He wants you to get rid of the baby

NOVA

I locked the door, and left the house, waving at the security men by the gate as I hurried out. Though Dashiell asked me to let one of them drive me to Mama Kaka's house, I opted to use a taxi. This way, I could walk a little, to exercise before heading over to her house. 

I had just walked a distance from the house when a red Camaro stopped in front of me. Frowning, I walked past it, humming under my breath. A few steps away from the car, I heard my name.

Whirling around, a scowl came over my face when I noticed who it was. Lilith, the bitch. She was leaning on the hood of the red Camaro, twirling the keys in her right index as her gaze levelled on me. I could see the contempt in that stare. She looked like she was sizing me up to know where to start from.

"What's it? What are you doing here?" I demanded, surprised to see her close to the house. 

Was meeting Dashiell in the office not enough for her?

"Dashiell sent me to pick you up," she said so casually like this was something we had been doing for weeks.

"Dashiell?" I scoffed at that.  "There's no way —"

 “Nova, I sent Lilith to pick you up, so she will take you somewhere. Go with her and don't cause trouble.” The voice came from the recorder in her hand. 

 I froze at the sound. There was no doubt about it. The voice was Dashiell's. Though it sounded deeper, I still recognized it.

 “Dashiell? When did he call you?” I demanded, fishing for my phone.

“Oh, don't bother about that, darling. He switched his phone off.” She faked a yawn as she checked the time on her wristwatch before focusing on me. “If not for Dashiell, do you think I would be here?” She demanded, folding her arms as she gave me a small smile. 

 I could tell she was taunting me, trying to get a rise out of me, but I didn't fall for it. I got my phone out and dialled Dashiell's number. And like she said, he switched it off.

 “See? Do you think I have all the time in the world to lie to you?”

 “He said nothing about having you pick me up. He —”

 “Dashiell changed his mind when he realized he couldn't get to you.” She gestured to the car, mock bowing as she opened the passenger's door. “After you, Mrs James.”

 Mrs James?

 I almost scoffed at the name. Dashiell didn't let me take his last name. He asked me to keep my last name, which didn't sit well with me, but I didn't fight him at that.

 “So?” She lifted her brows, pursing her lips as she stared at me with an amused smile.  “Are you going with me or not?”

 “If I don't, what will you do?” I challenged her.

 “Not what I will do, but what your dear husband will do.” She straightened.  “If you won't come with me, it's okay. I will just —”

 “I'm coming with you,” I stopped her before she could complete her words. Glaring daggers at the woman I hated the most in the entire world, I got into the car, and she closed it before she walked over to the driver's side.

 “Do you need me to remind you to put on your seatbelt?” She admonished me.

 Rolling my eyes, I leaned on the car seat. I didn't want to speak to her, and neither did she. So, we ended up not speaking to each other for the duration of the ride.

 It wasn't until she parked the car in front of a hospital that I turned to her, puzzled.  “Why did you bring me here? Is Mama Kaka okay?” My heart skipped at that as fear gripped me. Mama Kaka was the only one who loved me in the family. The last thing I would want is for something to happen to her.

 “Not at all. Dashiell asked me to bring you here.” She removed the key from the ignition and she ran her fingers through her perfect hair.

 “Why?”

 “You will know when we get to the room,” she replied as she took out her seatbelt and exited the car, walking around to my side.  “Let's go, Nova.”

 “Not until you tell me why you brought me to a hospital instead.” I folded my arms, not ready to budge.

 “Because….” She leaned in to whisper.

 “Dashiell is waiting for you there.”

I knew I shouldn't have trusted her. She gave me no reason to believe her, but I chose to do that, despite knowing what a serpent she could be. When I got to the room she claimed Dashiell was waiting in, I didn't see him. Instead of my husband, I saw three male doctors. 

 “What's the meaning of this?” I whirled around to confront Lilith, brewing with anger. “Why the fucking hell did you lie about this???”

 “Oh?” She folded her arms, leaning on the door. “That's the only way to get you up here. Do you think I had that much time to spare babying you?”

 “OK, let me get this straight. Dashiell asked you to take me here, for what?” I looked around. “This is a freaking hospital, not a place you go to when you choose to. Why will he ask you to bring me here?”

 “Can't you guess?” She took a step towards me, smirking when my gaze followed her actions. “He wants you to get rid of the baby,” she deadpanned, staring into my eyes.