Chapter - 1 Prologue

Bianca's POV

                          

      My stomach tightened in tune with the contractions. Tears pricked against my eyes as the pain became unbearable and a sob ripped its way from my throat. Something felt wrong. I went into labor before my scheduled cesarean arrived. Meaning that this was unexpected and could potentially cause a lot of problems during delivery. Clutching my stomach, another round of contractions ate away at me. It was too late for an epidural now. I was just biding my time, waiting for the gynecologist to show up—assuming she arrived on time.

            “I can’t do this,” I murmured breathlessly as tears tracked down my skin.

            The sperm-donor of my children knew nothing about my pregnancy. After he threw me out on my ass, I was completely alone. I didn’t have any family or friends. The only thing I did have was a degree—thanks to Damon. At least that was one good thing that happened out of the relationship. But now that I was in this mess, my emotions were going haywire. How could I possibly tell him over the phone, while in delivery, that he was a father? Then again, being in this hospital room alone with the thought that something may be wrong, was terrifying.

            With trembling hands, I grabbed my phone from the table beside me and pulled up the message tab. Before I could talk myself out of it, my fingers danced over the screen.

            Me: Damon, it’s Bianca. I’m sorry to reach out like this. I know you want nothing to do with me, but this is important. I just went into labor, and I think something’s wrong. And before you ask, yes. You are the father.

            Placing the device back in my lap, my heart thudded against my ribcage dangerously. The last time we spoke, he threatened me and said he never wanted to see me again. To this day, I still wasn’t sure about what happened—why he suddenly hated me so much.

            My stomach dipped when a chime from my phone echoed throughout the room. Was it him? He hadn’t bothered replying to any of my other texts. Maybe it was my work, wondering how I was doing.

            Snatching up my phone, I click the notification bar. My eyes widened with disbelief as I scanned over the response.

            Damon: Let it die.

            Right on cue, a sharp pain splintered through my side, causing me to scream out in agony. My vision was blurred by the incessant tears that wouldn’t stop forming—both from pain and heartache.

            Damon Montreal wasn’t the man I thought he was. He was a coward.

            The door swung open, and my gynecologist stepped into the room with her assistant and nurse in tow. They’d been having me monitored since I arrived mere hours ago. Aside from standard room checks, I haven’t heard anything of importance.

            “Is everything okay?” I questioned, noting the hard look on Doctor Emmerson’s face.

            “I’m afraid not.” She moved over toward my bedside and adjusted the heart monitor placed against my stomach. The steady rhythm of a heartbeat bounced from wall to wall as we were forced to listen. “I’m only picking up two heartbeats and it’s been that way since you got here. I didn’t want to say anything in case it was just the monitor acting up, because it does that from time to time as well. But an hour ago, I had Marlene do an ultrasound, and it confirmed my fears.”

            I vaguely remembered the ultrasound. I’d been half asleep as the pain subsided enough during that small period of time.

            Shaking my head, my mind spun. “That’s good right? Two heartbeats.”

            Chewing on her lower lip, she clutched her clipboard to her chest. “It should be three. Your heartbeat, and both of the baby’s as well.”

            My chest tightened at the revelation. One of my babies was gone? Closing my eyes, my body shook as sobs wracked through me. I’d had names picked out, rooms made up, everything.

            This can’t be happening to me.

            Damon. He did this. He spoke it into existence and wished harm upon my baby. I hate him. More than anything in the fucking world.

                                    ***

            I had no choice but to go through with a natural delivery—as dangerous as it was. It was too late for an emergency c-section, and we needed to get the deceased baby out of me. After a lot of pain and pushing, a moment of reprieve washed over me. Well, physically anyways.

            As soon as they took my baby boy away to get him cleaned up, I fed him, and now he was asleep in the little bed they made up for him. My heart still hurt for the little girl I carried, and I feared that I’d always be stuck with this pain. Forced to endure it for eternity. Why couldn’t I catch a fucking break? Despite wanting to bawl my eyes out, sleep crept up on me and cradled me in its embrace.

            The next day, I awoke to Dion—my son crying. My entire body ached as I brought myself into a sitting position. My gaze drifted over to the wailing baby where he threw his arms up in agitation.

            Slowly, I kicked my legs over the side of the bed and rose. The blood immediately rushed from my head, making a beeline for my stomach where it churned with unease. I inched toward him until I’d finally reached his bed. He was so small, so full of life. My eyes burned from all the crying I did yesterday. As I stared down at my little bundle of joy, doubts started echoing around my mind. How could I take care of a baby when I could barely care for myself? My mental state was shit, and now I had to mourn the death of my daughter.

            I got to work, changing Dion’s diaper before taking him in my arms and moving back to the bed with him. He squirmed against me the entire way, but I loved how he felt in my arms, nonetheless. He was small; fragile. He looked just like his father.

            A stray tear slithered down my skin as memories resurfaced.

            “You know what I think?” Damon questioned, placing a kiss to my bare shoulder.

            I straddled his waist, looking down at him with complete admiration as his hands rested on my hips. “Hm?” A small smile graced my lips as he tugged the sheet from around my waste, exposing me to him.

            “I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said slowly. “I also think that you’re going to be an amazing doctor.”

            Butterflies erupted within my stomach. How did I get so lucky? What started out as a business transaction, quickly turned into something else, and I wasn’t complaining. Even if the way we met was a bit…unusual.

            That was the day Maria and Dion were conceived. That was also the same week Damon’s entire personality shifted. He went from being a loving, caring husband, to this…this monster.

            The three pregnancy tests I’d taken didn’t lie. At first, I was nervous. But after a few days mulling it over, I grew excited.

            A grin tugged at the corners of my mouth as I drifted to Damon’s study. Raising my hand to knock, a curse sounded from within the room followed by shouting. Furrowing my eyebrows, I paused my movements. What was going on in there? My smile faded as the door swung open and one of Damon’s friends paused upon seeing me. His gaze narrowed before he shook his head and walked away, leaving me even more confused.

            My gaze moved over to Damon who was kneeling over his desk, staring at something on his computer. His jaw was clenched, and I knew whatever he was seeing wasn’t good.

            Stepping into the room, I wrapped my arms around myself nervously. Damon didn’t get angry like this often, and now I was having doubts about telling him about the pregnancy.

            “Is everything okay?” I questioned in a small voice.

            His entire body tensed upon hearing me speak and he slammed his laptop closed before straightening and glaring at me. Why the hell was he looking at me like that? Did he find out about the pregnancy? Was he unhappy?

            “You,” he growled, storming over to me. On instinct, I shrunk away from him, my head reeling at the possibilities of what this could be about. Once he reached me, he backed me into the wall beside the door. “I gave you everything,” he snapped. “I gave you a home, the opportunity to go to college, a place to sleep, food, money, anything you could have wanted.”

            I shook beneath him; afraid he’d do something terrible in his moment of rage that he couldn’t take back.

            “I don’t know what this is about, “I murmured.

            He scoffed, never taking his eyes off me. “You’re a goddamn liar.” I shook my head, heart thrashing inside of me. “I want you out of my house. Out of my life. Take your things and go.”

            I stared at the man I loved in horror. “Please…what is this about?” I whispered.

          He threw some papers at me, I don't know what this is about so I tried to get closer to him. 

            “Those are the divorce papers. I want you completely out of my life and never show up before me again.” He announced like it meant nothing to him. 

        I blinked rapidly, taking a look at the papers in my hands. "But why? Why divorce all of a sudden? I don't understand what is going on. Please tell me-"

            “Leave!”

            I jumped, startled by the sudden shout. When he stepped back a fraction, I ducked my head and scurried from the room.

            I tried calling him after that. Nothing. He wouldn’t return my calls, texts, emails. He blocked me on social media. Yesterday was the first time I’d heard from him since he threw me out. Even now, despite the shitty things he said, I still wanted to know what happened. Why the sudden change? Blowing out a breath, I leaned back on the bed as I stared down at Dion. Damon made it clear last night that he wanted nothing to do with his child. Protecting my baby was the only thing I cared about.