The Sad News

The next day, as always, I sat alone, staring out the window, lost in my thoughts. My mind was a haze of depression, a heavy fog that refused to lift. I hallucinated the faint sounds of baby noises coming from the nursery, a room that was built for a child that never was born.

As I sat there, tears began to fall, streaming down my face like a river of pain. I couldn't contain my grief any longer.

The depression was eating at me and I have no friends. No one to talk to. The door opened, and I turned, expecting to see Rowan alone, but instead, a stunning woman stood beside him.

She was a vision of beauty, with long, curly brown hair and piercing green eyes that sparkled like emeralds. Her skin was a radiant, sun-kissed glow, and her full lips curved into a bright, white smile. She wore a fitted red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, showcasing her toned physique. A diamond necklace glimmered around her neck, drawing attention to her elegant collarbone.

I was taken aback, unsure of what to say or do. I frowned, feeling a mix of emotions: anger, hurt, and confusion. Was this another one of Rowan's conquests? Another woman to add to his collection?

I turned away, trying to compose myself, but the woman's voice pierced the air. "Who is that?" she asked, her tone curious and innocent.

I didn't respond, my heart heavy with the weight of my tears. Rowan didn't introduce her, and I didn't ask. I just sat there, lost in my sorrow, as the two of them stood in the doorway.

“A maid. Ignore her. She is crazy.” Rowan said.

A maid? Is that what I have been limited to. A maid?

“Why don't you fire her?” The lady asked.

“Just ignore her, Gigi. Don't we have a wedding to plan? Let's focus on that.”

I bit my lips so hard as they walked past, I felt blood in my mouth. So this was the Gigi? After three years, he finally had her back.

And marriage? I had heard him discussing it last night as well.

I guess, I was of no use anymore. He had fulfilled his grandfather request by marrying who he wanted, he got his position as CEO of tech resources, I got Jules treatment…now I am of no use.

Everything is going well for everyone except me.

As I walked out of the gate of the Vaughn mansion, I shivered as the icy cold weather hit my skin.

I looked up at the dark weather, hoping it would rain, maybe it could wash off the memories and ache that I felt.

“You deserve to die, Remi . I have never met anyone as vile, wicked, and useless as you. How dare you take the life of my unborn grandchild!”

“You are heartless. Get out of my sight.”

I stumbled through the bustling streets, swaying like a drunkard, the blare of car horns and city chaos failing to pull me back from my tormenting memories. My eyes were still swollen from the brutal beating I had endured at the hands of my husband’s father.

I was his punching bag on a good day. It was his way of reminding me to be grateful.

Rowan didn't know, he threatened me, one word and Jules die.

Even the memory of my last conversation with my aunt was soaked in bitterness.

“You married a rich man and you still want to divorce?” she spat, her words laced with venom. “Just admit you want to see your cousin dead. You’re ungrateful, you little witch.”

My feet moved with a will of their own, carrying me forward with a grim determination.

They understood the mission: to find a quiet place where I could die in peace.

Or at least, a place where I wouldn't traumatize onlookers. The thought of laying down on the road and being run over crossed my mind, but the image of horrified faces and the trauma it would inflict on passersby and those who would hear my story stopped me. I couldn’t bear the thought of adding more pain to the world.

As I stood there, I looked around and saw children playing, their laughter ringing through the air. Happy with their parents, they were a picture of what I had lost. I forced a smile.

If my child had survived she would have been a beautiful baby girl. My marriage would have been bearable, to say the least.

But life is unfair, it never gives you what you want.

With those thoughts, I made my way across the street to a bridge. Even from a distance, I could hear the quiet roll of the waves as they smashed against the shore.

My whole life replayed in my mind like a depressing movie. My breathing became unstable, and my knees wobbled with each abusive memory recalled. Even the wind seemed against me, biting and nipping with a chilly cold as time passed.

“Finally,” I muttered to myself and moved toward the bridge.

The rough stone scratched at my palms, but I paid no heed to it. It was time. My knees went up first, then the rest of my body.

In no time, I stood on the railing, one step away from plunging into the icy waters below.

The waves churned violently, crashing against the pillars of the bridge with a thunderous force.

The dark water glistened under the evening sun, appearing both beautiful and terrifying. It swirled and foamed, a powerful, unforgiving entity that beckoned me with its cold embrace.

I closed my eyes, letting the sound of the waves fill my ears, their relentless rhythm almost soothing. My heart raced, but amidst the fear, there was a strange sense of peace. One step, and I would be free from the pain, the memories, the endless cycle of abuse and betrayal.

That was when my phone rang.

I sighed, looking at it. It was from an unknown number.

I sighed, picking it up. “Hello…”

“Jules is in a coma.”

The harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway cast long shadows as I hurried to Jules’s room. My heart pounded with every step, fear tightening around my chest. The news had come suddenly: Jules’s leukemia had worsened, and she had slipped into a coma.

I burst into the room, my eyes immediately finding Jules’s small, frail form lying motionless on the bed. Machines beeped rhythmically, each sound a reminder of how fragile her life was.

Aunt Victoria ’s voice cut through the silence. “You’re finally here. Took you long enough.”

Ignoring her, I rushed to Jules’s side, taking her cold hand in mine. “Jules,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I’m here.”

Uncle Jacob loomed behind me, his expression as hard as ever. “We need to talk.”

I turned to face him, dread pooling in my stomach. “What now?”

“You can’t get a divorce,” Aunt Victoria said bluntly. “Not unless you want Jules to die.”

I stared at her, horrified. “What are you talking about?”

“Rowan just sent money for her surgery,” she continued, her tone icy. “If you leave him, he’ll stop. And without that money, Jules has no chance.”

Tears welled in my eyes as the reality of my situation crashed over me. “So I’m just supposed to stay in this miserable marriage? Let him treat me like dirt? He is even planning on marrying someone else. I have lost my baby. He has raped me twice.

One I got pregnant. Another was last month. I can't live like this anymore.

“Yes,” Uncle Jacob said firmly. “If you care about Jules at all, you’ll do whatever it takes to keep him happy.”

I felt my knees buckle, the weight of their words too much to bear. I clutched at the edge of Jules’s bed, trying to steady myself, but the room spun around me.

“Remi ?” Aunt Victoria ’s voice sounded distant. “Remi!”

Darkness closed in, and I felt myself falling.

---

When I woke, I was in another hospital room, the sterile smell filling my senses. A doctor stood by my bed, checking my vitals.

“Mrs. Vaughn,” he said, noticing I was awake. “How are you feeling?”

“Confused,” I admitted, my voice hoarse. “What happened?”

“You fainted,” he explained gently. “Stress and exhaustion. But there’s something else you should know.”

Fear gripped me. “What?”

“You’re pregnant.”

The words hung in the air, surreal and unexpected. “Pregnant?” I echoed, unable to process the news.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “Approximately eight weeks. You need to take better care of yourself, for your sake and the baby’s.”

Numbly, I nodded, the doctor’s words echoing in my mind. Pregnant.

“You should rest. We’ll keep you here for observation.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of the new life growing inside me. After he left, I lay there, my mind a whirlwind of emotions.

Pregnant. With Rowan’s child. The thought was overwhelming, but it also sparked something in me—a need to protect this baby from the toxic world I was trapped in.

Hours later, I checked out of the hospital, determined to return home and figure out my next move.

I was pregnant but I wasn't going to let the Vaughn know.

No. I would rather die than let them see my child.

But as I entered the house, I heard voices coming from the living room.

No, not voices. Moans.

Again. Probably with Gigi. The one he had told I was a maid.

I scoffed. Fate didn't want me to die, life wasn't fair. But now, I'm pregnant again.

I made a decision at that moment. Divorce was no longer an option until the bargain ended.

But staying here, under these conditions, was equally impossible. I had to leave, to protect my unborn child and myself from this nightmare.

As I walked to my room to pack a few things, Aunt Victoria ’s warning echoed in my mind. But the image of Jules, lying helpless in that hospital bed, steeled my resolve. I wouldn’t let them control me any longer.

I was done.

With my bag packed, I slipped out of the house under the cover of darkness.