Chapter Three

Rosalie

Seated on the hallway recliners, I was in tears when Kevin found me. Without asking questions, he pulled me close, allowing me to release the pain and anguish in my heart. After a few minutes, my tears subsided, and I wiped my face, smiling at him.

"How do I look?" I asked.

"Like a panda," He grinned. 

I checked with my compact mirror, realizing he was right. Quickly cleaning my mascara mishap, I reapplied my makeup.

"Now, how do I look?" I inquired.

"Gorgeous as always," He smiled. 

Shifting the conversation, I shared that my mom needed surgeries costing a hundred and thirty thousand dollars.

"That's a lot. Where will you get the money?" Kevin questioned.

"I'll ask Adrien for a loan," I replied, acknowledging the slim chance due to Yvette's interference.

"He might not give you the money. Will you tell him the truth about your mother?" Kevin asked. "Why didn't you tell Carmen the truth?"

"I couldn't burden my mother with my problems," I defended. "My marriage to Adrien is my issue, and I'll handle it."

"You love him, don't you?" Kevin inquired.

"That's my problem too. I'll deal with it."

"How?" He pressed. "The heart doesn't accept changes easily. You're either all in or out."

"Yours did," I remarked.

"Will you be okay, Allie? I can loan you the money if you want," He offered.

"Absolutely not. You have your family to take care of," I protested. "Adrien won't miss the money, but you will. I'll ask him."

"Fine. I seem to have forgotten how stubborn you can get about things. The offer will always be open for you whenever," He informed me.

"Thank you, Kev. I don't know what I'd have done without you in my life," I expressed, throwing my arms around his neck. "I love you."

"Love you too," He murmured. His phone rang, and we broke apart for him to answer the call. I sat there, contemplating how to ask Adrien for the money without disclosing my mother's illness.

If he were someone reliable, I wouldn't wait for my father to fulfill his end of the deal. Asking Adrien for the money would have been easy, but being his enemy, Adrien Vasanten never befriended his enemies.

~~~~~

"Welcome home, Mrs. Vasanten," Serena greeted as I entered through the front door.

"Thank you, Serena. Is he home?" I inquired, realizing the futility of the question given Adrien's usual late arrival, especially in the middle of the day.

"No, ma'am. It's just the two of us."

"Great. Um... What's for dinner? Let's prepare dinner together," I suggested.

"Of course, ma'am. It's your house and your kitchen."

"Ma'am makes me feel too old. Call me Allie," I insisted. "Please."

"If you insist," Serena smiled. "Allie."

"Awesome. Give me a few minutes to change, and we'll get started," I said, rushing up the stairs, taking two steps at a time even in my heels.

Once Serena and I finished preparing dinner, I eagerly awaited Adrien's arrival. We had gone all out with his favorite dishes. "I must say, Allie, this is a lot of food," Serena remarked. "What prompted you to do this for him?"

"Well, I want to ask him for something, and I'm hoping he'd be more inclined to give it to me," I explained. "Seeing one's favorite dishes prepared would make a person happy, right?"

"I'd be ecstatic," Serena responded.

Keeping my fingers crossed that Adrien would feel the same, I waited. If he enjoyed what I prepared, I planned to do it every time until he willingly accepted me as his wife and, perhaps, the mother of his children instead of Yvette.

~~~~~~

"Allie, wake up," Serena shook me, concerned. "You'll get a neck cramp in this position."

I rubbed my eyes, focusing on the clock. Shocked to see it was already eleven pm, I wondered if Adrien was back.

"Is he back?" I asked Serena.

"Yes, he just arrived," she replied. "Should I set the table again?"

"Yes, please," I said, getting up. "I'll get him before he locks himself in his home office."

"You do that," Serena said, leaving.

I hurried upstairs to his bedroom, pausing to catch my breath and hesitated outside the door. He had made it clear that I was never to enter his room without permission, a rule he set the first time I attempted to seduce him.

After that day, I never dared to approach his room, but today marked an exception. Summoning courage to knock, the door opened before I could act, and there he stood, dressed in blue jeans and a polo shirt matching his eyes, appearing ready to head out.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded, shutting the door behind him.

Even after two years of marriage, I couldn't detect warmth in his voice when speaking to me. It seemed as though he had programmed himself never to convey warmth throughout our marriage. The tiny glimmer of hope dimmed and extinguished. No matter my efforts, this man would never warm up to me.

"I... Um, are you heading out?" I stammered.

"Yes," He responded, brushing past me toward the stairs.

"I prepared dinner," I informed him.

"I have had dinner," He stated. His long legs descended the stairs swiftly, but I managed to catch up as he made his way to his home office. He entered, and I followed.

"Okay. Um..."

"Here." He tossed a brown manila envelope my way.

"What's this?" I picked it up, tore the seal, and retrieved its contents. My heart pounded when I realized what it was. "This is... This is a divorce agreement."

"I want a divorce," He confirmed what I already knew.

Staring at him, disbelief washed over me. Two years of enduring his hostility, loving him despite everything, and now, divorce? "Why?" I rasped. "Why do you want to get rid of me, Adrien?"

"You ask ridiculous questions," He spat. "Our marriage was arranged due to your father's greed and my father's obsessive love for you. I married you to inherit my father's properties, but now I want out."

"We can work something out," I pleaded, tears welling up. "I'll do better. I'm sorry if you think it's my fault."

"I don't want you to do anything," He yelled. "Just sign the agreement."

"Do you hate me so much that..."

"Yes, Rosalie," He cut in. "I hate you for separating me from Yvette. You could've said no."

"I had no choice!"

"Is that so?" He retorted. "Whatever. Sign the agreement, and I'll pay you for your troubles."

There was nothing left to say. I'd made him see how truly pathetic I was, and the irreparable damage was done. "I..." I swallowed hard. "One hundred and thirty thousand dollars will be just fine."

"I can give you more if you're not satisfied," He offered.

"One hundred and thirty thousand dollars is absolutely fine with me," I insisted. "I'll sign it." I held out my palm for the pen, and he handed me a fountain pen. I used it to sign where needed and set it down on the papers.

He seemed surprised by my choice but chose not to question me and nodded. "Very well, you can stay for a month if you want. I'll move out..."

"There won't be any need for that. Just hold up your end of the deal," I told him.

"Alright. You have Norman's number, don't you? He's my personal assistant. Text him your account details, and you'll receive the money." He returned the papers into the envelope and walked out of the office, leaving me to process everything that just happened.

Feeling nauseous all of a sudden, I managed to make it to my bathroom before emptying my bowel contents into the toilet. I wondered why I was suddenly so tired, and it suddenly struck me, and I let out a gasp. I'd missed my period but hadn't bothered to analyze it, attributing it to stress and its irregularity.

Rising to my feet, I rushed to rummage through the cabinet for the pregnancy test kit I'd bought last month when I missed my period but didn't get the opportunity to use it as my cycle started that same time. I read the instructions on the box, followed them through, and waited anxiously for the result.

When the time was up, I picked up the stick to know my fate, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the result.

Two lines. Pregnant.