“Sir… it’s only been five weeks.” The doctor blinked. “Technically we can, but we don’t recommend it…”
“Do it.” Julius cut him off.
The doctor hesitated. “The only method this early is a uterine puncture. It is dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. No anesthesia can be used. It will be extremely painful. Sir, perhaps you should consider waiting.”
“Then skip the anesthesia.” Julius frowned, annoyed his order wasn’t being followed instantly. “Just do the fucking test! Did I stutter?”
The doctor turned to me. His eyes were sad, like he already knew what kind of life I had.
I forced myself to smile, “Do it.”
And that was it. No one in that room cared about the pain except me.
…
It took a whole week before the paternity results would be ready. But they didn’t care. The auction was coming up and that stupid bet mattered more than my body or my pain.
People in the hospital started whispering before the test was even finished.
When the doctor was done taking Julius’s hair, he suddenly said, “Get Andrei’s and Jonas’s hair too. Put all five in the samples.”
The whole hallway went silent for a moment. Then the whispers exploded.
“Three men? Damn! She’s something else.”
“No wonder he’s dragging his five-weeks pregnant wife in for a paternity test. Man doesn’t even know if the kid’s his.”
“Her husband is rich and good looking. And she still cheats? If I were him, I’d throw her out and let the dog eat her bones.”
Even the doctor, who pitied me earlier, looked disgusted now. When he did the uterine puncture, he didn’t bother hiding how rough he was. No anesthesia. No comfort. Just pain. Sharp, stabbing pain that made my vision twist. Tears slid out even when I tried to hold them back.
I had to hold the wall to keep myself from collapsing as I walked out of the room.
Julius saw me and came toward me as if he actually cared. He reached out as if he would support me.
But then Violet came running out, crying dramatically. Andrei and Jonas hurried behind her like loyal guard dogs.
Julius dropped me. Literally let go of me. I fell to the floor hard and the pain intensified.
“Go home on your own,” he said. “I’ll check on Violet.”
Then he ran after her without a second look back. I laughed inside my own head. Of course. That is who he truly cares about. The people watching me were enjoying every second.
“Slut! No wonder your husband left you.”
“Hey, sweetheart, give me your number. How much do you charge? 5 bucks? I can afford you.”
“Charge? Please. She probably does it for free. Just call her and she’ll crawl over. A face like that wanted men so much.”
I pushed myself up using the armrest, kept my head down, and walked out. Step by step. Like a ghost.
By the time I got home in a taxi, the sky was already dark.
I grabbed the doorknob to steady myself. The moment I opened the door, a thick, humid scent hit me. Sex. Sweat. Perfume.
And then I heard it.
Violet and Julius. Their voices. Their moans. Their rhythm.
I slammed the door shut so hard the frame rattled. I leaned against the wall, slid down, covered my ears with my hands.
Enough. Enough! I didn’t want to hear any of it anymore.
Minutes passed. Maybe five. Maybe ten. I lost track.
Then the door opened again.
Violet stood there wearing almost nothing. Skin flushed. Her neck was covered in marks from Julius’s mouth. She looked proud of it. Like she wanted me to see every bruise he gave her.
And I just sat there on the floor, staring up at her, feeling like the smallest creature alive.
I could hear water running in the bathroom… Julius showered after being with her.
Violet leaned against the doorframe like she owned the place, staring down at me sitting on the floor.
Her voice dripped with poison. “I know you’ve been trying so hard to get pregnant with Julius’s kid. Throwing yourself at him like you’re desperate for scraps.”
She smirked. “Well, now you finally got one in your belly. Happy? You really think that means anything? One word from me and all three of them could take you at once. If I’m bored enough, I can even send you to the tiger pits. They’d tear you apart in minutes. Want that?”
She slowly stepped toward me, and I backed away instinctively like a scared animal.
She kept going. “Julius married you, sure. But he loves me. You should see his face when he’s inside me. He actually enjoys it. You? You’re nothing but a warm body for him to use when he’s annoyed.”
Her eyes sparkled with something sharp; sick, twisted jealousy.
In my head I almost laughed. ‘She’s jealous there’s a chance, just a chance, this baby might be Julius’s.*
Not because of what they did to me. Not because I survived three men. Just because my child could be the heir she can’t give. Yes, Violet was barren.
I placed my hand on my stomach without thinking.
That tiny motion lit her up like gasoline.
“It’s a bastard! We don’t even know which brother knocked you up. What the hell are you proud of?”
I lowered my head, forcing myself to play stupid. Julius was still in the shower. I couldn’t afford to make this worse.
“Violet… what are you talking about?” I whispered. “I don’t know anything. Julius just told me to do the test. But I… I know the baby’s his. Are you that insecure because you're barren? Poor you.”
Her eyes snapped wide. Jealousy twisted her whole face.
“Who told you you could carry his child?! Huh!” she screamed. “Who gave you the right? If I can’t have his baby, then you sure as hell won’t either!”
Before I could react, she shoved me. Hard.
My body flew backward, and I tumbled down the stairs. Pain exploded everywhere, sharpest in my stomach. I curled instinctively, but it didn’t help. Every step I hit felt like knives.
