Chapter Two

I felt a sharp pain of dread settle in my stomach as I grabbed my coat and keys. I had hoped tonight would be different, that I’d finally be able to tell him about the baby. But instead, I was heading to the hospital again for her. The woman who had turned my life upside down since the moment she came back from London. The woman who had taken Daniel's attention, affection, and now, once again, his loyalty.

As I arrived at the hospital, the fluorescent lights flickered above me, a sterile reminder of the countless times I had been here before. The moment I walked into the waiting room, I saw Daniel pacing back and forth. His face lit up when he saw me, but it wasn’t the kind of relief that came from seeing his wife. No, it was the relief that came from knowing I would help Vanessa again.

“You need to donate your blood now,” Daniel said quickly, pulling me toward the nurses’ station.

“Daniel, wait,” I said, trying to slow him down, but he barely glanced at me.

“She needs you, Tasha. You’re the only one who can help her. The doctor said she’s in critical condition.”

My heart clenched at his urgency, but I remembered the words of my own doctor echoing in my head: You need more rest, Tasha. Don’t exert yourself too much, especially now.

“Daniel, I’m not feeling well,” I said softly, trying to make him understand. “I... I can’t donate today. It’s important.”

He stopped, finally turning to face me, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you talking about, Tasha? You can get treated after the donation. What reason could possibly be more important than saving Vanessa’s life?”

My throat tightened as I looked into his eyes, wanting so badly to tell him the truth. Our baby. But I knew this wasn’t the right time. Not here, not now. And definitely not when Vanessa was hanging over our heads like this.

“Please, Daniel, you have to understand. I can’t donate right now. It’s dangerous for me and—”

“Dangerous?” he cut me off, disbelief filling his voice. “Tasha, what are you saying? Do you need something to do this? What do you need? Money? Name it. A million? Five million? Whatever it takes, I’ll give it to you.”

Tears welled in my eyes at the desperation in his voice, but not because of the money he was throwing at me. No, it was because he still didn’t see me, like really see me. He didn’t see the fear in my eyes, the life growing inside me, the risk I was taking.

“Daniel…” My voice broke as I whispered his name, but the weight of the moment was too heavy. He didn’t understand, and how could he, when he was so blinded by his need to save Vanessa?

I felt a tear slip down my cheek as I nodded, resigned to the fact that once again, I would sacrifice myself. For him. For her. For the life that he wasn’t even aware was growing inside me.

Without another word, I followed the nurse into the donation room, my heart aching as I prepared to give a part of myself for a woman who had already taken too much.

The needle slid into my arm, and I closed my eyes, tears falling freely now.

After the donation, I walked slowly into Vanessa’s room, feeling weak and drained, both physically and emotionally. She was lying in the hospital bed, her face twisted into a weak but unmistakable smirk the moment she saw me.

“Oh, Tasha,” she said softly, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Thank you for donating again. But... too bad for you, right?” She laughed bitterly. “Too bad Daniel still cares about me so much, even after all these years.”

Her words cut through me like a knife, but I swallowed down the urge to scream. I had no energy left for this, not after everything I had just done. I wanted to tell her the truth, to tell her about the baby, about everything she didn’t know, but I couldn’t. Not here, not like this.

I took a step closer to her, forcing myself to stay calm. “Vanessa, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. “Daniel and I—”

But before I could finish, I saw the shift in her eyes. It was subtle, but it was there, the glint of something devious. Then, in a flash, before I could react, Vanessa threw herself off the bed, tumbling to the floor with a dramatic scream.

The door burst open, and Daniel stormed in. His eyes went wide as he saw Vanessa lying on the ground, clutching her arm as though she had been hurt. “Vanessa!” he shouted, rushing to her side.

Before I could even explain what had happened, Daniel spun toward me, his face contorted with rage. “What the hell did you do to her?” His voice was filled with disbelief, his eyes burning with anger.

I shook my head, my words stuck in my throat. “Daniel, I didn’t—”

But before I could finish, his hand came down hard across my face. The sharp sting of the slap echoed in the room, leaving me frozen in shock. Tears welled up in my eyes as I clutched my cheek, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

“You’re unbelievable, Tasha,” he growled. “I can’t believe you would do something like this to her, after everything she’s been through. I thought you had some decency left.”

“Daniel, no… I didn’t touch her. She... she’s lying!” My voice trembled, but he wasn’t listening.

Vanessa let out a soft whimper from the floor, clutching her arm as she looked up at him with big, tear-filled eyes. “Daniel… I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” she whispered, her voice frail. “I was just trying to thank her for helping me… and she—”

“Enough, Vanessa,” I spat, my voice shaking with anger and pain. “You know what you’re doing. You’ve always known.”

Daniel glanced between the two of us, his expression torn. But instead of listening to me, he helped Vanessa up, gently guiding her back to the bed. “Just rest, Vanessa,” he said softly, ignoring me completely. “You’ve been through enough.”

I stood there, watching him take her side once again, the truth suffocating in my throat.

"I've had enough, Daniel. It's time you get another donor. I want a divorce."

The words spilled out of me before I could stop them, the weight of everything, Vanessa, the constant betrayals, the endless sacrifices, finally crashing down on me. I had totally lost it. My fear of him, my desperate need to abide by his rules, flew out the window. I was done.

Daniel’s eyes narrowed as he stared at me, disbelief clouding his face. “You don’t even know what you’re saying,” he replied, his voice dangerously low. “A divorce? You’re being ridiculous.”

“Isn’t this what you want?” I snapped, my voice trembling with emotion. “The freedom to be with your first love? I’m tired, Daniel. Tired of believing and hoping that one day you’ll really love me. But you don’t. You never did.”

He stepped toward me, his eyes cold, calculating. “I hope you know what you’re saying, Tasha. Remember, you don’t have a life outside the Sterlings. You’re nothing without me.”