Chapter 2

Helpless on the ground, my body shook violently as I cried.

“She's so pathetic. Just look at her,” Barbara’s voice echoed.

I managed to get back to my feet and gazed at the man I called husband.

“I thought you loved me. How long has this been going on?” the words came out of my mouth and I winced at how miserable I sounded.

“I never did Estelle. I've been using you all these while.”

Each word was a blow to my heart and it felt like a thousand needles had been pierced into me. It hurt so bad that I couldn't breathe properly.

Of course, he never did. How stupid I had been. All the bad treatment, his bad attitude. His red flags had been waving around from the beginning, but love blinded me so much that I missed it.

My tears were starting to cloud my vision, and I blinked them away, letting them stream down my cheeks.

I remembered the reason I got into this marriage in the first place. We did it so we could strengthen both our companies by merging. I was the market genius, and Eric had the connections.

My father thought it would be an advantage to both our companies if we merged, and though I had been reluctant about marrying a stranger, I didn’t want to disappoint my father, who was also a friend of Eric’s father.

Eric’s company had been failing after his father died, but after partnering, my ideas helped take him to the top.

Of course, he used me.

“You call yourself a genius, yet you were too stupid to realize,” Barbara added and I winced at her blunt statement.

I never did like her, my cousin, and now I had every reason to hate her.

Despite all the pain Eric was inflicting on me, there was still something much more important, something worth making me overlook his sins.

I shook my head as I caught my breath, so my words would be audible, “I love you, Eric, please don't divorce me. We can still sort things out.”

I placed a hand on my womb, and smiled through the heart-wrenching pain, “I’m finally pregnant with our child. I’m sorry it took so long, but we have a baby now.”

Eric’s face creased as his eyes widened.

When I reached out to grab his hand, he yanked it away and glared at me,

“Pregnant?! Don't lie to me, you bitch,” his lips curved into an ugly smirk, “You were just a pawn for me to use, for me to fuck, for me to crush. Now that I've gotten what I wanted, I don't need to partner with your stupid company.”

Desperately, I reached for the pregnancy strip as I let his words sink in, “Don’t do this to me, please— to us. We have to think of our baby. Please, Eric, I'm begging you. I'll be a better wife to you.”

Hate gleamed in his eyes, “I don’t want it. You can both die for all I care.”

Each word he uttered was worse than the last, and I wondered how I had ever loved such a monster.

“I don’t need you anymore, or your stupid company,“ a manic smile creased his face, “Your company is about to lose tons of money anyways.”

I doubled back as shock surged through me, “I don't understand.”

“It’s part of our contract. After we divorce, I take every profit we earned during the years we merged, and seventy percent of your shares.”

My eyes widened, “It's not possible. I read the whole contract and I never saw that,” realization suddenly dawned on me, “You breached the contract.”

How had I not noticed it?

“Why are you doing this?” I could barely breathe as more sobs raked through me, “I did nothing but love you. I did nothing but support you. Why do you want to ruin me?”

He walked closer till he towered over me. His handsome face looked ugly like his mask had slipped, revealing what had been hiding underneath. I cowered, feeling worthless.

“It’s a man’s world Estelle, and there’s no place for women like you. Because you have the brains, you think you have the power?” his chuckle sent chills down my body, “All I wanted was to use you, then put you in your place where you fucking belong, You prideful bitch.”

This was a man I did everything for, a man I submitted myself completely to, a man I was willing to do anything for. This was how he chose to treat me, to repay me.

He suddenly grabbed my cheek, his fingers pressing into my skin painfully.

“Sign the papers and get out of my face,” he growled out.

The smell of pussy wafted through my nostrils from his hand— My husband’s hand. I felt bile rise in my throat as disgust surged through me.

I felt broken, and my heart bled, but deep inside, I was raging. There was a burning fire in me, ready to consume everything in my way.

A part of me I had suppressed for a long time ignited, and my emotions swung like someone had flipped a switch. My love for him had blinded me, but I could see it clearly now.

My tears suddenly ceased and my breathing instantly relaxed. I didn't know where the confidence came from as I snatched the paper and pen from his hand, surprising me. After signing as boldly as I could, I threw the paper to the ground. When I met his gaze, he was furious.

At that moment, I felt nothing more than pure hatred for the man I called my husband…Well, ex-husband.

I slapped his hand off my face and bit out, “Go to hell,” I turned to Barbara, “You two.”

I let out everything I had bottled up for years, standing up against Eric for the first time, “You’ve always been a miserable excuse of a man who can only trample on others to succeed. I won't let you get away with this.”

A vein popped in his head and I knew I hit a nerve. Good.

“I knew about your illicit businesses, but I never did anything because you were my husband. Now I can expose you for what you truly are; a liar, a thief, and a cheat.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he snapped and I loved the instant look of terror on his face.

Barbara was off the bed, fear evident in her crazed eyes, “You’re just bluffing.”

So she knew.

I lifted my chin, “Just watch me.”

Eric’s hand suddenly gripped my hair, craning my neck till it hurt, “I will kill you.”

“Kill me then. Like that's any worse than this,” I snapped at him, then spat in his face.

The slap came hard, sending me to the ground as I saw stars, and then the kick to my stomach came after. Jolts of pain shot through me as I struggled to endure it, covering my stomach as Eric kicked.

All I could think of was protecting my baby.

When he stopped, I struggled to stand and wiped the blood from my lips where his ring had cut me. Without saying a word, I glanced at both of them before turning around and walking away. Despite Eric's final words, I didn't look back.

“You’re going to regret it, Estelle. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Now seated in my car, I drove through the streets as angry tears blinded my vision. That might’ve been our house but I still had a home to run to, with my dad and my sister waiting.

I placed my hand on my stomach, wincing at the pain. Despite everything, I found peace in my child. My baby wasn’t Eric’s anymore; he made that clear to me. I was going to raise my child as my own.

My only blessing.

I stopped when the traffic light turned red, and from the corner of my eye, I saw a truck driving fast towards me. Squinting, my heart dropped when I saw there wasn't a driver. Before I could act quickly, the truck collided with me, and everything went black.

Faint voices echoed through the darkness as my eyelids fluttered open. I winced when my eyes met bright blinding lights.

“She’s awake. Thank Goodness,” a familiar female voice said. My heart sank when I realized it was my sister.

Seeing me like this must've been hard for her.

As my vision adjusted, I realized I was in the hospital.

Struggling to get up, “How did I get here? What am I doing here?”

“Take it easy. You’re fine now,” Amelia replied as she helped me settle back into bed and explained everything.

Suddenly, everything flooded back and the image of Eric flashed in my mind. I felt tears burn through my eyes.

“How long was I blacked out?”

“A week. I’ve been here, praying for your recovery.”

A wave of warmth washed over me, “What about dad?”

As Amelia’s eyes started to water, my heart dropped to my stomach and my chest tightened.

“He’s gone. He died from a heart attack after he heard about your accident.”

Numbness consumed me, leaving me feeling hollow as I stared blankly at Amelia. It felt like there was no piece of my heart left to break. There was no hope anymore, no purpose to live; I lost everything.

But then, I remembered the life growing inside me; the one I carried in my belly.

My only hope.

With weakened hands, I cradled my stomach.

“How is my baby?” I managed to ask, my voice barely audible.

“I’m sorry, Estelle,” my sister’s sob suddenly filled the room.

My hands clenched as I felt my consciousness slipping away. Though my sister didn't say much, her words were enough to answer my question.

I had lost everything… my heart, my father, and now my baby.

Eric had taken it all from me, but I wasn't going to die without exacting my revenge. There was a reason I was alive, and that reason was to drag Eric back to hell.

As darkness closed in around me, a familiar man appeared on the TV screen.

A name echoed in my mind.

Adonis Sandoval.

It was a clear sign.

The tool for my vengeance was right in front of me.