She's Back

Margaux’s POV.

Clyde’s demand for an abortion kept me awake at night, gnawing at me like an incessant whisper. 

The coldness in his eyes, the calm way he insisted on it, made me feel like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, with no one to catch me if I fell. 

He didn’t want this baby. 

He didn’t want anything to do with me or my future. 

And that realization hurt more than I cared to admit.

But no matter how much Clyde pushed, I couldn’t bring myself to end the pregnancy. 

I wasn’t ready to give up on my child. I couldn’t let him make that decision for me. 

Not this time.

It was during one of my sleepless nights that I found myself reaching out to Dr. Stone. 

Our conversations had started as awkward exchanges at the hospital, but over time, they turned into something more. 

Something genuine. 

She was the only person who seemed to understand me without judgment, the only one who listened without offering advice or pushing an agenda.

***

“Dr. Stone, over here!” I waved at her one afternoon. 

After I had told her more about my relationship with Clyde she gave me this remark, 

“You’ve been through so much. But I can see how much you care about this baby. You need to trust your instincts.”

Her words, simple as they were, felt like a lifeline. 

For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel completely alone in this.

We met up a few times for coffee, and each time, she listened to me talk about the baby, about Clyde, and about everything I was struggling with. 

“Dr. Stone. Thank you for helping me navigate... some things.”

She raised an eyebrow, and took a sip from her coffee cup, “I told you, Victoria’s fine.”

We were so immersed with our conversation when my phone buzzed, interrupting the conversation. 

It was a call from an unknown number. 

No one has ever given me a call, who could it be?

I was not exactly a people person, so receiving a call was quite news to me.

Plus, I didn’t know why but at that time, an ominous feeling rose from within, but I also couldn’t ignore it.

With a sigh, I excused myself from the table and stepped outside to take the call.

Before I could even say ‘hello’, I heard the person said, “Margaux.” 

It was a female voice, which was very familiar to me. It was cold, condescending, and mocking.

“I hope you’re not too busy to talk,” she even scorned.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s you!”

How could I forget the voice of that woman who barged into our penthouse, with Clyde by her side?

“W-What do you want, Beatrix? How did you even get my number?” my voice was shaking, not out of fear, but of rage.

Her laugh was sharp, filled with insults, “I will not beat around the bush. End things with Clyde and save yourself some dignity!”

Baffled by what she said, my grip on the phone tightened while trying to compose myself, 

“Are you mad? In case you are forgetting something, he was marrying me, only if you hadn’t stolen him from me that day.”

But my response made her laugh aloud, “But he didn’t, did he?”

“But he will!”

All I heard from her that time was an evil scorn, “Marry you? You are delusional! You really don’t know him the way I do, do you? He is forever mine, and you’re just a distraction! So get lost!”

I clenched my jaw. 

I felt so angry, not by the fact that she was annoying, but by the fact that she was only stating the truth.

Everything she said was evident. It took awhile before I could recover my thoughts. 

And before I could response, she threw another fatal blow, “You are not wanted here, so why don’t you fuck off, bitch!”

I may not be wanted but I promised to protect myself and my baby! 

I wasn’t going to let her get to me. Not this time.

“You may have had his love…” I started with a firm voice. “...But I’m carrying his child. So you back off, bitch cause I’m not going anywhere.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. 

From the looks of it, she knew nothing about my pregnancy. For a moment, it gave me hope. 

It could be my edge against her!

Then Beatrix spoke, her voice dripping with disdain. 

“Pregnant?” she even groaned. “Are you really that desperate, bitch? You think he’ll stay with you just because you’re carrying his child?”

She said a lot of things, but all I heard was blah-blah-blah. 

I thought I was already winning, not until she slapped me with another truth!

“You’re nothing to him. You’re just a pit stop, and once he’s done with you, he’ll move on. He always does. He always comes back to me! Even after death, he will still choose me, more than you, more than anything!”

I could feel my blood boiling. I was done being a victim and a pushover. 

“You don’t know anything about me, Beatrix. You don’t know what I’m capable of. And you certainly don’t know what Clyde wants.”

Her laugh returned, colder this time. 

“Oh, I know exactly what he wants. He’s been playing you from the start. He’s always had a soft spot for me, and no matter how much you try to insert yourself into his life, he’ll always come back to me. You’ll see. I’ll make sure of it.”

I could feel the venom in her words, and it made me sick to my stomach. I wanted to hang up, to end the conversation right then and there, but I knew I had to stand my ground.

“Beatrix,” I said, my voice steady despite the rage building inside me, “You’re nothing but a ghost from Clyde’s past. And I won’t let you ruin my future–our future!”

There was a long pause, and then she spoke, her voice low and dangerous. 

“You think you’re the one in control, don’t you? But trust me, Margaux, you’re nothing but a pawn. And I’ll make sure you understand that soon enough.”

I hung up, my hands shaking with anger. I didn’t know Beatrix could be so cruel, but hearing her speak like that, so casually, so coldly—it made my blood run cold.

I returned to the café, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew she was dangerous, but now, I was more determined than ever not to let her win. 

She could try to manipulate Clyde all she wanted, but I wasn’t going to let her control me.

As I sat back down at the table with Victoria, I could feel a fire burning inside me. 

I wasn’t going to let anyone dictate my future—not Beatrix, not Clyde, and certainly not anyone else. 

My baby must live, and I will fight for it, no matter what.

Victoria noticed the change in my demeanor. “Are you okay?” she asked softly.

I nodded, forcing a smile. “I will be. I’m done letting people walk all over me.”

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I might actually have a chance at winning this fight.

Victoria seemed proud of me, but she didn’t forget to ask me, “But who were you talking to anyway? It seemed like a heated argument.”

“Oh, it was Beatrix, Clyde’s first love,” I explained.

But the moment I mentioned her name, darkness fell upon her face, 

Victoria’s eyes widened, her face palling at the mention of Beatrix’s name. 

The air between us thickened with tension. 

For a moment, she didn’t say anything, just staring at me like I had just dropped a bombshell. 

I could almost hear the gears turning in her head.

“I-Impossible!” her voice barely above a whisper.

I furrowed my brow, confused by her reaction. “What do you mean, impossible? You know her?”

Victoria hesitated, her fingers tapping nervously against her coffee cup. 

She avoided my gaze, looking anywhere but at me. It was as if the mention of Beatrix had triggered something deep inside her—something she wasn’t ready to confront.

“Victoria?” I pressed, my voice softer now, but laced with concern. 

“Do you know something about her?”

She let out a slow breath, then finally met my eyes, her expression grave. 

“Beatrix isn’t just some woman from Clyde’s past. She’s... she’s someone who doesn’t just walk away. Not without leaving destruction in her wake.”

I sat back in my chair, my heart pounding. The words felt like a warning, but what was it really about? What had Beatrice done to make Victoria so fearful?

“I don’t understand,” I said, my voice trembling with a mix of confusion and unease. 

“Why is she so dangerous? I thought she was just some ex-girlfriend who rose from the dead.”

Victoria shook her head, her lips pressed into a tight line. 

“No, Margaux. Beatrice is much more than that. You don’t just ‘get over’ someone like her. Trust me, if she’s involved, things are about to get a lot more complicated than you think.”