The Anderson

★★★★★

The following morning came heavy and unforgiving for Edith.

Her body ached as if something massive had crushed her during the night, like a bulldozer had rolled over every bone and muscle she possessed. Even breathing felt exhausting.

With great effort, she pushed herself into a sitting position. The movement sent a sharp throb to her head, forcing her to press both hands against her temples in an attempt to ease the pounding ache.

Fragments of memory flickered through her mind.

The drink. The poison that man had mixed into it. She had taken only a single sip.

“Damn!” She cursed under her breath as her eyes flew open in sudden horror.

Slowly almost cautiously she turned her head toward the other side of the bed to see the person lying there beside her. She failed to see the man's face last night because of the drug that blinded her vision. She could not remember the voice either.

"Damn!"

However, when she looked at her side, the space was empty. The sight startled her.

Then her eyes swept across the unfamiliar room before finally drifting toward the bathroom door. She leaned forward slightly, peeking toward it as if searching for any sign of the man who had been there the night before.

The Silence was quite strong surrounding her, making it clear that she was alone in that room.

“Oh my god! Oh my god! What have I done?” Edith whispered under her breath as she recalled the regret that never should have taken place.

Panic flickered across her face.

Edith hurriedly looked for her bag even though she was not sure she had managed to keep it with her the night before. For a moment her heart sank, but then she found it hanging at the edge of the wooden chair.

Relief washed over her.

Wrapping the sheet around her hastily, she went for her bag to get her phone. She believed her absence made a chaos in Anderson’s house. Though she no longer cared about. Then, she had yet some things to settle before cutting ties forever.

As soon as she unlocked her phone, the screen brightened up with a familiar call.

“Maria!” She whispered as if she was not expecting her call at this hour.

Swiping her finger over the screen she placed the phone to her ear, “Hey, Maria! Morning.”

But the words that came from the other end of the call shook her to her ground violently. “You are pregnant, Edith. The report just came in. Though I was sure earlier, I chose not to speak about it without any proof because of the circumstances you are in.”

Edith fell silent, and only her breath collided with the phone. Those words should have brought a bundle of joy to a woman, but for her, the world had just crashed down over her head.

“Edith, are you there?” Maria asked when the silence was beginning to harden in the conversation. “Look, I know it is a shock for you, but you need to pull yourself together.”

“I understand, Maria,” came a dull reply. “I have things to handle. So, I am hanging up,” Edith cut the call without waiting for Maria’s response.

Maria was a famous obstetrician and Edith’s best friend, even though she was quite a bit older than Edith. For a couple of days, Edith was suffering from constant nausea and vomiting. When she explained it to Maria, she asked Edith to do a test, just to be sure. But what got into her hand had taken every bit of peace from her.

Dragging her feet back to the bed, Edith collapsed onto the mattress with her eyes staring at the wall in front of her.

The news changed a lot of things she had planned. Her plans…The revenge.

She had sworn that she would become the woman the Anderson family had never thought of. But with a child, she could never be careless.

A sigh broke out of her lips, as her stomach churned in fear.

Meanwhile, at the Anderson house, Freya did not stop for a moment bad-mouthing about Edith.

“Jamie, speak, for God’s sake,” Freya shouted. “She is out all night. We were looking for her like some tired owls, while she was probably enjoying the Chaos she caused.”

“Aunt, please, do not stress yourself over her,” a woman spoke up.

She stood nearby, wearing a black skirt paired with a white tee, her heels from Christian Louboutin clicking softly against the floor as she shifted her weight.

“How can I, dear? Her absence is not the only thing we should be concerned about. Our reputation is also at stake, and that’s not something we can bargain with,” Freya was vexed as she stared at her son who was sitting calmly at the far corner of the couch, looking at something on his phone.

“The moment the media gets wind of this, they will swarm this house like vultures. And we cannot simply lie to them.”

“If such matters are frying your nerves, you may go to your room. If anything happens as you fear, then I will make sure you stay hidden, away from the tragedy,” Jamieson coldly said, his eyes still on the phone.

“How could you say that?!” Freya cried. “I will never hide in my room if my family is going through some disaster. Even though I may not possibly do something major, I will stand so that no mishap will fall on any of you,” Freya shouted, clenching her fist to the side.

She was not agitated because Edith was missing or their reputation would be jeopardised. She was not getting the reaction she was hoping for from Jamie.

‘Was not the situation or her words enough for Jamie to give the divorce papers to that wretched girl?’ She thought.

“Enough is enough. Go to your room otherwise I will be forced to leave for the office.”

Freya gritted her teeth, anger was mounting on the tip of her nose because she knew if this opportunity left her hand, then she might never see that girl driven out of the house.

“Aunt, relax, Edith must be staying at her friend’s house as we all know she has never gone beyond that,” the woman again spoke, but at this time her eyes were on Jamie. “Since you are her husband, Aunt feels like you should do something.” Her voice dwelt slightly as if she wanted to be careful about what she was speaking in front of him.

“She is not a child. She will come when she wants,” Jamie replied, again not much expression reflected on his face.

“Well, this is my house and she is not stepping in whenever she wants. Jamie, I have never liked that girl so now I think you should….” Freya paused, exhaling breath. “You should divorce her.”

Jamie raised his head and looked at his mother with a cold gaze. No words he uttered to address the matter yet the tension was rising uncontrollably.

“Aunt, stop, you are not thinking….”

“Alanna, don’t take me wrong, but I will not accept any suggestion about this matter from anyone,” Freya cut her off before Alanna could finish the rest.

“What do you want?” Jamie narrowed his eyes as he asked.

“Divorce her. She is a shame to this house and I cannot tolerate her here anymore,” Freya spat, a strong disgust flashed on her countenance.

“How come I am the shame when I haven’t made any scandal like you,” a sharp yet comfortable voice rang in that tensed atmosphere.