2. Goodbye Jackson Reign

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~~~OLIVIA - seven months later~~~

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"I am pregnant," I said, tears running down my face. 

How I wished these were tears of joy. 

But no, they were not. 

Because I had not uttered these words to the man I loved, but to the man who had cheated on me with his first love and had thrown divorce papers in my face a month ago.

Jackson's smile was cruel and wicked like he enjoyed my pain. "So what? You think that's gonna change anything?"

My voice wobbled with anger and hurt. "Jack, this is our baby we're talking about."

He leaned against the couch, his expression unreadable. I had known the man for seven months and loved him for six and I still could not decipher the emotions in his eyes. 

"It's your bastard." He said coldly. "I don't want anything to do with it, Olivia."

I was horrified by his words, and the way he said 'bastard' and 'it'. He had used such a vile word to address his own child.

And he was calling me by my name, something he hadn't done since our wedding day. It was always Livy, Liv, baby, love and all the endearments in the world. Never Olivia.

"Jack, you can't be serious," I whispered, barely getting the words out of my lips. "This isn't like you!"

He sighed heavily, sounding like he was explaining the most basic of concepts to a child.

"Olivia, you don't get it, do you? This marriage was never real for me. It was just a deal to keep everyone happy."

My world was falling apart, the walls closing in. And he was standing there like he was talking about the weather.

"What are you saying? We agreed to this. I know it was arranged by our parents but we spent time together. You asked for a chance, not me!"

Jackson's eyes searched the floor, his hand playing with his hair like he was bored. "I did it for the company. For my Mom. But I never truly loved you. I love Elena. Is it so hard to understand?"

Elena.

The name was like a dagger to my heart.

The woman he'd always loved, the one he was with now.

"Jack, please," I begged, my voice quivering. "We can fix this. Tell me it was just a mistake. Tell me you didn't mean to hurt me, to cheat on me. And I will forgive you and we can start afresh."

He met my gaze, his eyes as cold as ice. "Olivia, it wasn't a mistake. I can't keep lying to myself. I never stopped loving Elena."

My heart felt shattered. "What about us? Our baby?"

"The kid's all yours," he said, his tone as if he was discussing the terms of a new business merger. "I'll pay for child support, but that's it. I want a divorce, and I want it now."

With trembling hands, I slapped him so hard it echoed through the room. The shock on his face was almost worth the pain in my hand.

"What the hell, Olivia?" he exclaimed, his hand flying to his cheek.

"How could you?" I shouted. My hand stung from the impact of the slap. "How could you do this to us?"

Jackson's eyes hardened. "You knew what you were signing up for," he said, his voice devoid of any warmth.

"Did I?" I wiped my tears away. "Did I really?"

"Yes, you did!" He yelled back. "Don't play the victim here, Olivia. You were in it for the money too. If you caught feelings in the midst of it, that's not my problem!"

I staggered on the spot by his words. This was not the man I married. This was not the love of my life.

I took a step back from him, not wanting to share even my air with him.

"You are right," I mumbled. "My child or I are not any of your concern from this moment forth."

Jackson's eyes crinkled at the corners and I vainly hoped that he would change his mind.

I was pathetic.

Begging for a cheat to not leave me.

But I loved him just too much. He was my oxygen. And right now, he was drowning me.

"Sign the divorce papers." He barked out.

I gulped. "If that's what you want, then so be it." I was so proud of myself for keeping my voice and my gait steady as I walked over to the desk where the papers were neatly placed.

"And the baby?" I asked, one last time.

"Keep it, get rid of it. I do not care."

I whipped around, wide-eyed. "What did you just say?"

"Don't waste my time, woman." He did not even seem regretful of what he had said. And I realized there was no use arguing with a monster like him.

I put down my signature in my neat scrawl but only after going through the clauses. This man, no, this monster, I didn't know what he was capable of so I had to make sure that he did not add in something that could destroy me.

"There." I said. "Are you happy now?"

He grinned wickedly at my tears. "I am exhilarated."

A sob escaped my lips and my world spun. "I hate you." I spat out.

Jackson smirked as he walked towards me, invading my space. He hooked a finger under my chin and pulled it up to meet his gaze. "No, you love me. These tears and the thing growing inside you, both are testimonies of that."

I let out a sob as I raised my hand to slap him again but he caught it. "Ah ah ah, not a second time."

He mercilessly yanked me by my arm and dragged me out of the office, pushing me like it burnt to touch me.

I staggered and almost fell but caught the door at the last moment for balance.

"Now get out! And never appear in my life ever again!" His eyes were cold, cruel and his eyes were twinkling with madness.

What had happened to the man I loved?

How had this come to this?

What had I done so wrong?

"Goodbye, Jack." I mumbled, my tears still freely flowing.

"It's Jackson Reign to you." He smirked. "I think 'stranger' is even better."

I gritted my teeth.

"Goodbye, Jackson Reign."

"Goodbye, Olivia Smith."

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