“You are pregnant, Mrs. Russo.”
.
.
Elena felt her stomach tied in a knot again for the umpteenth time as she remembered the piece of information the doctor had said to her at the hospital a while back.
The last thing she had expected now… at this critical time was being pregnant, still it did not help but make her assume that it was only going to strengthen her relationship with her husband.
Her marriage has almost hit the rock button— IF it has not even hit it yet.
Of course, he did not love her.
They did not marry because they loved each other. She loved him, it’s him who did not spare her a glance.
She had been married to her husband, Zeke, for three years and all through the three years, she could count the amount of time that he had looked at her.
Zeke did not like her, and he never hid that fact.
After all, it was a loveless marriage and she had forced himself on him.
Had she, though?
Three years ago, because he needed to get some inheritance from his grandfather or something, he had to get married as that was the old man’s wish.
She had known Zeke for a while. And she had liked him the whole time.
Her father runs an investment company and he had worked with Zeke’s company and there she had met the man.
Unfortunately, Zeke did not see her as a woman.
He only thought of her as the daughter of his business partner.
That did not stop Elena from forcing her father to set her up with that man and coincidentally, Zeke agreed to meet her.
There, he did not hide what he wanted.
He instantly told her that he wanted a wife.
And without thinking it twice, Elena agreed to marry him.
Even when Zeke had drafted a contract and had her sign it. She did not care much… not even when the contract said they were going to be married only for a year.
She believed that she could make her husband love her within a year.
Fortunately for her, his grandfather grew to love her and this could not let Zeke proceed with the divorce and they agreed to stay together.
Even when he had tried to talk to his grandfather that he would like to part ways with her under the pretense of a huge argument, the old man refused, telling them he would only let them part ways over his dead body.
Six months ago, the old man died, and she met with a new person— a new Zeke.
Zeke stopped coming home and only returned whenever he liked.
At first, it was once a week, then gradually, once in two weeks… till she lost count.
He would never pick up her calls and whenever he did, he would tell her that he was busy even without hearing from her first.
Elena pressed her lips together as she wondered how to break the news of her pregnancy to her husband.
The fact that their first and only intimacy resulted in pregnancy was not enough to make her feel withdrawn to the fact that her husband never said anything about that night.
He had returned home drunk and they had sex. She could have turned him down. After all, he didn’t force her.
But, she believed that this would strengthen their relationship. She believed that he would look at her and come home more from time to time, but… she was wrong.
When Zeke woke up the next day and left home like that night never happened, she knew that her husband might never ever like her back.
She twitched her mouth upward and stared at the test result in her hand.
If he would not come home, then she would go to him.
If he would not pick up her calls or talk to her, then she would go talk to him.
Hopefully, the news of their unborn baby will strengthen their relationship.
‘Strengthen.’
She must have mentioned that word at least a million times in the past few years she has married him.
A girl can only hope…
===
“Get the car, we are going to my husband’s,” Elena said to her driver as she got out of the house.
“The company?” He asked and she swallowed.
The surprise was written evidently on the man’s face and this was because she had never gone there before.
All through their three years of marriage, she has never visited him there and this was because she was careful to not offend him.
She thought showing up there would not sit well with him and as usual, she had always put him first.
“Yes.”
The man nodded his head, moved over to the car, held the door open, and then watched her as she entered.
Elena settled inside the car and then rested her head on the headrest.
She hoped that she was doing the right thing. She hoped that she was going to meet him in a good mood and that they would settle everything there then he would return home… and that their marriage would begin to go well.
As the car drove out of the compound, Elena sighed and then clasped her hands together.
It’s going to go well.
She assured herself.
~~~
“M… Mrs. Russo,” his secretary stammered as she saw her and hurried out of her seat.
“I will see my husband,” she said firmly.
It was as if she was going to be stopped.
She knew what length her husband could go to. He might have told them to not allow her in or whatever.
Maybe it’s just her thinking.
There was no reason for him to do that, was there?
“Mr. Russo is in a meeting,” she said.
“I will wait in his office,” Elena said and took a step forward.
When the secretary hurriedly stopped in front of her, her brows raised upward suspiciously.
“Is this you stopping me?”
“I am sorry, Mrs. Russo. He is in a meeting.”
“And I said that I will WAIT… till he is done,” she said, dragging the ‘wait’ on purpose.
“Mrs. Ru-”
She had just started when Elena brushed her aside and then walked past her while she ignored the woman who stayed back.
She could have followed her… no?
Then, Zeke is in there.
Elena stopped in front of the door, and gently pushed it open.
However, she felt her face dry up as she watched the scene in front of her.
That was her husband. She could recognize that backside even in the midst of a million people.
She breathed out shakily and her brows dilated.
Her husband… Zeke… the man she had assumed to be one of high principle…
She breathed in again.
He was right there, kissing another woman as if his life depended on it.
His hands wrapped around her back and even though she could not see it well, she could feel the movement of his hand going up and down the woman’s body.
A wave of nausea hit her and tightly, she held the handle of the door. Her eyes met with the red heels on the floor and she bowed her head.
As if the heels being familiar was not enough, her husband not being aware that someone was in the room was more painful.
She turned around gently to leave, but then again, why?
She wondered.
She was the wife.
Not the other women.
If at all, she should see the woman’s face first.
Finally mustering her courage, she entered the room and gently, and forcefully swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Z… Zeke.”
It took a few seconds before Zeke finally turned to look at her while the woman hurriedly hid her face behind his huge back.
Right now, she does not even care who she is.
She just wanted this man to rush to her and fall on his knees for hurting her that way.
“What are you doing here?”
His question was like a dagger.
What was she doing here?
Was that the correct question?!
“What?”
“You heard me. What are you doing here, Elena?”
“Y… You are a cheat…”
“Don’t.”
Her brows pulled together at his cold dismissal.
“Don’t do what?”
“Go home, Elena. We will talk at home.”
“What home? We are going to talk right here!” She snapped and then panted.
She probably looked like a madwoman.
The woman behind him who is obviously slender and beautiful would have thought the same way.
Anger suddenly surging within her, she dashed at him with the hope of seeing that woman hiding her face possessively at his back.
“What are you doing?” He frowned.
As she got to where he was, he shoved her aside without a thought and she fell to the ground.
Elena parted her lips as she raised her head to look at the unfazed look of her husband.
He breathed out, swept his neatly cut hair to the back, and then moved away from the woman finally.
And she saw her.
No wonder she thought the shoes were familiar.
She had gifted her.
Her eyes were still pinned on the woman who stared at her back when an envelope flew in her direction.
“I’ve signed it. It’s a divorce paper.”
She turned to look at him with a frown. “W… what?”
“We are divorcing, Elena. Game is over.”
GAME IS OVER?!
She widened her eyes.
“We are divorcing, Elena. Game is over.”Elena does not know which was more surprising. The words her husband had just said to her or the fact that the woman her husband was cheating on her with was her best friend.Her best friend. Camila. She sniffed gently and stood up grudgingly, leaving the brown envelope on the floor.“Z…Zeke, no, Camila?” She breathed heavily.“I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, and now… that is it. I hope you will sign it without any problem and…”“Zeke, that is my best friend!” She hollered.Both were painful, and she is yet to know which was more painful.She stared at Camila who looked away from her and settled on the table in the room. She looked like she could care less as she had been caught and right now, she wished for nothing more than to slap that look off her face.Camila had been her best friend for many years, and this was the woman she had told everything about what was going on in her marriage.“I think you should give him a bit of space
Elena winced in pain for the umpteenth time as her lower belly shook in pain and stood from where she sat, then walked to the tall standing mirror in her room.She raised her chiffon top and then stared at her flat belly.Wondering why her stomach hurt, she poked the lower belly gently and then winced again as the pain hit her.“Aw!”“I should go to the hospital tomorrow…” she said to no one in particular after glancing at the wall clock and realizing that it was almost seven in the night.After she had left Zeke’s company in the afternoon, she had come straight home and had been literally sleeping since then.The last thing she wanted was to think about the divorce paper that she had received earlier the day as it does nothing than bring tears to her eyes.Finally, she trailed her eyes to the brown envelope on the nightstand beside her bed and then exhaled.It was not a dream, indeed. Her husband has presented the ‘death note to her.’As she stared at her reflection in the mirror fo
“Fortunately, she arrived here earlier, else it might have been a different story entirely.”The doctor said as he adjusted the intravenous drip and then turned to look at Aria who stood behind him.“Is she okay now? And the baby?”“Yes, I must say, he is a fighter. He hung onto his mama really well,” he said and Aria smiled weakly.“Thank you.”“She should be awake soon. I will come back to check up on her,” he said and she nodded her head.“Alright. Thank you, Doctor.”After the doctor exited the room with the two nurses, she returned to sit beside her sister’s bed and then picked up her phone to check the time.It was almost six in the morning, and all she had been waiting for through the night was Zeke’s call.Was he not aware that his wife was not at home… in the room with him?Or… had he gone on a trip or something?She knew she had to keep all options open.Her sister has a nice relationship with her husband… as she had been told.It had taken everything in her to not go to the
Zeke could swear that he heard no single thing amongst what the woman on the stage in front of him had said as all he wondered was how a person could not have changed a bit in the last six years.In a split second, he asked himself if he was seeing correctly and if the person in front of him was his ex-wife, Elena.As the woman rounded her speech and everyone clapped their hands for her, a waiter stopped in front of him, and without thinking twice, he pushed the man away and clasped his hands together.Watching her being escorted out of the stage and to the door at the back of the stage, he hurried to the direction, without giving a damn about the people that were obviously looking at him.As he got out of the event hall which led him down the hallway, he looked around and saw the men who had escorted her in front of a door, he dashed there.“Excuse, sir. You can’t enter.’Zeke raised his brow at the man who just said to him and then looked at the other man beside him and took a step
Elena stopped walking occasionally while she stopped to greet the people that were rushing up to her even though she could still feel Zeke’s presence behind her.Of course, she knew that people would want to talk to her, secure a meeting, and all of that after tonight’s unveiling but what she was not expecting was her ex-husband crawling up to her in that manner.“I have been trying to meet with you, Ms. Baskerville,” one of the older businessmen said to her and she forced a smile and nodded her head.Was she aware that Zeke was going to be present at tonight’s event?No.But she hoped that he would be. She wanted to see his reaction when he saw her six years later, and not to lie, she loved the mystery that was plastered across his face.Zeke was nothing like she used to know. Although she had watched all of his achievements on the internet and how he had risen to one of the top three billionaires in the whole of America. Still, the media did little justice to his current look.The
Elena twitched her lips upward and nodded her head. Whether he submitted their divorce documents or not, she cared less.“That is your problem, not mine,” she shrugged her shoulders off and then turned to leave.She made sure she did not stop walking and increased her pace till she reached her car.Her driver got down, opened the door for her, and she got in hurriedly.“Let’s go, please.”By the time Zeke got to the car, the driver had already ignited the engine and was about to drive.Zeke slammed his hands on the tinted window while he called out her name, but even if she spared him a glance from where she sat, he would not know as the windows were heavily tinted.He breathed out as he watched the car drive away, looked around, and then adjusted his clothes stylishly.He fondled his hands in a tight fist and then clenched his teeth.He did not doubt that he would not be sleeping well tonight. He needed not to be told that his usual nightmares would wake him up.Especially now that h
Zeke hesitated to get out of the car as the driver opened the door for him because he knew that getting out of the car was meeting with everyone, including Camila’s parents.It was his mother’s birthday two days ago and because everyone had said they were busy, she had fixed a dinner gathering for today. He adjusted his collar, got out of the car, and then looked around the big mansion.“Sir,” he sighted the butler from afar and then nodded his head at the man who bowed at him.“This way, sir,” he said again.Zeke nodded his head and then walked after the man who turned around and then walked ahead of him, leading him to the garden where they were probably having dinner.“Your mother is so pissed,” he said.Zeke hissed softly and then nodded his head. “How many people are present there?”“Maybe five? Or more than,” he answered, not turning to look at him.Zeke shook his head and walked silently behind the man for a while before he talked again, chuckling slightly.“What are you worrie
Zeke got to his car, and as he prepared to enter the backseat that his driver had opened for him, he turned around and then raised his head to look at his sister’s window.It had been six years since she had talked to him with a smile in her eyes like she used to and all of this was because of what happened with Elena.If there was anyone who hated him because of Elena, it was definitely her. She liked Elena and while they were still together, she used to come over once in a while just to keep her company.The two liked each other so much and back then, he hated that his sister, Chloe, was unnecessarily nice to the woman.When Chloe heard that he had divorced Elena, she yelled, cried, and pleaded with him to bring her back but it was out of his control too.He could not even find a shadow that looked like her.Her and her family’s whereabouts were encrypted and there was no way he could track her.Was she aware that Elena was back?Of course, a lot of TV stations must be circulating he
“Is he truly outside?” Karina rushed to her husband as he entered the room and he swallowed, entering fully.“I have told him to leave. He is leaving already,” he answered and then looked around the living room.“Where is Ramon? I ran into him outside the door here.”“He has gone to see Elena,” she replied.“Was he truly on his knees?”“You worry too much, Karina.”“Answer me, Raymond.”“Do you think that man has what it takes to do that?”He knew so well that his wife would not agree to the fact that he had left Zeke on his knees outside their mansion.“Honey, I really think you should stop interfering in their business.”“Whose business?” He feigned ignorance and settled on the chair.“Elena and Zeke. Raymond, they are not children.”“You are not honestly rooting for them again, are you?”“I am in support of whatever Elena chooses. I can’t make decisions for her and you need to know that too.”“In the past, you were against their union! I should have listened to you.”“That was beca
“Who did you say is asking for Elena?”“A Zeke Russo, sir.”Ray drew his brows together and turned to look at Karina who sat on the couch away from him.“Don’t let him in.”“Raymond,” Karina called him softly.“Let him return to wherever he is coming from or you will be losing your job!”The gateman bowed and then rushed out back.Delivering the message to the man in a rather harsh way, he closed the gate and returned inside.“Something happening?” His partner asked him as he returned inside his quarter.“The man outside. Boss said he does not want to see him in this compound or I will lose my job.”“Wait, really?”“I am telling you,” he exhaled and then settled on the chair in front of the big screen.“W… what is he doing?” He stuttered as he watched the screen.The other man rushed to him, drew his brows together, and then parted his lips.“Is that what I think it is?”“He is on his knees?” The gatekeeper asked rhetorically and then stood up hurriedly.___________“Hey, are you craz
“Take, one more spoon,” Elena patted her daughter as she took the last spoon of her food and after the girl collected it from her, she cleaned her mouth with a handkerchief and then leaned back.“Are you full?”Natalie nodded her head and then turned to look at her plate where Nathan had dropped a piece of meat in.She raised her brows, smiled gently, and then picked it up.“Thank you.”Nathan watched her sister chew it completely and then asked. “Do you want more?”She shook her head and then instead pulled off her cap. “See, my hair is starting to grow.”Nathan stared at her head where he could barely see a strand and then chuckled. He pulled off his cap too, bowed his head, and then showed her his. “Mine too.”“But…” Natalie tilted her head. “I can’t see any hair there.”“Same. There is no hair on your head either.”They dropped eyes on each other, and Elena pressed her lips, thinking Natalie had taken offense at his comment when her facial expressions literally went unreadable.Sh
“So, you’re not going? Really?”Zeke ignored Ryan totally, his head buried in his laptop and the man shook his head. Ryan exhaled and collapsed in the chair opposite Zeke and palmed his face.“Your daughter… Natalie is getting discharged today and you really are not going there?!”Still, he was mute. Maybe if Ryan peeped to check what Zeke was typing continuously on the keyboard, he would see that the only word he kept typing was ‘Natalie.’“You know, you are an asshole, right?”Still, he was mute.“She is leaving the hospital today. It means she is hale and healthy already. It means she can move around freely and you can meet her as you please, you know?” Ryan reminded him.When Zeke did not answer, he leaned closer, pushed the laptop shut, and then hissed.“What are you planning? I can swear that you are not busy and you were typing shit right there.”“C… could you see them home safely?”“Dude, that is your duty, not mine!” Ryan snapped with creased brows.Zeke nodded his head, exh
Elena looked out of the door for the umpteenth time and then sighed before she returned to stab a piece of apple in the bowl in her hand.“Give up. He’s not coming,” Ariana breathed out.“Who?”“I know you are waiting for Zeke.”“I am not!” She denied and Ariana nodded her head.“Besides… how did you know he is not coming?” She asked.“It’s been almost a week. He left without telling you and has not returned since then. He didn’t call you either.”“Something… might be wrong with him,” she shrugged her shoulders off.“Something like? Chloe was here and she didn’t deliver any bad news, so, what something?” Ariana asked.Elena sniffed, bit her lower lips, and then turned to look outside again.She did not want to admit that she was worried, but deep down, she knew she was.He was supposed to be here…He had promised he would be by her side till Natalie got discharged.He left that morning and had not returned since then.He didn’t even call her!She suspected so strongly that her father
“Did something happen?” Ryan asked Zeke again. This time, he had pulled the car gently into his compound and had followed him out of the car.Zeke had kept mute the entire time in the car and even though he and Chloe had thrown random jokes, or started random conversations with the hope that he was going to join, he kept mute still.Still, Zeke said nothing and made an entrance to the big door of his house.“No, I am certain something happened. What is wrong? You said you were going to stay for a while. You said you wanted to see your daughter.”“Ryan…” Zeke finally exhaled and swallowed.Entering the living room fully, he turned around, dropped his eyes on the couple, and then palmed his forehead.He was keeping his feelings bottled up. He felt like he wanted to cry.But, he was a man and he should not cry, right?But, fuck that.He had little regret in his life, but this…?He would forever regret it.It was something he could have controlled. He did it anyway. He thought it was the
When Ray suddenly burst into laughter, Zeke’s eyes fluttered as though he had said something very funny. He tilted his head and then sighed.“Sir?”“Is this some movie show?”“You asked…”“How much do you want, Zeke?”“I have answered you.”Ray shook his head, “My daughter is not an option.”“Everything I did is for my family, father.”“I am no father of yours and they are not your family either.”Dumbfounded, Zeke nodded his head and then smacked his tongue. “Sir.”“I am grateful to you for what you have done for our family. For my grand daughter.”“It is my responsibility as her father.”“You have no responsibility to fulfill, dear,” he chuckled rather sarcastically.“So, see her as much as you want to while we are still in the hospital. Elena included. I can assure you that will not happen again after she has been discharged.”“Fath—”“You can’t have her again!” He snapped and then palmed his forehead.“You don’t even deserve her.”“I will make myself worthy of her again,” he said.
“Are you sure? If it were up to me, I’d suggest that you stay here for a few more days,” Elena said, worry plastered across her face as she watched the man who did his shirt button.It was early the next morning and Zeke had already asked to be discharged even though the doctor had suggested that he should spend at least a day more.He insisted that he was good already and that he had no other complaints and if he did, he'd let the doctor know.“He does not listen,” Chloe who stood beside Ryan rolled her eyes and hissed.“I don’t like it here. I could not sleep well in that bed,” Zeke snapped his brows together as he glanced at the bed.“As if you’ve ever slept well in any bed,” Ryan rolled his eyes.Zeke swallowed, moved over to Elena, and then dropped his hands on her shoulders.“I am fine. I promise.”She exhaled, nodded her head, and then sniffed. “You better let me know if anything goes wrong again.”“I promise. Now, we gotta wait till Natalie gets discharged, right? The surgery
“So… how are they? My daughter and… and the donor?” Elena asked.“Rest assured, they are doing well. However, the donor… Mr Zeke. The anesthesia wore off during the surgery and he was aware during the entire procedure. Although it is highly unlikely for a person to wake up during the surgery, as the anesthesia is designed to keep them in a deep sleep state. Still, it is not impossible. It is a rare case, but it still happened with him.”“So? Is it going to be a problem?”“Not really. We made sure to adjust the anesthesia levels to ensure he was comfortable and pain-free. He will be taken to a recovery room soon where he will be monitored as the anesthesia wears off completely, but he may experience some discomfort, pain, or nausea… oh, and difficulty sleeping. But be rest assured, all of these can be managed with medication,” he informed.“Oh, God,” Elena palmed her mouth and then sniffed.“He is out of danger, Ms. Baskerville, I assure you. And your daughter too. The surgery was a s