Chapter Five

Ophelia's POV.

The house was quiet when I walked in, my heels clicking against the marble floor.

I climbed the stairs slowly, heart heavy with what I had discovered back at the hospital.

The bedroom door was slightly opened, making me blink for a second.

I remembered clearly. I had slammed it close when I left.

I expected no one to be in the room, not even the entire house, but my heart skipped when laughter roared from the bedroom, loud and piercing through my ears.

“Relax” I heard my husband's voice rise amidst the laughter. “She can’t come back”

"You matter to me more than she does. She stopped being my wife a long time ago”

“That's harsh, sweetie” A familiar voice laughed and my breath quickened. “Poor Ophelia would feel hurt”

I dragged my legs to move, pushing the door open. My bag slipped from my hand, falling to the floor with a soft thud they didn't even notice.

I was left paralyzed for a moment, and my lips trembled, but no words came.

Erick laid on the bed shirtless, tangled in the sheets with a woman. That woman was my sister…… my blood sister, Reina. She laid on top of him, brushing a strand of hair away from his face.

The way he looked at her crushed me more than the scene in front of me.

Erick's eyes were filled with the tenderness he hadn't shown me in months.

“What is going on here?” I whispered.

They both snapped their faces to me, shocked and terrified.

Erick stood up from the bed, moving towards me with his flustered face.

“You are supposed to be with Nyla,” he stuttered. “I mean…. You said you'd be away today”

“And that's why you are in bed with my sister?” I glanced back at Reina in disbelief.

Reina’s eyes were cold, unashamed. She wrapped the duvet around her body, stepping down from the bed too.

“Finally you caught on,” Reina rolled her eyes at me.

I shook my head in disbelief, tears blurring my vision as I stared at my younger sister.

“Reina, you?” I asked. “After everything I did for you?”

“I didn't ask you to sacrifice your life for me,” Reina snapped.“You think taking care of me makes you a saint?”

My knees buckled and I stumbled backwards.

I would never believe my sister would say this if anyone ever told me. I dropped out of school for her, did everything just to make sure she grew up well without lacking a thing.

I became her mother ever since our parents died, I became her father, and became the brother she doesn't have.

But…. She's in bed with Erick and spitting this to my face?

“Reina, you are ungrateful” My voice trembled. “You are not human!”

I stepped closer to her out of rage but Erick stepped in, shielding her from me.

“Don't be stupid, Ophelia” He glared. “This is no drama”

I curled my fist in anger, sobbing quietly as I turned to look at Erick.

“How long?” I asked breathlessly. “How long has this been going on?”

Erick looked away, unbothered by the tears on my face.

“Two and a half years”

For a moment, I thought I heard him wrong. “What?” I laughed.

My laughter faded immediately and it felt like a knife had just been twisted into my heart.

“Tell me that's a joke” I croaked.

“Ophelia….” Erick called firmly. He tried to step closer but I backed away from him, suddenly avoiding him like a plague.

“Tell me that's a fucking joke!” I snapped.

“It's not” He straightened his back. “I’ve been together with Rei for two and a half years”

Reina stepped out from Erick's back, clutching his arms with a smile. “You don't deserve someone like Erick”

My stomach twisted at her words. She slept with my husband for years, and was still proud of it.

My jaws clenched so hard I thought they would break, I moved towards Reina, wanting to make her pay for what she had done when Erick's voice stopped me.

“She's pregnant.” He said, looking at me with irritation. “If you hurt her or my child….. I'll never let you get out of this”

I blinked and stepped backwards. Pregnant?

“Reina gave me what this marriage couldn't.” Erick continued. “She’s three months pregnant”

My eyes moved to Reina's stomach, my face cladded with shock, pain threatening to rip my chest apart.

But then the doctor's words came rushing back to me. ‘He can't produce a baby’

“That’s why he chose me over you” Reina's face turned in disgust. “You should be ashamed of yourself,”

Their words weren't supposed to hurt me because inside me, I carried a child.

Mine.

But the words stings.

However, a moment later, I laughed bitterly. The both of them stared in surprise, their brows furrowed.

“It's funny,” I said bitterly. “How she can be pregnant for you when the doctor just told me you can't father a child!”

Reina's face widened, turning to Erick in shock but my husband laughed.

“Where did you hear that nonsense?” He spat. “Who can't father a child?”

He scoffed. “You are just jealous, Ophelia. You freak!”

My nails dug into my palm as anger surged through me. Tears threatened to fall, but I couldn't let it. I couldn't let them think they'd win.

I sniffled and straightened my back, crossing my arms with a raised brow.

“Okay.” I muttered. “If my sister is pregnant for you, then…..”

“Congratulations” I forced a smile to my lips. “You finally got the family you wanted”

“I'm pregnant too” I announced.

“What?” Erick laughed. “Whose child?”

“Diego Willow's” I said calmly. “Your father”

For the first time since I walked into the room, neither of them spoke a word.

The smile on Reina's face vanished, while Erick's face drained of color.

“What did you just say?”