Chapter 2 - You lost a lot of blood, Mrs. Blake

KATHERINE'S POV

The loud ringtone jolted me awake, and I stretched my body, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. How long had I been out? Reality hit me hard—my reality. I grabbed my phone and noticed a slew of missed calls from my dad, along with my stepmom and stepsister. I didn’t need to guess why they were calling. They were probably just looking to get under my skin, especially my stepmom and her daughter.

I made my way to the bathroom, preparing for the day ahead—all for the man I loved. If I could just convince him that I was pregnant with his child, maybe—just maybe—he would finally listen and love me more. Just then, my ringtone blared again, and I saw it was my best friend, Hazel. I quickly hung up and turned off my phone. The last thing I wanted right now was to talk to anyone other than Alexander.

After a final look in the mirror, I headed to my car. The drive to Alexander’s company, the Starlight Building, was a blur of anxiety. As soon as I stepped out, the security team greeted me, and I returned the gesture politely as I walked inside. But I couldn’t shake off the unease; the stares from employees made me feel even more uncomfortable. They had noticed everything, and I caught glimpses of pity on some faces, mixed with emotions I couldn’t quite place.

Taking a deep breath, I stood outside his office, clutching the pregnancy test report the doctor had given me yesterday. This was it. I pushed the door open without knocking.

“What are you doing here?” A voice I never expected to hear cut through the air.

“Wha...what are you doing here?” I stuttered, feeling her gaze pierce right through me.

Astra's voice dripped with venom. "I should be the one asking you that, you slut! What are you even doing here? How is it that you always seem to be one step ahead of me?"

"I just came to see Alexander," I mumbled, my eyes flitting around the room, desperately avoiding her gaze.

“Yeah, I know. But let me tell you something—you clearly haven't learned your lesson,” she said, a smug grin plastered on her face that made my stomach churn. “And what are you doing with that file?” she asked, snatching it from my hands.

“What’s your deal?” I shot back, snatching the file from her. The contents were mine to protect.

“Give that back!” I yelled, reaching for it when she forcefully took it again. The last thing I wanted was for her to see what was inside. The more I struggled, the more hopeless I felt. Just as my fingers brushed the file, I felt her leg trip me, sending me crashing to the floor. A scream escaped my lips as I clutched my stomach, glancing at her. It was pointless; she had already seen it. The shock on her face told me everything. As I lay there in agony, I felt warmth spreading beneath me. I desperately hoped it wasn’t what I feared, but the flow only increased, blood pooling around me.

"Looks like it was a good thing you showed up, you worthless bitch!” she sneered, her expression radiating triumph. Just as I tried to get back up, she shoved me down again, making me scream once more. Then she pressed her heels into my belly.

"Please," I begged, desperation lacing my voice, but it was futile.

"You think you can have his baby? Not a chance, not while I'm here to reclaim everything I've worked for. I'm carrying his baby already, and this bastard definitely needs to go," she spat, her voice echoing with hatred.

I couldn’t comprehend how things had escalated so quickly, but I felt my strength fading, my voice growing weaker. Just then, I heard voices outside, but my vision was already blurring.

“Astra!” Alexander called out. The pressure of Astra's heels on my stomach was gone, but I struggled to keep my eyes open. I saw him approaching, and at first, he seemed frightened. But then Astra said something I couldn’t catch, and suddenly his expression shifted to one of disgust—totally unexpected given the situation. What’s the point of it all? Eventually, the haze took over, and I let my eyes drift shut.

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A familiar smell I couldn't stand hit me, and I slowly opened my eyes, confirming my surroundings. The walls were stark white, and my gaze shifted to the IV drip connected to my hand. Memories of what had happened flooded back, and an overwhelming urge to cry washed over me, but I was too weak to even manage that. Just then, the door swung open, and in walked a man in his early thirties, wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck.

“Oh, Mrs. Blake—Katherine, you're awake,” he said, offering a weak smile that felt more like pity. The last memories of Alexander rushed back to me, and all I wanted to do was throw up.

“How long?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

“A little over a week. You've been here for more than a week,” he replied.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, jotting something down in his notepad.

“Weak,” I said shortly. I hated how I sounded—just a weak woman who had been used up and tossed aside.

“That’s to be expected, considering what brought you here,” he said.

“How is he?” I finally pushed out the question, knowing deep down what the answer might be. I hoped for something different, but the look on his face sent a jolt of fear through me.

“You lost a lot of blood, Mrs. Blake,” he said, and it felt like he was taunting me, reminding me that whatever was happening was my fault.

"Just tell me what happened to him already!" I cried, my voice rising higher than before.

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Blake. I can't imagine what you're going through. It's a lot to process."

"What’s so hard to process? Just give it to me straight!"

“Given the critical condition you were in when you arrived, we expected you to lose the baby. But, against all odds, you still have the baby. However, due to some complications we've found, you won't be able to deliver normally; it will require surgery."

"Are you saying my baby is still inside me?" I asked, acting as though I didn't hear the last part, tears welling up as I struggled to grasp what he was saying.

"Yes, Mrs. Katherine. You heard me correctly. It's a very rare situation. Congratulations again.”