connected with my stomach, and I doubled over, gasping for air.
They didn’t stop until I was coughing and shaking, my vision blurring from the pain. When they finally left, I dragged myself back to the car.
I don’t know how I made it to the hospital. The bright lights and antiseptic smell felt distant, like I was floating outside my own body.
A nurse helped me into a chair. “We’ll take care of you,” she said.
I nodded, barely processing her words.
The news came later, after the tests, the ultrasounds, and the steady beep of monitors.
“Miss Katerina, I’m so sorry,” the doctor said. “You’ve lost the baby.”
