Painful memory resurfaces

CHAPTER 4

The dining room was filled with shocked expressions.

"Violet, what did you just say?" Selena, Violet's mother, asked, still in disbelief.

"Mom," Violet replied, forcing a smile. "I said, meet my husband." She held up her ring finger to display the ring Alex had just given her before they walked into the dining room.

Her grandfather stared blankly, while Lucas and his wife exchanged disbelieving glances. Violet nudged Alex forward as they reached the table, then turned to her grandfather. "Grandpa, meet Alex Vanguard, my husband."

Alex extended his hand to greet her grandfather, who accepted it. "Alex…" the elder began.

"Vanguard," Alex confirmed confidently.

"And how did you meet my granddaughter?" her grandfather asked.

"We met about three months ago in a coffee shop," Alex replied politely. "Sir, I know our wedding was rushed and perhaps not properly celebrated, but I wanted it to be quieter and simpler. Please don’t hold any fault against her."

“Hmm,” her grandfather replied thoughtfully.

As they took their seats, Liam stormed into the room, his expression angry but quickly composed when he saw his grandfather. Selena leaned over to Violet, whispering, "Violet..."

“Mom, I’m sorry,” Violet replied quietly. “I should have told you. So many things happened. We met a while back, and we’ve been taking things steady. And honestly, when he proposed...” Violet paused and looked at Alex with a soft smile, “I couldn’t help but say yes.”

“Let’s eat,” her grandfather announced, still absorbing everything.

“So, Alex,” Josephine, Violet’s stepmother, said sharply, “we are a reputable family in this country. I hope your standards match ours, especially considering your sudden decision to marry Violet.” She was clearly attempting to mock him, assuming he was beneath the family’s status.

“I believe my status is high enough,” Alex replied coolly, watching her every move.

Violet, meanwhile, gripped her cutlery tightly, patiently waiting for Josephine to humiliate herself.

“Oh really?” Lucas cut in, smirking. “And what do you do, that makes you think you’re in the same social class as us?”

By now, Alex had a good sense of how Josephine and Lucas operated. He smirked. "I work at Empire Construction Company."

“Oh, so you’re a guard there, maybe a receptionist?” Lucas sneered. “Empire is a prestigious company, but working there as a guard doesn’t mean you’re on the same level as us.”

“Honey, stop,” Josephine said mockingly, as Liam smirked, satisfied with the unfolding drama.

Their grandfather continued eating, observing the exchange.

“I’m the CEO of Empire Construction Company,” Alex replied, visibly annoyed. “Tell me, Mr. Lucas, does that match your family’s status or exceed it?”

The grandfather paused mid-bite, surprised by Alex’s revelation. Lucas, Josephine, and Liam were all speechless, especially knowing that the American Elite Association had recently declared Empire Construction as the largest construction company in the country—worth billions, far wealthier than the Wells family.

“That can’t be true,” Josephine stammered, laughing awkwardly.

“Think again,” Alex responded sharply, clearly tired of their comments.

Violet couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction, seeing them humbled. Her grandfather, pleased with Alex's success, thought to himself, So if he’s the CEO, then Violet’s words must be true. She’s found someone for herself.

“Enough,” her grandfather declared. “Let’s enjoy our dinner.” He turned to Alex. “Mr. Alex, I apologize for my son and his wife’s behaviour.”

“Violet, congratulations,” he added, now genuinely accepting the couple’s relationship.

“Thank you, Grandpa,” Violet replied, relieved.

At the end of dinner, Violet walked Alex to his car.

“Thank you for everything you did today,” she said, clearing her throat. “I really appreciate it.”

“It’s part of the contract,” Alex replied firmly. “No one will disrespect any wife of mine.”

“Alex, I know I said I’d move into your house tonight, but I need to stay with my mom to calm her down after everything that happened today,” Violet explained. “Could you send me your address so I can come tomorrow evening?”

“Sure, I’ll send it to you,” he agreed.

“Thank you.” Violet smiled.

***

Later that evening, Violet and her mother talked in the living room.

“Mom, I’m sorry. It was love at first sight, and I don’t know… he makes me happy, and I just said yes. I know it was selfish of me,” Violet admitted.

“No, don’t say that!” her mother replied, embracing her. “You deserve to think of yourself. You did well and made the right choice, Violet.”

“Thanks, Mom.” They hugged tightly.

***

The next morning, Violet stood before the gates of Alex’s massive mansion. Although she had planned to move in that evening, her mother encouraged her to join her husband sooner. After saying goodbye to her brother and promising to visit, she arrived at Alex’s home.

“Welcome to my humble home,” Alex said, stretching out his hand as she stepped out of her car.

“Oh, there’s nothing humble about this place, Alex,” Violet chuckled. “Your house is gigantic! Do you live alone?”

“Well, not anymore,” he replied. “I’m glad it won’t be so empty now.”

“This way,” he said, showing her to her room. “I got a room prepared for you, right across from mine.”

“Thank you.” Violet, feeling slightly awkward, reminded herself to go with the flow.

***

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Violet and Alex’s marriage settled into an unusual rhythm. By the fourth month, while still awkward, they had adapted, attending functions and family gatherings together. Violet visited her mother and brother frequently, staying connected with her family while navigating her unusual marriage.

In private moments, Violet’s thoughts turned to fulfilling the other condition of their marriage: having a child. Although they hadn’t been intimate, they shared a few unplanned moments of closeness. One evening, Violet casually brought up the idea of kids, only for Alex to respond angrily, saying he had no interest in children. When she pressed the issue, he walked off, leaving her frustrated.

Afterward, they had a strained argument. Violet was disappointed, facing another obstacle. Yet, as the months passed and they reached six months of marriage, they reconciled and grew closer. But Alex remained firm on his stance against children.

Unwilling to give up, Violet decided to take matters into her own hands. One evening, she prepared a juice with a mild sedative. When Alex came home exhausted, she offered it to him. As he became drowsy, Violet took a sample of his sperm, storing it in a container.

The next morning, she pretended everything was normal as Alex left for work. Once he was gone, she took the container to the hospital, where she requested artificial insemination.

As she left the hospital, Violet felt a surge of determination. This was her next step, regardless of Alex’s stance on children.

***

Two weeks passed, and each day, Violet found herself secretly checking for signs of pregnancy. Every few days, she'd sneak a pregnancy test and wait nervously for the result. Then, one evening, after returning from a visit with her mother and brother, Violet found herself alone. With a deep breath, she took another test, hoping for a result that would cement her position.

This time, the test was positive.

A rush of excitement flooded her — she had finally secured her position. But as she held the test, her joy slowly faded, replaced by a mix of sadness and guilt. She looked down, realizing the weight of what she was about to bring into this world.

“What am I doing?” she whispered, holding back tears. “If Alex wants nothing to do with this baby… I’ll file for divorce once the paperwork is finalized. I’ll raise this child on my own if I have to.” A tear rolled down her cheek as she braced herself for the difficult path ahead. She hadn’t imagined her life taking this turn, one where she’d be forced to hurt everyone around her to protect her family.

“It’s better if Mom and Grandpa are disappointed,” she reasoned with herself. “I’d rather that than let Josephine and Lucas ruin their lives.”

In the quiet of the house, Violet shed her tears alone, feeling the weight of the future she was choosing for herself and her child.

***

Meanwhile, Alex was on his way home after a long day at work, sitting in the passenger seat as his driver navigated through the city streets. He looked out the window, and his eyes caught a sign advertising baby clothes and diapers. Without warning, an old memory surfaced, flooding his mind and pulling him back to a painful chapter of his past.

How dare you, Iris! Who the hell were you talking to over the phone?” he remembered shouting, his voice full of anger.

“Alex, please, listen…” Iris had pleaded, her eyes filled with tears.

"I can’t believe you’re cheating on me, Iris!”

“It’s not what you think!” she cried desperately, but Alex’s rage drowned out her words.

“Get out! Leave my house!” he had yelled, consumed by his anger.

“Please, Alex, let me explain…”

“Leave before I do something I’ll regret.”

He watched her leave, her face wet with tears as she ran out the door. But soon after, Alex received a call that Iris had been in a terrible accident. Panicking, he rushed to the hospital, his heart pounding as he ran through the hallways.

The doctor met him, a grim expression on his face. “I’m sorry, the patient and her unborn baby passed away just minutes ago.”

“What?” Alex’s voice shook. “Doctor…she was pregnant?”

The doctor nodded, and Alex’s heart shattered. He hadn’t known. His world seemed to collapse around him as he processed the reality of what he had lost. Iris had been his everything for the past five years. She was his light, his confidant. And with her, he’d lost their unborn child.

Growing up, Alex barely knew his mother. His father, a powerful but cold man, had always controlled everything around him, manipulating people and circumstances to fit his desires. His mother had left when Alex was young, unable to cope with the father’s controlling nature. She had never returned, leaving Alex with his father’s harsh influence and an emptiness he could never quite understand.

In the weeks leading up to his fight with Iris, Alex’s father had grown unexpectedly close, even offering to meet him for lunch — something he rarely did. They’d sat in his father’s pristine office, where every detail was meticulously arranged to convey authority and wealth.

“Alex, have you ever thought that Iris might not be… the one for you?” his father had asked casually, swirling his drink.

“What do you mean by that?” Alex had asked, suspicious of his father’s sudden interest in his relationship.

“Well, you know, women like her… they’re often looking for something. If not fame, then money, security, or simply a man they can string along,” his father replied, his tone dripping with condescension. “I don’t want to see you hurt, son. I’m just saying, be careful. Women like her are… well, they’re usually hiding something.”

Despite his anger, Alex had let those words linger in his mind. The following days, every small thing Iris did — a missed call, a private conversation — started to look suspicious. His father continued to plant seeds of doubt in his mind, dropping hints, until one day, he brought up something specific.

“I was informed she’s been speaking to another man on the phone, frequently,” his father mentioned in an offhand way during another “concerned” conversation. “Of course, I don’t know the details, but… as they say, there’s no smoke without fire.”

The manipulation had worked. Alex had become increasingly paranoid, noticing every little thing about Iris with suspicion. When he finally confronted her, his anger boiled over. His father’s words about betrayal, distrust, and hidden motives clouded his judgment, making him accuse Iris without giving her a chance to explain.

After the accident, Alex’s grief had turned to fury when he learned the truth. Iris hadn’t been cheating. She’d been speaking with her brother, arranging a surprise celebration for Alex’s birthday — a detail his father had conveniently omitted. Devastated and unable to forgive himself, Alex confronted his father.

“You did this!” he shouted, his voice breaking. “You manipulated me, filled my head with lies! She was pregnant, and now they’re both gone!”

His father’s face remained expressionless, dismissive. “If she’d had a stronger bond with you, no one would have been able to manipulate you so easily. You should thank me for protecting you from weakness. There’s no place for sentiment in our world, Alex.”

In that moment, Alex swore to sever all ties with his father. He declared that his bloodline would end with him — he’d never give his father the satisfaction of a legacy. The trauma of losing Iris and his unborn child left scars that would never heal. He couldn’t forgive himself for failing to trust her, and he certainly would never forgive his father.

Since then, Alex had closed off that part of himself, building walls that no one could penetrate. He stayed away from love, family, and anything that might lead to betrayal.

Blinking back to the present, Alex felt a familiar anger rise in his chest. The pain, betrayal, and guilt all came rushing back, and he clenched his fists, muttering, “Iris, I’m sorry…”

As they neared his home, he struggled to bury the memory once again, but the scars his father had inflicted still lingered, shaping his life even now.