Chapter 2: The Heartbeat That Changed Everything
The first thing I became aware of wasn't a voice, it was a steady, mechanical sound.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Each pulse echoed through the silence until it became impossible to ignore.
As I struggled to lift my eyelids, they felt like they were weighed down by a ton of bricks, but I managed to pry them open. Suddenly, a blast of bright white light filled my vision, and I was hit with the stark sight of the ceiling, the walls, and the crisp, clean sheets that were tightly tucked around my body.
A hospital.
The smell of antiseptic hit me like a punch to the gut, making my lungs burn as I struggled to catch my breath. It felt like my whole body had been put through a wringer, every muscle screaming in agony, as if I'd been flattened by a massive weight.
Then the memories crashed over me.
Our wedding anniversary, the divorce papers, Sophia's tears, the sound of my signature scratching across the page, and blood pooling beneath me.
My heart lurched, and my hands flew to my stomach.
"No..."
My voice was barely above a whisper when fear took over.
The door swung open and in walked a doctor, with a nurse right on their heels.
"You've finally woken up," the doctor said gently.
I grabbed his arm before he could take another step, my fingers shaking as I held onto his sleeve.
"My baby."
My voice cracked.
"I'm really worried about my baby, can you please tell me if everything is alright? Is my baby still with us?"
The doctor looked me up and down for a second, then nodded like everything was okay.
"Yes."
The one word shattered all my fear and a sob came out, my tears made everything blurry.
"The pregnancy survived."
My shoulders sagged with relief.
"Thank God..."
"You experienced what's known as a threatened miscarriage," he continued, "and the baby is safe for now, but the next few weeks will be critical. You need complete rest and must avoid anything that causes excessive stress or emotional shock."
I let out a hollow laugh.
"My husband divorced me yesterday."
The doctor's face, which had been so calm up until then, suddenly changed, and for a moment, we just sat there in silence.
Finally, he cleared his throat.
"I'll leave you to rest."
As he turned to leave, he passed me a tiny envelope, its contents unknown.
"The nurse found this with your medical records."
As soon as they were gone, the room fell silent once more, and without even thinking about it, my gaze automatically shifted towards the ultrasound screen that was sitting next to my bed.
The screen suddenly lit up, and a small figure came into view.
Then I heard it.
A heartbeat.
Fast, steady, and strong.
As I held the envelope, my heart skipped a beat, and I carefully pulled out the ultrasound picture that was tucked away inside, my fingers trembling with anticipation.
This tiny person was almost unnoticeable, but in an instant, they became the most valuable thing to me.
I pressed the picture against my chest.
"I don't know who you'll become," I whispered, and tears slipped down my cheeks.
"But I promise you this..."
My voice trembled.
"No matter what happens... I'll protect you."
I rested a hand over my stomach.
"You'll never have to wonder whether your mother loves you."
The words just came out before I could catch myself, and it was about your dad...
The thought lodged painfully in my chest.
It wasn't just the divorce that hurt, it was the possibility that my child might grow up without knowing a father's love.
A stabbing pain sank deep within me, and the stillness around me became even more oppressive, weighing me down.
Something was missing.
My phone.
I looked all around the room, checking the bedside table, the chair that was sitting next to the bed, and even the drawer, but I couldn't find what I was looking for, no matter where I looked.
A nurse noticed my growing panic.
"Are you looking for something?"
"My phone."
She frowned apologetically.
"I'm sorry. You weren't brought in with one."
A cold feeling spread through me.
Ethan.
He still had the message, and those anonymous warnings were still on his mind.
Who had sent them, and why?
A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened.
"Dad..."
Relief flooded through me, yet the man standing there barely resembled the father I knew.
He looked like he'd been up all night, his suit was all wrinkly, and there were big dark circles under his eyes. His hair, which was always perfectly combed, was now a mess, like he'd been running his hands through it over and over again.
He walked across the room, his eyes locked on mine, and gently wrapped his arms around me, holding me close in a warm hug, the silence between us speaking louder than any words could, as we stood there, frozen in a moment of quiet understanding.
I felt a tiny surge of tension as his arms wrapped around me, and that's when I noticed they were shaking, just a little.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
He took a step back and looked at me carefully, like he was making sure I was really awake and not just pretending.
"You scared me."
A weak smile tugged at my lips.
"I've looked worse."
His gaze fell on the divorce papers that were lying on the bedside table, and he felt his jaw clench up tight.
"I warned you."
"I know."
Marrying into the Kingsley family is not going to be a walk in the park, I warned you about that from the start.
I lowered my gaze.
"I loved him."
The truth came out in a soft and straightforward way, it was honest and hurtful to hear.
My dad shut his eyes for a second, then dug into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded-up newspaper, which he put on the bed.
The headline froze me.
KINGSLEY GROUP ANNOUNCES GLOBAL MERGER
CEO ETHAN KINGSLEY TO ADDRESS THE MEDIA THIS MORNING
I stared at the page.
"He has a press conference?"
My father nodded.
"It starts in less than an hour."
I looked up in disbelief.
"The morning after filing for divorce?"
His expression darkened.
"That's exactly why something feels wrong."
"What do you mean?"
He folded his arms.
I've been around guys like Ethan for a long time, and I can tell you, he's a calculated person - everything he does has a reason behind it.
His voice turned thoughtful.
"He didn't choose your anniversary by accident."
A chill crept down my spine.
"You think he wanted everyone watching."
"I think he wanted the world to see something."
My fingers tightened around the newspaper.
But what?
The TV on the wall just turned on by itself, and big red letters popped up that said BREAKING NEWS.
Reporters crowded outside Kingsley Group headquarters, and camera flashes exploded like fireworks.
Ethan showed up, looking like he just stepped out of a magazine, calm and collected, like nothing was wrong.
"Mr. Kingsley!"
"Is it true you've divorced your wife?"
"When will you marry Miss Sophia Blake?"
People were asking questions from all sides, but Ethan just stayed quiet.
For a brief, unsettling moment, his gaze drifted up towards the closest camera, and I felt my breath hitch, as if he was staring directly into my eyes.
Finally, he spoke.
"I'm not discussing my personal life."
He turned to leave, then another reporter shouted,
"Did you ever truly love your wife?"
It was like time stood still, and the whole crowd just froze, waiting to see what would happen next.
Ethan stopped walking and stood still, his back turned away from the cameras.
One second. Two. Three.
His hand slowly clenched into a fist by his side.
He finally said something, but it was really soft, you could barely hear him.
"I hope..."
He paused.
"...one day she'll understand."
He just walked away without saying anything else, and that was the end of the broadcast.
I couldn't move.
Understand...
Understand what?
As I stood there, trying to collect my thoughts, I heard another knock at the door, and before I could even process what was happening, it swung open and a woman walked in.
The woman appeared to be around forty-five years old, and her outfit was a perfect reflection of her composed and professional personality - a beautiful cream-colored suit that seemed to radiate a sense of calmness.
Every movement was deliberate, confident, and measured.
She stood still beside my bed, giving me a gentle smile.
"Mrs. Carter?"
I nodded cautiously.
"Yes?"
She handed me a business card.
Grace Holloway.
Senior Legal Counsel, Kingsley Group.
She put a little box on the table next to my bed, it was wrapped in velvet, before I even had a chance to ask her what she was doing there.
"This belongs to you."
She smiled faintly and nodded politely before turning to leave, her footsteps quiet as she walked towards the door.
"Wait—"
In just a few seconds, she vanished into thin air, leaving everything behind.
As I lifted the lid of the velvet box, my heart started racing and I caught my breath - there, nestled in the softness, was my wedding ring, sparkling and waiting for me.
The diamond sparkled in the morning light, looking like nothing was wrong, and under it was a small, neatly folded white card.
As I slowly unfolded the paper, my fingers shook with anticipation, and to my surprise, there were only five words scribbled across it.
Don't believe everything you see.
I looked at the message, then slowly raised my eyes to the empty doorway.
I had a feeling that Grace Holloway's visit to the hospital wasn't something she had planned herself, it just didn't seem right.
