Chapter 2

Abigail

As I sat there on the examination table, the sharp antiseptic scent in the hospital room pricked at my senses. My vision kept blurring around the edges, fueled by the sight of my own blood staining the gauze the doctor pressed against my foot. Every instinct screamed at me to look away.

The doctor glanced up, his brows knitting together as he took in my pale face and trembling hands. He’d been treating me in silence for a few minutes now, but I could sense his growing concern. He held my gaze with patience, waiting for me to take a breath and settle myself. 

“Are you all right?” His voice was soft as if he knew that just the act of being in the same room as this open wound was almost too much for me. 

I forced a tight smile, nodding, though I couldn’t bring myself to answer.

The doctor’s expression softened. “It’s clear you’re not very comfortable around blood. You don’t have to be brave about it with me.”

I nodded weakly.

He offered an understanding smile. “It’s more common than you might think. Most people wouldn’t be handling this alone.” He paused, eyeing me thoughtfully as he worked to secure the bandage.

There was a knock at the door, and a nurse stepped in, holding a file. She handed it to the doctor, who thanked her with a nod before flipping it open. 

“Well, Mrs. Robinson,” he said, his voice lifting with a note of excitement. “I have some good news for you.”  He smiled, closing the file with a soft clap. “You’re pregnant.” 

His smile was contagious as he handed me the test results. Pregnant. I stared at him, my mind scrambling to process what I’d just heard. 

“You’re sure?”  

“Quite sure. Congratulations. You’re a few weeks along.” 

“That’s…that’s wonderful,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. 

“It is,” he agreed. “But you’ll need to take care of yourself—get plenty of rest and avoid stress.” 

 The advice felt almost ironic, given everything happening at home. 

 “Forgive me for asking, but where is your husband? It’s a bit unusual for a pregnant woman to come in alone for something like this.”

My heart sank at his words, the truth of them hitting me harder than I’d expected. Here I was, my own husband unaware of the fact that I’d even been hurt. He hadn’t seen the blood, hadn’t even thought to check on me as he rushed out the door with Susanna clinging to him.

But this good news would surely lift Conrad’s spirits. We once lay together on the grass under the starry sky, dreaming of a future with a child. Conrad hoped we would have a little princess. He gently said that our daughter would surely resemble me, with brown hair and emerald green eyes. The starlight reflected in his hopeful eyes, mesmerising me like the Aegean Sea, making me forget to correct him on how two people without green eyes could possibly have such a child. Now, that dream has already begun to grow in my womb.

“He’s unavailable right now,” I replied, trying to ignore the shame that burned my cheeks.

The doctor’s gaze was full of pity, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he shook his head and finished securing the bandage.

I felt the prick of resentment. I was pregnant, nauseous, about to faint from blood loss, and here I was, alone in a sterile room with a stranger showing more concern for my well-being than my own husband. No, Conrad didn’t need to know about my pregnancy right now.   “Thank you, Doctor.”

He pursed his lips. “Mrs. Robinson. Do you have someone you can call now, perhaps, to take you home?”

 Before I could answer, my phone buzzed on the tray beside me. Conrad’s name flashed on the screen. I hesitated before picking it up, my emotions already frayed. The doctor nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. 

“Abigail?” Conrad’s voice was brisk, tinged with irritation. “Where are you? Why aren’t you home?” 

I gripped the phone tightly, the heat rising in my chest. “I’m at the hospital,” I replied, unable to keep the edge out of my voice. “Where else would I be after stepping on broken glass because Susanna shattered a plate in our living room?” 

There was a pause. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, regretful. “Abigail…I’m sorry. I should have been there for you.” 

I laughed bitterly, the sound hollow even to my own ears. “Should have? Conrad, you didn’t even notice I was bleeding.” 

“I know,” he said quickly, cutting through my frustration. “I know I’ve been…distracted. It’s Susanna. You know how much Alexander cared for all of us, how much he sacrificed to make sure this family stayed strong. I feel like it’s my responsibility to look after her now, for his sake. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, Abigail. You’re my wife. You’re my priority.” 

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing against the mix of anger and weariness inside me. “It doesn’t feel like it, Conrad.” 

Alexander, my husband Conrad’s older brother, was the most renowned CEO and the anchor of our family—a dependable elder, a leader worth following, and a brilliant talent. The media often called him a 'shining comet.' Unfortunately, his life seemed as fleeting as one. On an overseas trip, his private plane lost contact, likely due to an accident, and to this day, the search and rescue team has found no survivors. The shadow of Alexander's crash still hung over us like a heavy cloud.

As the first son of the Remington family, Alexander had been the family’s pride and joy. Since the news broke, smiles had vanished from our family’s faces, and Conrad has been under particularly heavy pressure—often still in his study late at night, in contact with, I assume, the search and rescue team. When I offered to help share the burden, he always replied, tired but resolute, that he didn’t want me to be overworked and could handle it himself. I constantly worry that his health might suffer from the stress and emotions, so I’d tried various ways to help share the load—at the very least, to ease the tension on his face and bring back his usual smile. 

“I’ll make it up to you,” my husband promised. “I’ll be better. I just need you to bear with me a little longer. I need your understanding, Abigail. Please.” 

I wanted to say no, to hold my ground, but the thought of Alexander made it hard to remain stubborn. He’d defended me time and time again, even when others had questioned my place beside Conrad. Alexander had believed in us, in our love, and now… now he was gone.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. His sincerity softened some of the edges of my frustration. “For the sake of us and… and…”  I wanted to mention our baby, but the words would not form.

“And what?” he asked, confusion evident in his tone. 

But I wasn’t ready to share the news—not yet. “Never mind,” I murmured. “I’ll be home soon.” 

We hung up, and I leaned back against the hospital bed. Despite everything, I wanted to believe Conrad’s words. I had to. For the sake of the life growing inside me.

When I arrived home, the house was quiet. My foot throbbed slightly as I stepped inside, the events of the day still heavy on my mind. But I held onto the hope sparked by Conrad’s call, repeating his promises in my head like a mantra. 

As I hobbled upstairs, I thought about how I’d tell him about the baby. Maybe tonight, over dinner. Maybe he’d smile that rare, unguarded smile I loved so much. Maybe things would finally feel normal again. 

But when I opened the door to our bedroom, my heart sank.  Susanna was there. 

She stood in front of my vanity, casually inspecting one of my necklaces as though it belonged to her. She turned at the sound of the door, her face breaking into a bright smile. “Oh, Abigail! I didn’t hear you come in.”