"She is so unfortunate," Grandma Beatrice remarked, her emotions rising as she looked at Andrea. She had placed high hopes on her, believing that she would be the one to uplift their family's status. When Andrea agreed to the arranged marriage, there was a glimmer of hope for their future. However, the decision to divorce her cheating husband had shattered those dreams. Grandma Beatrice couldn't help but feel a sense of regret, believing that sometimes intelligence can be overshadowed by a naive heart. She shook her head, weighed down by disappointment.
Amidst the turmoil, Andrea's mother paced back and forth, showing little concern for her daughter's well-being. Instead, her attention was fixated on the potential financial gain from the lost unborn child, a prospect that had been shattered by Kelly's actions. Frustration and desperation boiled within her, and she couldn't help but ask with a tinge of anger, "Where is that woman, Kelly?"
However, Nicholas, Alice's husband, saw an opportunity for financial gain amidst the chaos. His eyes lit up as he suggested, "We should demand compensation from her! We can still profit from this unfortunate situation."
Agreeing with her husband, Andrea's mother nodded. "Let's come up with an amount."
However, their greed was met with a sharp rebuke from Alice's mother-in-law. Rising from her seat, she scolded them for their narrow-mindedness. "Fools!" she exclaimed. "If this baby had been born, our gains would have been far greater. Now that it's lost, there is no hope left for our family."
Alyssa couldn't bear the endless greed that consumed their family. Pleading with them, she said, "Can't you think of my sister for once?" She could see the lack of concern for Andrea's well-being as their family's focus remained fixated on monetary gain.
As my eyes slowly opened, confusion washed over me as I felt a throbbing pain in my head. I attempted to move, only to discover my arms wrapped in a cast. Questions swirled in my mind as I tried to make sense of the situation. Alyssa quickly came to my side, assisting me in sitting up in bed. Seated there, surrounded by the presence of my family, I couldn't help but ask, "Why are you all here? What happened to me?"
In response, my father rose from his seat and hurriedly left the room to call the doctor. Alyssa gently patted my shoulder, her eyes swollen as if she had been crying. I couldn't help but wonder what had transpired in my absence.
Soon, the doctor and nurse entered the room, swiftly checking my vital signs. Chester followed closely behind, his concern evident on his face. The doctor delivered the news, stating, "Your results are fine. You need to rest for a week." With those instructions, the doctor left the room.
"Wait," I called out, stopping the doctor in their tracks. They turned back to face me, waiting for my words.
Suddenly, a flash of memory hit me. I remembered the altercation with Kelly the previous night. Did she push me down the stairs? I turned my head and closed my eyes, trying to piece together the events.
The doctor returned, noticing my movement. They carefully examined the wound on my head and asked, "Are you feeling any pain elsewhere?"
Desperation filled my voice as I blurted out, "Doctor, what happened to my baby?" My heart raced with anticipation, clinging to a glimmer of hope while my eyes pleaded for reassurance.
Their face fell, and I instinctively reached out, gripping the doctor's coat. "Is my baby safe?" I implored, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and longing.
With a heavy sigh, the doctor delivered the devastating news. "I'm sorry, Ms. Hart. Your baby didn't make it. You had a miscarriage," he uttered gently, yet the weight of his words crashed upon me like a tidal wave.
My hand slid down from the doctor's coat, my grip loosening. The reality of the loss hit me with an intensity I couldn't bear. My shoulders slumped, as if seeking solace in surrender. No, this couldn't be true. It must be a dream, a cruel illusion that my mind desperately clung to, unwilling to accept the heartbreaking truth.
My mind went blank for a moment. This couldn't be happening to me. Just when it seemed like I had accepted the devastating news, a surge of determination coursed through me. Their eyes widened in surprise as I swiftly removed the IV lines attached to my arm, my resolve unyielding. Barefoot, I stormed out of the room, driven by a mix of anger and grief.
"Where are you going, sister?" Alyssa followed closely behind, ready to support me if I stumbled.
"Drew, please calm down!" Chester pleaded, his voice filled with concern.
With each room I opened, Alyssa and Chester, my entourage trailing behind me, apologized to the disturbed patients. The urgency in my voice grew as I demanded, "Where is she?"
Confusion and nervousness filled Alyssa's voice as she asked, "Who are you looking for, sister?"
"Where is that woman who killed my baby!" I shouted, my pain and anger reverberating through the halls.
Aunt Rosemary, who had just returned from the mansion with my personal necessities in hand, arrived on the scene, sensing the turmoil. She calmly responded, "Kelly is in the room upstairs. I will lead the way." She understood my need to confront her, to release the pent-up emotions that threatened to consume me.
All eyes were on me as I screamed for Kelly, the nurses pleading with me to lower my voice so as not to disturb other patients in the area. With Aunt Rosemary guiding the way, I followed, driven by an overwhelming need to confront the woman responsible for my unimaginable loss.
I slammed the door open, the force reverberating through the room, and my eyes locked onto Kelly. She sat on the bed, her hands on Andrew's waist, seeking comfort for her own loss while unknowingly causing mine. Andrew's face appeared dim, his emotions unreadable. How could he console the woman who had taken the life of our precious unborn child?
Without a second thought, I lunged towards Kelly, fueled by a mix of anger and grief. "You, murderer!" I screamed, my hand gripping her hair tightly. Andrew instinctively shielded her, his arms still wrapped around the very person responsible for our devastating loss.
Tears streamed down Kelly's face as she pleaded, "I didn't do anything, Andrew. Please, believe me!"
"Calm down, Andrea. It's nobody's fault," Andrew said, removing my grip from Kelly, his voice filled with a strange calmness as he continued to shield her.
"That woman deliberately pushed me down the stairs!" I cried out, my frustration mounting as Andrew refused to believe my words.
"She did it to herself!" Kelly pointed an accusing finger at me. "She wanted to ruin us! She craved your attention, your sympathy! She couldn't bear the thought of us getting married tomorrow, so she concocted this plan. She wanted to make you feel guilty!"
Consumed by rage, I mustered all my strength and attempted to push Andrew. He stumbled, momentarily off balance. In a fit of fury, I unleashed a powerful slap across Kelly's face, one hand after the other. She was caught off guard, unable to move, completely taken aback by the strength I possessed.
Enraged, I seized her arms, forcefully pushing her until she fell onto the bed. "Liar!" I shouted, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and despair. Overwhelmed by grief and a sense of injustice, I straddled her body, my hands instinctively wrapping around her neck. "Why would I harm my own flesh and blood? That baby was everything to me! I don't care about Andrew anymore! Bring back my baby!" With each passing moment, my grip tightened, my desperation driving me to strangle her further.
In a swift motion, Andrew rushed to the bed, immediately removing me from Kelly's grasp and forcefully pushing me to the floor. Gasping for breath, Kelly struggled to regain her composure, while I knelt on the floor, my body poised to rise once again.
Overwhelmed by a surge of emotions, I rose up, my body tense and ready to lunge towards Kelly. But Andrew instantly blocked my way; his presence was a barrier between me and the object of my anger. Frustration and anguish coursed through my veins, fueling my actions. With a mix of desperation and fury, I pounded my fists against Andrew's back, each blow carrying the weight of my pain and anger.
"How could you believe her? Are you truly blinded by your love?" I cried out, my voice trembling with a raw intensity. The words poured forth, carrying the weight of the truth that our baby had been taken from us. The pain of our loss reverberated through every syllable, a haunting reminder of the devastation that had shattered our lives. The weight of the truth consumed me, and I struggled to comprehend how Andrew could defend the woman responsible for our unimaginable grief.
Chester rushed forward, pulling me away, trying to restrain my movements. Filled with a raging fury, I turned and slapped him across the face. "Do not stop me, Chester! If you truly care for me, you should understand the immense pain I'm feeling right now!" My eyes burned with hatred as he slowly released his grip.
I took a step closer to Andrew, my voice barely a whisper. "Do you truly not care about our baby?" I searched his eyes for a glimmer of understanding, of shared grief. He turned to face me, his expression resolute, and uttered words that froze me in place. "What's lost can never be returned."
Time seemed to stand still as his words echoed in my ears. The weight of his response hit me like a slap, jolting me out of the haze of emotions. Suddenly, I felt a surge of clarity. A laugh escaped my lips. It was a bitter, hollow laugh that carried a mix of pain and determination.
"Asher and I will never forgive you," I declared, my voice laced with a resolute tone.
Seven years later.
"We've just arrived at the airport," I said to Alyssa. "I'll meet you in an hour or two," I added before ending the call.
"Drew, let's go!" I glanced down at the little guy standing in front of me. He always called me that name whenever he was annoyed.
"I told you to call me Mom," I sighed, rolling my eyes.
"Mum, I'm hungry. Hurry up and grab something to eat," he insisted, his arms crossed tightly and his feet tapping impatiently on the floor. His hunger was evident in his determined expression, and I couldn't help but smile at his adorable impatience.
"Alright, alright," I chuckled, giving in to his request. "Let's find a place to grab a bite. How about we head to that café over there?" I pointed towards a nearby café, hoping to satisfy his hunger.