Ariel left the clinic and walked slowly through the snow back to the family housing compound. When she reached the entrance, she found Remi standing there, his brow furrowed.
"Where were you?" His tone softened slightly. "Are you really not feeling well?"
He wanted to be angry, but her face was so pale that she really did look sick.
Ariel's voice came out flat. "Yes. You pushed me to the ground yourself just now. Don't you remember?"
Only then did Remi recall bumping into her earlier.
"I'm sorry. I was in too much of a rush. Are you hurt?"
Ariel didn't answer. Instead, she asked, "How's Ella's baby?"
"He's fine, thank heavens. That could have been a life lost."
Remi took a deep breath and stepped closer, his tone turning gentle. "Don't be so impulsive anymore, okay? The baby's so small. How could you bring yourself to hurt him?"
Ariel looked up at the man in front of her. He suddenly felt like a stranger.
"Is that who you think I am? What if I told you Ella deliberately held the baby out for me to hit? Would you believe me?"
"Ariel!" Remi's expression darkened instantly. "Stop slandering Ella. It's been three years. Why are you still like this?"
Just as she had expected, he didn't believe her.
She remembered when Ella first came to the house three years ago. Ella deliberately poured boiling water on herself and claimed Ariel did it.
Later, at the supply cooperative, Ella fell down the stairs and said Ariel tripped her. Once, Ella even stabbed herself with scissors and sobbed that Ariel tried to kill her.
It went on and on, accusation after accusation, and every time, Remi took Ella's side. Ariel thought things would be different after they remarried, but nothing had changed.
She was exhausted.
"Remi, you said you'd agree to a divorce. Does that still stand?"
Hearing her mention divorce again, Remi hurried to placate her. "Ariel, you're eight months pregnant. Why are you talking about divorce? What I said earlier was just talk. Don't take it to heart. I'm not divorcing you."
Ariel shot back, "Aren't you afraid your son will be called illegitimate?"
Remi stiffened. "I just don't want to divorce you. You're the only person I've ever loved. With Ella, it's only responsibility. Franklin and I served together. We were brothers. Before he died, he asked me to take care of her. I can't abandon her. She has depression. You know that."
Ariel laughed suddenly. "She has depression, so she sleeps with you? Has a baby with you? Remi, is there any line you won't cross for her?"
Of course Ariel knew Ella had depression. Three years ago, Ella's depression was the reason things had escalated to divorce.
After Ella's husband, Franklin Shepherd, died, Remi brought her into their home. During that time, Ella wouldn't allow Remi to have any physical contact with Ariel.
She forbade them from holding hands, hugging, or kissing. They couldn't even sleep in the same bed.
Whenever Remi ignored her, Ella would threaten suicide or hurt herself. Eventually, Remi spent more and more time with her. He even started spending nights in her room.
Ariel became jealous. She fought with him. But he brushed it off with a casual, "Franklin was my best friend. She's the person he cared about the most. I don't have a choice. Can't you understand?"
She kept enduring it until she walked in on them having sex in her own bed. That was when she finally couldn't take it anymore and demanded a divorce.
Three years later, he still thought he could use the same excuse to justify cheating. The thought made her sick.
"After the baby's born, I won't touch her again. If you don't like it, I can keep him away from here. We don't have to raise him together…"
The moment Remi finished speaking, the woman standing not far away burst into tears. "Remi, do you really mean that? You're going to abandon me and our son, aren't you?"
Ella stood there in thin clothing, looking frail, as if she might collapse at any moment. "I understand. I'll take the baby and disappear. We won't show up in front of you ever again."
Ella ran off crying. Remi frowned and started to follow her, but Ariel grabbed his arm.
Her voice shook as she begged him one last time. "Remi, don't go."
"Ariel, I'm sorry. I'm afraid something will happen to her."
Remi hesitated for a moment before pulling his arm free and chasing after Ella without looking back. Ariel stared at her empty hand. Her heart died completely.
If he truly couldn't let Ella go, then she'd keep the child and get rid of him.
