Aida POV:
Caroline' s voice was sickly sweet. She draped herself against Drake.
"Aida, it' s sad. You talk about 'contracts' and 'money.' Drake was so good to you. He gave you a home. He paid for your mother' s treatment. You started to feel entitled, didn' t you?"
She paused. Her eyes scanned the curious crowd. She played the victim perfectly.
"Please, Aida. Just accept it. If you' re pregnant, we can all work something out. I' m even willing to step aside for a while, for the sake of the child."
She offered a fake, magnanimous smile.
"It hurts, of course. But some things are bigger than us. Drake deserves to be happy. You both deserve to be happy."
Drake' s arm tightened around her. He pulled her closer. His eyes, full of adoration, met hers.
"No, Caroline. Never. You are not going anywhere."
His voice was gentle. It was a tone I had never heard directed at me. It was reserved for her. It was a stark contrast to the venom he had just spat at me.
"Our seven years together mean something. This… this woman means nothing."
He turned to me. His eyes flashed. They were filled with cold fire.
"You ungrateful opportunist. You think you can manipulate me with a child?"
His words were poison. They eroded my dignity.
"I was going to give you a generous severance. Enough for you and your mother to live comfortably. I was even going to ensure your mother' s continued care."
He paused. His voice was hard.
"But I will not allow you to ruin what Caroline and I have. Our relationship is sacred. I will protect it. At all costs."
The icy understanding hit me. He was threatening my mother. He would use her life as leverage. My breath hitched. The air left my lungs.
My previous pain, my anger, all vanished. Only a chilling dread remained. I gripped my hands. My knuckles turned white. This was not about love, or even betrayal. This was about power. And I had none. He had just declared war. My mother was his weapon.
A high, desperate laugh escaped my lips. It was devoid of joy. Tears streamed down my face. I wiped them away with a trembling hand.
"I don' t want your money. I don' t want your arrangements. My mother' s treatment, every single bill, I paid for it. Every cent came from my sweat, my endless work hours."
My voice shook. I looked at him. My eyes were burning.
"I am not pregnant. I swear to you, I would never use a child to trap a man who doesn' t love me. I am not that desperate. I don' t need you. You' re not that important."
Drake' s face darkened. His jaw tightened. He stepped away from Caroline. He advanced on me.
"You dare talk back to me? You think your words have any weight, any truth?"
His voice was low, menacing.
"Three years ago, you begged me. You were nobody. A charity case. Don' t flatter yourself into thinking you' re anything more than that now. Don' t think you can pull these stunts to stay."
Caroline intervened. Her voice was soft again.
"Drake, darling, she' s just hurting. She' s lashing out. Don' t let her sour your mood. She probably just needs some time to accept the situation."
Drake looked at her. His face softened. He then turned back to me. His eyes were full of disgust.
"Look at her, Aida. Caroline is graceful. She is understanding. You are a conniving, desperate woman. You have no grace. You have no dignity."
He spat the words.
"You are a sick, twisted gold-digger. You will do anything to get what you want."
The crowd watched. Their whispers grew louder. Their eyes pierced me. I felt naked. Stripped bare. Utterly humiliated. My chest burned. My lungs seized. I could not breathe.
