Chapter 4

After some miles covered, the cab pulled a stop in front of my mother's house. I stared at the rundown building, faded paint, an old flickering light at he porch, the suffocating presence that's always haunted me, stomach twisting aura. I hadn't been here in months and in all honesty wished it hadn't came down to this.

"Miss, are you sure this is the place?" the driver asked, eyeing my hospital gown and bare feet, he probably didn't believe I knew anyone in this residence, but it's not too far from common reasoning looking at how bad I looked at the moment.

I didn’t answer. Just reached for the door handle, my hands still trembling, the moment I stepped out, my legs nearly gave out, the sharp pain from my belly grew and stung badly.

The driver cursed, rushing to help, but before he got to where I was barely standing, I lifted a hand. “I got it.”

Every step toward the house felt like walking on burning coal, the twisted feeling in my stomach grew the closer I was to the door, I wished I wasn't here but I had no choice, I was here, it was now or never. The front door was but a stretch of hands away, I paused, hesitating as to if this was the best course of action, with a heavy sigh.

I knocked.

The door swung open almost instantly, like they had been expecting my visit.

My mother.

Her eyes swept over me, scanning through like an X-ray, with a gaze that made me felt like I was about to get stepped on, the messy hair, the pale face, the bandages beneath my gown. Her brows pulled together.

“What happened to you?”

My throat tightened. “Mom, please… I need to sit.”

She hesitated before stepping aside. The house smelled the same, alcohol, stale smoke, cheap perfume, nothing had changed.

She led me to the old couch and disappeared right after, coming back moments later with a glass of water, I took it with shaking hands, letting the coolness soothe my raw throat and calm my nerves for a split second. I was barely done when she sat across me, arms crossed, next thing I heard?

“Talk.”

I closed my eyes. Gathered my breath. Then I told her everything.

Michael. Evelyn. The betrayal. The hospital. The pain.

She listened, unmoving. No shock, no anger, just silence that filled the room.

Until I said the words.

“I want a divorce.”

SLAP.

My head snapped to the side. My cheek burned, I gasped to retaliate but I was cut short.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” she hissed, rising to her feet. “Divorce? Divorce WHO?”

I touched my stinging cheek, tears blurring my vision, was she really saying this even after hearing what Michael's been doing and what I've passed through?

She loomed over me, eyes blazing. “Do you not realize what Michael has done for this family? For YOU?”

I flinched. “But Mom, he—he cheated! He—”

“And?” she cut me off coldly. “As if that matters.”

I stared at her, horror creeping up my spine.

“You've been useless since the day you were born,” she spat ever so emotionlessly. “Marrying a rich man who could take care of you was the only right thing you've ever done and now you want to throw that Yup

away over something like this? Did you get more stupid or what?”

Her voice, dripping with disgust.

My chest ached.

Tears spilled down my face, but I couldn’t move.

Couldn’t breathe.

“You have nothing to your name, no wealth nor fame, you're basically nothing without him,” she continued “Even after all he's done, you couldn't even give him something as simple as a child and now you want to repay his kindness of trying to fix your failures with a divorce? Biting the hand that feeds you?”

Her fingers twisted into my hair, yanking me off the couch, I let out a sharp cry that tore from my throat as I hit the floor. Pain screamed through my side.

Like it wasn't enough torture “Don't you dare leave that man”, she continued, “You'll stay with him, stay with the surrogate to help her raise her child, Evelyn is prettier than you to begin with, I've seen them together at the bar, they looked good unlike some ungrateful fellow who wants to file for a divorce”

My stomach lurched.

I lifted my head, tears streaking my face.

"You knew?" The words I could mutter, barely a whisper.

She smirked.

"And now you know too," she said mockingly. "What can you do about it?"

I shook my head. Horror clawed at my chest.

“You—” My voice broke. “You let me marry a man who—who—”

She scoffed. “Spare me the whining.”

Then she leaned down, breath reeking of liquor and cruelty.

"If you want to divorce Michael, then I hope you remember Mr. Thomas."

Ice shot through my veins.

That name.

Mr. Thomas.

My father’s old friend.

The man who had always looked at me the wrong way.

“He has six wives now, but guess what? He's still in search for more and for reasons best known to him, he still hasn't gotten over the obsession he has towards you” she smiled

I stared at her in horror.

"He's willing to pay millions for you," she whispered.

I shook my head violently. "No. No, you can't—"

"You have two choices, Adaline," she said, ignoring my panic. "You either go back to your husband, or you marry Mr. Thomas."

She stepped back, crossing her arms.

"You have two days to decide."

---

The streets were empty and cold.

I walked aimlessly, barely keeping my posture, my feet dragging over the pavement, streetlights flickering above me.

I had nowhere to go.

No home. No family. Nothing left.

I couldn’t go back to Michael. And I would rather die than marry Mr. Thomas.

My mother’s voice echoed in my head.

"You are nothing without him."

"You couldn’t even give him a child."

"You either go back to your husband or marry Mr. Thomas."

I missed my father.

He was the only one who ever loved me, valued me, made me feel wanted, saw potentials in me, the same one my mother said I never had. He was the only one who had told me I was worth something, I wished he was here.

But he was gone.

And now, I was alone.

My fists clenched.

My mother always threw blames at me, she was expecting a boy, a heir, but I came out instead. She saw me as nothing but a mistake that grew to be a disappointment, the burden I had carried since birth.

"You were never meant to be here."

I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood.

Maybe she was right.

Maybe I wasn’t supposed to be here, maybe I was just a mistake after all, the disappointment to the family.

I kept walking.

One step after the another.

Until I reached the bridge.

The water below was dark and looked endless, for the first time in my life, I felt in control.

One step.

And it would all be over.

I took a breath and leaned forward—

Strong hands grabbed me.

A gasp ripped from my throat as I was yanked back, my body colliding with something warm, solid, I already had it with getting yanked from behind but this time it felt different.

A deep voice murmured near my ear, rough yet familiar.

"Adaline?"

I turned, vision spinning.

The world tilted.

And before everything went black, I choked out a name I never thought I’d say again.

"Mr. Justin?"