2- Baby

She could not seem to stop crying. Vicky was back and her husband spent the night with his ex. How could he do that?

Vicky used to be her best friend and had a die-hard crush on Aiden. Elara also had a secret crush, but she could never find the courage to tell Aiden about her feelings.

Aiden was one year senior to them. After a lot of effort and temptations, Vicky at last succeeded and they started dating. For some reason, Aiden’s grandfather never liked Vicky.

Though Vicky had a strong financial background. Unlike Elara who was the chubby daughter of a gardener in Aiden’s neighborhood.

One year back, Aiden’s grandfather passed away and Elara always thought Aiden was still grieving. But no. He was not grieving but was trying to reverse the wrong decision taken by his old man.

And that was to divorce Elara.

He wasn’t in love with Elara. His first love had always been Vicky. But his grandfather forced him to marry a plus-size girl. He even threatened to take away all the companies that belonged to the family and snatch away the title of CEO.

Aiden was the youngest CEO according to Star magazine and the hottest man on earth by several tabloids and fashion mags.

He was a package and Elara was the one who won the lottery. Right after their wedding, Vicky got heartbroken and left the country without a word. Never to return.

And tonight?

The scene of them getting intimate in a hotel room was flashing in her mind repeatedly. And then she remembered about the divorce papers.

‘Oh, no. He wants a divorce so that he can marry Vicky?’ she couldn’t sleep. Aiden stayed out the whole night. He even didn’t bother to return in the morning.

***

Aiden Lockwood sat up in bed with a throbbing pain in his head,

“Urgh. Today this pain has gotten intense.” He muttered to himself.

When Vicky saw him getting up, she quickly tightened the sheet around her and turned to the other side, shaking her shoulders dramatically. She wanted to give him the impression that she was crying.

Last night the pill worked well as always. Still, he was calling Elara’s name when she was trying to get intimate with him. Thank God Elara didn't hear him.

“Doesn’t matter, baby boy. Next time, I will make sure you scream my name during intimacy,” she promised herself silently. She could still remember Elara’s face in the doorway. The way she felt hurt, Vicky felt victorious.

“Vic-Vicky!” she heard Aiden’s voice and tried to wipe her nonexistent tears from her face, “How did we end up here?”

He asked in a dizzy voice. This was the second time. Two months back he found himself waking up beside her in a very indecent condition in her hotel room.

“I don’t know, Aiden,” she tried to act all innocent, “I don’t know what got into you last night. You did the same thing two months ago when I told you, I was back in town. You came to meet me, and we ended up here in my bed. In this hotel.”

He could feel her quivering voice.

Two glasses of alcohol never made him that dizzy. He never got that drunk. He swallowed hard when he realized he was not dressed.

Just then his phone started ringing.

“Hello,” He took the call on speaker and looked around for his clothes.

“Hey, Aiden? I am sorry. Were you sleeping? You never slept that late, man.” His best friend Dr. Leonardo said in a curious voice.

“Yeah. I-I don’t know, Leo. What is it?”

“Aiden. I just checked your reports. You are being given slow poison,” Dr. Leo dropped the bomb.

“I am given what? Are you nuts, Leo? Who would do that?” Aiden’s mind was so boggled that he missed the look on Vicky’s face. Her face had gone pale in a matter of seconds.

“Someone is feeding it to you daily. That might be the reason that you are sleeping a lot. That’s the reason for your weakness too.” Aiden disconnected the call. His mind was still a mess. He couldn’t think straight.

“Aiden!” Vicky placed her delicate hand on his bare shoulder, “Is Elara feeding you anything? Like is she persistent to make you eat something …?” Vicky badly wanted to shift his focus to someone else. Who could be a better option than Elara?

Without uttering a word, Aiden got out of bed trying to look for his clothes, but his mind was filled with Elara’s constant nagging.

“I baked these cupcakes for you, Aiden.”

“I made these tarts just for you,”

“Look what I made for you today. Pecan caramel tarts!”

Elara? She is poisoning me? Is that the reason I can’t seem to remember my intimate nights with Vicky?

***

At last, Aiden came home at noon and saw Elara sitting on the couch in her sleeping suit. He wanted to ignore her but couldn’t.

“So, that was the reason you used to feed me with all those baked treats? I can’t believe it, Elara. I am disgusted by your presence.”

Elara couldn’t understand why he was lashing out at her.

Her married life was already in shambles and all he could think of was blaming her for baking his favorite stuff. She wanted to hold his collar and shake him. Her gaze kept following him until he vanished into his room.

However, it was when the door to the living room opened again, and Vicky Barone walked inside, Elara felt her control snapping.

“Hello, Elara. How are you?” the audacity of this girl. She spent the night with my husband and now standing here as if she achieved a trophy.

“What are you doing here?” Elara looked into Vicky’s eyes and demanded. She was fuming with anger. She would not give up on her husband without a fight.

“Oh, well well!” Vicky had a sarcastic smirk on her face, “Look at the mouse who is talking to me so confidently.”

“I asked you, what are you doing here, Vicky? This is my house!”

“Listen Elara. Aiden was just…”

“Hold your tongue, Vicky. This is my husband you are talking about.” Elara spat and Vicky was stunned for a minute.

She wasn’t the same innocent Elara she had left three years ago. This woman was now aware of how to show her dislike.

Vicky didn’t give up and brought a forced smile to her face, “You know very well about Aiden’s feelings for me. He never loved you. I was the one who always owned his heart. And I should be the one who deserves to be his wife.”

“If you were the deserving candidate then why you left?” Elara raised a brow, “Was that your true love for him?”

Vicky was in for a shock. Who taught Elara to speak back? Where was that sweet innocent girl who used to bow down to everyone’s wishes?

“Can you please lower your voice, Elara? Aiden must be getting his sleep.” She tried to act all sweet and innocent.

“Aiden never sleeps in the daytime.” Elara retorted in disgust. She lifted her chin with a proud smile however that smile was short-lived when a mocking smirk appeared on Vicky’s lips.

“He never slept during the day because nobody tried to make him stay awake throughout the night,” she winked, “But last night we both got tired. Let him sleep so that he can visit me tonight again.”

Elara wanted to kill her. Why was Vicky doing that?

“Vicky. You can leave now. I will let him know that you were here. Please leave.”

“Yeah. I know. I hope he has handed the divorce decree to you. Please sign it soon.”

“I am not doing any such thing, Vicky,” she tried to gulp down those sudden tears, “I made this place a home for the last three years and you cannot take it away from me.”

“Oh darling,” Vicky walked to her until she was close enough, “Have a look at yourself in the mirror. Don’t tell me you never did that. Tell me, do you really deserve Aiden Lockwood? I don’t think so.”

Vicky twisted her hourglass figure and stretched her arms and after such a long time Elara felt jealous.

“Looks are not everything!” Elara tried to hold on to the last string of hope.

“Correct!” she then brought her mouth closer to her ear, “But a baby is!” she whispered and then giggled, “How many babies have you given him in the last three years?”

By now Elara was tongue tied. Vicky spoke again, “Zero!” she smiled, “You gave him nothing. While me…” she smiled meaningfully and rubbed her palm over her flat tummy.

“Wh…what do you mean?”  Elara felt like someone was choking her to death.

Vicky shrugged and rolled her eyes, “Gosh! You are still a dumb witted lady, Elara. Of course, I am carrying his baby.” An evil smile graced her lips, “I conceived the baby two months ago when I was back in town. Aiden couldn’t control himself as soon as he met me.”

“So, sweetheart. This house! Aiden Lockwood! And this baby! All of it belongs to me.” Vicky narrowed her eyes and eyed her collarbone, “This heart-shaped diamond pendant will also be mine. He bought it for me but later decided to give it to you. Ha-ha.”

Elara Smith after three years felt like her world came down crashing. She wanted to puke on Vicky’s face.