One

Zyrielle’s POV

“Mrs. Bourne, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,” an unfamiliar voice said, pulling me out of my reverie.

“Dr. Sanchez?”

“She isn’t in today, so I’ll be your doctor for today. I am Dr. Leo,” he stretched out his hands, but I ignored it, causing him to chuckle lightly.

My heart had been thumping hard in fear. I didn’t know what to expect, as it had been over fifteen to twenty minutes since I was asked to wait.

“Are you…” he started, staring at me before adding softly, “I’m here for the results,” I said, pulling him back to the present.

“Yeah, right. Back to the results. I do have bad news and good ones, of course,” he said, smiling softly at me, perhaps to clear the already tense air. But I was in no mood to smile.

All I needed right now was to know what was wrong with me before it broke my marriage completely.

Lucas wasn’t coming home, just like the past few weeks. He had sent me a message to check on myself, as I had been looking malnourished despite the increase in groceries he had sent money for.

I couldn’t explain the weight loss, but nausea, fatigue, and migraines had become my best friends. I shivered at the thought of it being a child.

My marriage was about to crumble. I have had miscarriages in the past, and for some reason, the more I had them, the more Lucas distanced himself.

Maybe just then, Lucas’s mom will finally see me die enough to be a Bourne.

“Are you here with anyone? Your husband, perhaps, because he should be here.”

“It’s just me, and my husband is out of town, doctor,” I meekly said with a fake smile plastered before adding, “Stop stalling here and tell me what is wrong with me! You have delayed me enough!”

“Your MRI scan was the cause of the delay, Mrs. Bourne,” I held myself back from saying, “No one likes a snarky reply.”

“So, contrary to what Dr. Michael had told you during your last meeting, you don’t have an autoimmune disease. Rather, a small tumor was found in your brain, more specifically in the pituitary gland, which, I must say, is a bad location, considering that you are pregnant.”

My breath hitched at his words.

Pregnant!

Tumor!

“What are you saying? That I have brain cancer, and for some reason, I’m also carrying a baby?” I asked rhetorically, but he corrected me anyway, “The tumor hasn’t been declared cancerous, ma’am, but a few more detailed tests should be able to tell.”

What are the odds that after five years of marriage, I can have the one thing the Bournes had been demanding, only to get cancer?

“Hello! Are you okay?” I heard him ask as I suddenly stood up.

“Thank you. I will see myself out.”

“Woah! Woah! We are yet to talk about treatment, ma’am. So, where are you going? Please, sit.”

I laughed maniacally. “I have cancer! Do you want to start discussing ways in which we could get a management cure? If my body breaks and this falls, then I would leave my child in the hands of the Bournes!”

“Over my dead body!”

“What are you talking about? It’s just a small tumor that drugs could manage, and if complications became severe, a surgery.”

“Moreover, if perhaps cancer is confirmed, then your fetus would be the one at risk.”

He wasn’t saying what I was thinking, right?

An abortion? Or my life?

“It’s all for your good…”

A gasp escaped my mouth, interrupting him, and so did the blinding tears. Right there in his office, I broke down, and for some reason, he held me and let me cry.

Of all the things the universe had to bless me with, it just had to be cancer!

It took all my strength not to scream as the tears seemed never-ending. When I finally calmed down, he handed me his card.

“Take your time and think it over. I can see how important it is, but let’s keep our hopes high. It’s just a small tumor, Mrs. Bourne, and I can assure you that when you are ready, you will do the necessary, if not for you but for the child who would need a mother.”

I didn’t say anything. Instead, I walked out, and thankfully, he didn’t stop me.

Being pregnant was the best thing that could happen to me now. Maybe Lucas would consider working things out if he found out but with cancer! What were even the chances?

A tumor in the brain was never a good sign; I didn’t have faith that I could perhaps pull through… I was still that weak girl who leaned desperately to Lucas, and maybe I deserved this.

My mom was diagnosed, and the sound of her sobs, when dad was away with his mistress, still caused me nightmares at times.

As much as I could sense the truth in that doctor’s eyes, I knew the emotion that had been visible in his eyes... I had seen that look a lot of times, pity.

NO ONE LIKES BEING PITIED!

As I slipped into the passenger seat, Elvis seemed to have sensed my mood. Thankfully, he didn’t ask me anything but gave me enough privacy to cry by shutting the connecting window.

I don’t know how long I did, but I cried until tears couldn’t escape my eyes before I drifted off into thoughts, and it was Elvis’ concerned voice that pulled me back to the present.

“Are you okay, ma?” he asked again, and I nodded before entering the empty house.

I plopped against the couch, slowly taking the news before jerking up as I heard funny sounds from upstairs.

My heart pounded, and all my thoughts flew out the window. I grabbed the bat Lucas kept close to the door for protection before slowly tiptoeing up the stairs.

There was an intruder in my house.

As I walked up, the sounds became more precise, causing me to scrunch up my eyebrows.

The intruder was having sex in my matrimonial bedroom.

I knew for a fact Lucas wasn’t at home.

“Lucas…” I heard the moaning woman's voice out, causing me to freeze, followed by the grunts of my husband.

“Ouch, Lucas…” she slurred, and the sight came into view; there in the man lay a naked woman with my husband pounding her like a beast.

She pulled him closer and whispered audibly, “Deep!"

"Carefully you might harm the baby.” her words shook me so badly, and I held onto the door for support as the bat left my hand.

They stopped for a while, and I watched as he abruptly stopped at her words, “Do you really want me to stop? Or does the baby now tell me which pace I should fuck my soon-to-be wife”.

His words hit me so hard that I found standing so difficult and fell to my knees, alerting them of my presence; at this time, I was finding it difficult to control my sobs.

It was all crashing down.

My health, this surprise baby, and my marriage … I heard the approaching footsteps stop before me, and raising my head, I met my husband’s eyes.

“Oh, it’s you!”

“When did you get back? And why?” He casually asked like I didn’t just see him naked and in OUR bed with another woman.

“I had some papers delivered to your mom’s house. You will go when you are done being useless on the dirty floor!” He added, crushing me more.

“How could you Lucas?”

“Why would you even do this to me? At least not now…. Not when I’m dying and pregnant!” I managed to let out, causing him to pause and scoff, “Really, Elle, is that the best you can come up with?”

“What exactly are you trying to do? After hearing her say she was pregnant, you now claim to be Sick and pregnant?”.

“Just one time, I had mistakenly not used protections, and you are pregnant? Common, don’t do this to yourself; I remember asking you to go to your parent’s house after your medical exam, so why come here?” He yelled.

“Baby, leave that barren bitch and come here!”, I knew that voice, My head was still whirling as his words punched me, “I won’t ask you to leave again!”

Shaking, I managed to stand, and to my walking away figure, he dumped his last words on me, “Make sure you sign the divorce papers before tomorrow!”