Jessica's POV
For three days, I didn't set eyes on my husband or Zoey. Before I woke up in the morning, they'd left for work, and returned when I'd long gone to sleep - Only his change of clothes laying on the bed told me my husband was home the previous night.
The psychological torment was killing me faster than I could imagine. I needed to see my husband, our marriage was hitting the rocks and some serious conversation needed to be done.
Trying on one of my gowns on this day, I realized that I've grown thinner in just six months - nothing in my wardrobe fits me anymore. I sighed and bit my lip, deciding to order a ready-made online.
My husband had stopped seeing me as a woman, maybe if I pulled up at his office, looking gorgeous and hot, he'd give me a second look.
By the time I prepared his favorite meal and set it beautifully into a lunchbox, my order had arrived. I gave myself a long look in the mirror after dressing up, and all I could say was wow.
Even with my petite frame, where my collar bones were sticking out like a malnourished child, I still looked hot with my long chestnut hair cascading down my back in waves, long lashes fanning my face, a round face with baby cheeks that told of my inexperience... I was barely twenty one, and my husband was in his thirties.
I fell in love with him ever since I was a teenager, and his grandfather made our union possible. On the day we got married, he abandoned me at the altar, without even kissing me, and ever since, I've been living in hell. Even so, he didn't entirely ignore my existence, I felt he was starting to warm up to me, learning to genuinely love me, until Zoey returned.
Just maybe there was still a spot in his heart for me, the spot I was desperate to explore and cling to. Otherwise, if he divorces me, my greedy family might not let me into the house anymore.
As I arrived at my husband's company, I noticed the atmosphere was weird. Unlike the usual days, I'd see some employees around the lobby but I saw no one this time, instead, I heard cheering voices in the hall.
I didn't want to concern myself with it until I saw someone walk out with a glass of champagne. When the employee saw me, she snorted and walked past. I frowned, none had ever treated me with such disdain before. I know the employees gossip behind my back, but they've never shown me such disrespect before.
Curiosity took the best of me and I sauntered to the direction.
As I stood at the entrance, I saw my husband and Zoey sharing the limelight, receiving congratulatory wishes from everyone. My frown deepened. What was going on? I didn't hear that the company was having any celebrations, nor did I hear of good news.
"Miss Zoey is such a blessing to the company. Ever since she joined us, our monthly sales have doubled, and now, the company is about to bag a multi-million dollar deal! Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford!"
Mr. and Mrs? What nonsense was that person saying? I thought it was a slip of the tongue, so I waited for my husband to correct that mistake, but he didn't, he raised his glass and tossed to success, alongside Zoey, who hugged him after a drink... She even kissed him on the lips!!
Pain shot through my veins, my head buzzing as I turned on my heels and dashed for the entrance, letting the lunchbox drop to the floor as I ran. My eyes clouded in mist that I slammed into someone but was too disorganized to see who it was. I didn't stop. My heels clicking ungracefully on the tiles.
As the air from the parking lot, mingled with the smell of tires hit my senses, my stomach churned, and I suddenly felt the urge to throw up, but when I bent over, my stomach constricted and a sharp pain hit me. It came like a cramp.
But it wasn't the time of the month yet or was it? I've lost sense of when my period was supposed to appear, for months now, thanks to what those two had put me through.
Why? What have I done to deserve this? How could they do this to me?
My heart bled, twisting and turning with so much pain that I couldn't breathe. Trying to straighten up, my head grew light, my world spun, and my legs gave way under me as I collapsed, but before I could hit the floor, I felt a yank on my arm, and I collided with a strong chest. I tried to see who it was that had me in his arms, but my eyes had already lost focus.
"Sister...?" I thought I made sense of that before I drifted into the abyss.
When I woke up, I found myself in a hospital bed. The nurse, who was looking after me, saw that I was awake and hurried out to get the doctor.
As I tried to sit up, a stabbing pain shot through my stomach, making me whimper. I quickly lay down, my mind racing. What was wrong with me? My cramps aren't this painful.
As my mind drifted in and out of thoughts, the door burst open and our family doctor, Dr. Lee, arrived, looking all worried.
"Mrs. Crawford, don't you like your body?" he went straight to the point.
I looked at him, confused, "Dr. Lee, what is the matter?"
"Did you even realize that you were five months pregnant?" he frowned.
My eyes widened, ignoring the pain, I sat up. "Five months pregnant?!"
"Indeed."
I shook my head, "That can't be right. I had my periods for those five months and my body didn't change at all...."
"Are you sure about that, Mrs. Crawford? Some women experience spotting during pregnancy, I'm sure that's what you had. Also it's not strange for petite women like you to not have physical changes during pregnancies, until the late stage."
Hearing that, my heart bubbled with joy. If Liam knows that I'm pregnant, he'll treat me differently, I told myself. So, why won't I be happy? The news of my pregnancy instantly evaporated my previous heartbreak, and fatigue.
"I didn't." I shook my head. How would I know when I've been battling too many things? "How's my baby?"
He sighed and shook his head, "I'm sorry, it couldn't be saved. You already had a miscarriage before you were brought over. You've been mentally and physically stressed. Your body is too weak to..."
I failed to hear anything else. I just saw his lips moving, but nothing else registered. I lost my baby? My heart began to thrash restlessly in my chest. My head was shaking violently. I refused to believe it...but the soreness in my stomach was a wake up call.
My gaze blurred with tears. My chest tightening made it feel like I was carrying a heavy load on my chest. "Call Liam," my voice trembled. "Call Liam!" I screamed, feeling my world tearing apart.
"I already did, but he didn't take his calls."
I fumbled around for my purse and took out my phone and called him. His phone rang repeatedly. Even though he didn't pick up, I kept calling. My hands were shaking uncontrollably. Fat tears clouded my vision, but my husband didn't pick up.
Just as I was about to give up hope, he finally answered.
"H– hello, Liam, I'm at the hos–"
"Why are you such a crybaby? Liam runs a conglomerate, he doesn't have time to spare for a rotten brat like you. If you cannot be of help to his company, then don't stress him with your stupidity."
That was Zoey's voice.
My heart shattered into a million pieces. I've never touched his personal phone in the three years that we were married, but there she was, even answering his calls.
"Liam is in the shower. Anything you want to tell him? You can tell me and I might relay it. But if you don't want to, then no problem, I'll let him know you called, that is, if he doesn't tire me out, because I will surely forget if that happens. You should know what a monster your husband is in bed." The call went dead on the other end.
At this point, it felt like my heart was dug out, squashed, and thrown out. I hated Zoey, I hated Liam, I...
My world turned black and I passed out again.