"I want to be like the King," the little boy exclaimed.But the little girl pouted. "No, I want to be like the King. The Queen isn't nice."Hailey couldn't agree more. The Queen really wasn't nice."When the Queen didn't stop being stubborn, her illness didn't go." Hailey went on. "And not long after that, the Queen fell into a big accident.""What happened to the Queen?""Did the King save her?""Yeah." Hailey nodded. "The King saved the Queen's life. He wanted her to live on." "That's amazing." The kids clapped their hands."Aunty, did that mean the Queen still hated the King after that."Hailey swallowed and quickly shook her head. "No, Dear," she answered the girl. "The Queen didn't hate the King anymore. And in fact..." She trailed off and spaced out again. "The Queen just realized that she had been secretly in love with the King. She became used to his nice treatments so much, she didn't want it to stop."The kids giggled at the same time, and Hailey's heart twisted with that f
She looked down at Kara's phone which was in her other hand and she pressed her lips together.Secretly, she began dialing his number again while Kara's attention was still ahead.She dialed and dialed and watched the screen, her heart thumping with anticipation.But the call would always cut immediately. The line didn't go through. The phone was off from the other end.After a while, Hailey dropped the phone inside the pocket of her clothes. And she continued staring at the park. The soft breeze danced with her hair and caressed her skin. They didn't leave the park until the sun went down. And Hailey couldn't wait for tomorrow because next tomorrow, she could finally leave this place. ~~~The next morning, Hailey was awakened by a commotion in the hospital ward. And when she opened her eyes, the noise wasn't inside the room. It was outside the ward. She sat on the bed for a while then got down to go have a look. Kara wasn't in the room with her. She must be in the bathroom or mus
"It is too late to have regrets now, Hailey." Her stepmother clicked her tongue. Then she opened the water bottle in her hands and handed it to the man who looked as if he was having a heart attack. "You shouldn't have been that heartless to the unborn child. You shouldn't have driven out of your house in that state. I know the cruelty runs in the blood, but you grew up with your grandfather. I thought he has imparted some human logic in your head.""Ahh, forget that." The man waved his hand in a dismissive manner before handing her the water bottle. "Now that things have come to this, let's not dwell on the past." Then he shifted on the couch and faced Hailey. "Since you're almost better now, don't let go of the opportunity when your body gets stronger. Make sure you conceive immediately. Do that fast! Before another woman catches your husband's eyes. You have to make it fast, Okay? You have to give birth to a boy no matter what—""What the hell is going on here?" Kara entered the
She watched her reflection in the bathroom mirror before washing her face. Her father's idea sounded ridiculous. She hadn't even recovered yet. Hailey sighed and washed her face. She had never been this disappointed in the man. Why the hell did he have to involve money in everything? Was he going to eat it or what?She sniffed and took her time in the bathroom to calm down. The couple's sudden visit was a headache. Her head throbbed and an unsettling feeling arose in her stomach. The feeling that nothing she ever did would be enough. Hailey already know that, but the mere thinking about it was disturbing. When she left the bathroom, Kara had already spread the food on the bed's recliner. She helped Hailey sit up on the bed and adjusted the pillows for her. "Your father is really something else, Hailey." Kara's anger hadn't subsided. "I wonder why he can't leave you alone already. It is as clear as day that he is only after leeching off you. If I were you, I wouldn't want him anywh
And Hailey contemplated if she should give her a visit after meeting with the doctor. But she didn't know her way around the hospital. She might get lost. And she didn't have the heart to make the staff leave her post for long. They soon got to the doctor's office and the staff waited outside the door while Hailey entered inside. Her eyes wandered around the office before they landed on the middle-aged man who looked surprised to see her. "It is you, Hailey." He stood up and extended his hand to her. "What a delightful surprise, I was just about to come see you."Hailey smiled and took his hand then he helped her to a chair. "I can see you are eager to say goodbye soon," the doctor joked and Hailey didn't hesitate to nod. Then he went back to his chair and picked up her files which were already on his desk.He began going through them while Hailey's eyes were glued to the papers, her heart beating again in anticipation. Hopefully, the doctor wouldn't find any problem. Hailey ha
And she could no longer give birth normally like other women. She didn't want to believe that she had to be under medication throughout her next pregnancy. This was a lie. She was never going to believe any of it. The staff that escorted her, as if sensing her gloominess, did not say anything on their way back to the ward. She only patted her shoulder and gave her a reassuring look. Hailey kept on sniffing back her tears, not letting even a tear drop. She wasn't going to cry for this. She wasn't going to cry because she didn't believe it. She would have as many children as she wanted in the future. Not a damned illness was going to prevent that. How could she become infertile in one night? How could she turn from an all-healthy person to this?What the doctor had said didn't settle well with her. She didn't believe it and she didn't want Kendrick to believe it. The doctor must have informed Kendrick about that.Maybe Kendrick didn't believe it, which was why he didn't bother to
"Hailey..."But the reality wouldn't leave her alone. There was also a hand gripping hers."Hailey, gosh you almost scared me." Kara's tone was anxious. "Are you alright?" She tugged at Hailey's hand. "Where do you feel pain, Hailey? Let me know."Pain?Tears rolled down Hailey's eyes.She opened them once more to be met with the blurry figure of Kara hovering over her. And not only was Kara in the room, there was also the figure of an older woman. "It's alright, Hailey. Crying is bad for your health." Kara wiped her tears and coaxed. Hailey bit her lips hard and squeezed her eyes shut for some seconds. Loud sobs threatened to escape her lips, however, she suppressed them.When her vision was once again clearer, she stared at Kara whose expression was ebbed with a huge concern, then her eyes strayed to the woman who was standing behind Kara. They both stared at Hailey as if she was the most pitiful being right now on the earth. The look of pity in their eyes made Hailey starkly aw
"I know this is too sudden and may be hard to digest, but you can't do anything right now, you can't go anywhere.""Baby." Her mother also returned to the present. "It's alright if you don't want to go to your Grandpa first, I'm so sorry for suggesting that. You can come with me until you calm down. Then we'll proceed with everything after that.""The hell I'm coming with you." Hailey's annoyance grew with every second. Proceed with things? Proceed with the divorce? That was never going to happen. She was never going to allow that. And what use was it to go with her? Were they actually convinced that Kendrick intended to divorce her?Hailey chuckled sadly and shook her head."Please don't misunderstand, Baby." Her mother's voice reflected worry and she tried to hold her hand. "I was just trying to—""Just leave me alone." Hailey yanked her hands off. "And don't ever call me that," she added and swallowed the lump past her throat.Baby. That word brought a lot of memories to her he