No matter how she tried, no matter how much time had passed, Angelica couldn't stop shaking. There was a turbo in her heart, and the tears were ever falling like a dam had caved in.
How could he...what was she...to do?
It had been over an hour since he walked through the door, slamming it right behind him, but she was still on the very spot. Crouched, trembling, defeated and unable to control herself.
One would think that after two years, things would change. The optimistic part of her had always believed so. But nothing prepares a man for a heartbreak.
After all the indifference, absence and rejection, maybe she should have seen this coming, but she didn't. She had always looked at the brighter side. She had been so stuck trying to make things work. Trying to make him see her and notice her.
The efforts and care, time and energy, sacrifice and perseverance. They all meant nothing. And after all these times, after all that had been said and done, he had given her no explanation.
The betrayal burned like hell. A serrated blade must have been plunged deep into her chest, and someone...someone was repeatedly twisting it's handle, cutting and slicing every bit of her into shreds. And that someone was Sebastian Croft.
"What do I do, Adele?" Angelica choked into the phone.
Those were the first words that spilled from her mouth. She had not meant to call, but she needed someone. She had to talk to someone, even if that someone was the cousin she hadn't seen in two years. Because if she didn't, she feared she might die.
"Angelica, is that you? Are you crying? Did something happen?" Concern was deep in Adele's voice, not to mention the surprise of receiving Angelica's call. "Did something happen to Sebastian?"
"I...I...something's happening to me. I can't—" The words couldn't make it out. She was choking on them, and the tightening squeeze in her chest made it all the more difficult for anything to get through.
"Hold on. I'll be right there. Do not do anything, Angelica. Just...just hold on." The call dropped and still trembling, she absently nodded.
She remained on the floor. Her body unable to move, and her mind too distraught and distorted to maintain a line of thought.
When the doorbell buzzed with a ring of urgency, she knew without a doubt it was Adele at the door. The slow rise from the floor and staggering walk to the door were the most painful and absent thing she had ever done, and when she saw Adele standing at the porch with worry plastered across her face, the tears came running like storm and her body quavered like the earth was shaking beneath her feet.
Blessed with quick reflex, Adele caught her by the arms just before she could touch the ground. Her arms cradled her. "It's okay, Angie. It's all going to be fine." She had no idea what happened, but that was the right thing to say at the moment, she thought.
Angelica doubted anything would be fine. She slowly shook her head. "No, it's not. He...I don't know what to do anymore. I tried everything." She said amidst the tears. Blinded as she was, she could still make a hazy picture of her face through the film of tears. "I failed, Addy. I failed."
"Hey, you did not." Adele disagreed with her, her hand running down the length of her hair. "Don't ever say that. You didn't fail."
She might not have the details about what was going on, but Adele could swear this had everything to do with a certain distant and detached man Angelica was married to. One she had keenly advised her not to marry.
The man had the qualities of scary and damaged, and that was what she had always feared. That he'd break Angelica too, and it seemed he might have.
"I don't...I don't know what to do, but...I can't breathe." Her breath backed up in her chest, and when she pushed a breath, it came in a sharp and raspy.
Quick on her feet, Adele held her steady and slowly helped her to the ground. Heavy sweats of beads were quickly forming on her forehead, and her body was burning badly and too quickly.
Maybe it was the squeeze in her chest that was traveling around her muscles, breaking and tearing them into bits, especially to her stomach which was clenching so tightly.
"Hey, Angie. Stay with me." Rippled with shock, Adele slapped her cheek when she saw her eyes falling shot.
"I did...everything." Angelica muttered, her conscious slowly slipping away.
"I know. I know you did, Angie. Just stay with me. Angie? Angie!!"
It was the tearful call of her name that followed her into the darkness when it overtook her, and it was that same voice that roused her when white bright light broke through her lashes and pierced her eyes.
Slowly flickering them open, she saw the hazy sight of Adele hovering above her.
"You're awake." Adele whispered, relief and tears deep in her voice, her hand brushing down her hair.
"Where am I? And why is it so bright?" She squinted to fight off the blinding assault on her eyes.
"You're in the hospital. You passed out, Angie. I was so scared." Adele said in a shaky voice.
Hospital? That had her eyes popping wide open. They darted around with urgency. Picking up the distinct scent of disinfectant and beeps of monitors she realized she was indeed in the hospital.
She gazed back at Adele. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure, but I'm certain that's what the doctor's about to tell us." Adele lifted her gaze to the doctor who had just returned with a chart in his hand, and Angelica followed her gaze.
"Hi, I'm doctor Burke." The man introduced himself as he walked towards the foot of the bed. "How are you feeling?"
Her head was heavy, there was a mild cramp in her stomach and her chest...was still very much heavy. "I'm okay."
He showed no sign of believing her, neither did he doubt her. He opened the charts and stared at her.
"You had a silent heart attack which must have been induced by stress." Both Angelica and Adele were stunned.
Heart attack?!
"Your labs also show some low levels of some vitamins which were responsible for the fatigue and also you're hypertensive—"
"Hypertensive?" Adele murmured with shock. She gazed at Angelica and back at the doctor.
"Yes," the doctor affirmed as he closed the chart and looked at Angelica. "Have you been stressed lately?" He inquired.
Slightly dazed by her diagnosis, Angelica slowly shook her head, even though the last couple of hours, had been the most chaotic of her entire life. She had worked and pushed herself past the exhaustion to make plans —plans that weren't appreciated like the thousands she had done in the last two years.
"Well, your tests show something different. I'll advise you let go of whatever is stressing you out, because it isn't good for the baby."
Oh God, no! Why did it keep getting worse? Sebastian was set on killing her, she was sure. Because now not only she was in trouble but also a ba—
Wait a minute! Angelica slowly turned to the doctor, her eyes growing wider at the realization of the new information.
"Baby?" Angelica heard Adele's voice even before she could speak.
Dr Burke frowned, a bit surprised. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew," he said in a low voice. "You are 8 weeks pregnant."