Chapter 5

Everyone turned to Elora when her phone hit the ground. She was staring at Cedric with a mixture of surprise and hatred.

His pregnant woman? Her eyes traveled to Alexandra’s stomach and the air around her thinned. She gasped for air and clutched her chest. How could Cedric do this to her? Sacrifice their only child because of Alexandra?

“What’s the matter?” Margarita hurried up to Elora and tugged at her arm.

“Why do you look like you saw a ghost?”

Alexandra winced and rubbed her stomach and Cedric immediately turned to her, his brows knitted in concern.

“Are you alright? Do you want to sit down?”

“I think I need a foot massage.” She said in a soft voice while glancing at Elora.

She shook my head and walked away to the balcony. She needed to catch my breath or she was going to do something crazy. Margarita followed her daughter, concern etched on her forehead.

“Elora, what's the problem?”

“Cedric doesn't know our daughter is dead.” She exhaled and the first set of tears ran down her cheeks.

“What do you mean? You didn't tell him?”

“He was supposed to be present, mum. And now a former colleague just called…”

Elora bit her lips while trying to hold the tears back. Margarita was even more confused, her patience running thin. She had never liked Cedric and had been sure to let her daughter know.

“What did the colleague say?” she questioned.

Elora inhaled and wiped her cheeks with the back of her palms.

“The funding for my research was cut off by Cedric.”

Margarita's eyes widened with shock. She instinctively reached for her daughter's hand. She could feel her simmering with rage and hurt.

Margarita turned around to see Cedric doting on Alexandra. “Why would he do that?”

“For her.” Elora replied in a whisper. “He killed my child for her.”

I noticed some cars pull up in the driveway and friends of ours trooped out.

“You just have to hold it together for your anniversary.” Margarita wiped her tears.

Elora looked at her mother like she was crazy.

“I know.” Margarita squeezed her shoulders. “But you don't want to cause a scene.”

“You don't even care about him or any of our snobbish friends.”

She shrugged. “But you do. You care about them a lot.”

Elora inhaled and straightened her back. She was going to go through this with a straight face. Once she had the chance, she was going to dare Cedric to lie to her face.

She returned to the room and smiled at her guests. She was a perfect hostess. She had to be. She kept her distance away from Cedric. The way Alex clung to him made her sick in the stomach but she held her calm.

“Where’s our little princess?” One of their friends asked and Alex rolled her eyes. Elora had to clench her fists to prevent tearing her apart.

Cedric looked at Elora as if expecting their daughter to suddenly appear beside her. Elora looked away and grabbed her glass tighter.

“She’s gone.” She said in a quiet voice.

“What do you mean gone?” Someone asked and suddenly a song started from the speakers.

“Ouuu.” Alex squealed as she grabbed Cedric’s hand. “This is our song.”

They migrated to the middle of the room and others instantly joined in. Elora dropped her glass on the kitchen island, her jaw tight with rage.

Elora staggered to the other wing of the house. The off white walls seemed to be pressing on her. She walked into a bathroom and pressed her back against the wall. Minutes later, the bathroom door creaked open and Naomi walked in. Elora straightened up and grabbed a tissue. She stood by the door with her hands crossed.

Elora inhaled. “How can I help you?”

She scoffed. “You can't.”

Elora looked down on her stomach. “How’s the baby doing?”

“Healthy.” She said, her lips curling into a wicked smile.

Elora nodded stiffly.

“He doesn't love you.” She said without looking at her. “He doesn't love anyone but himself and to make it worse, there's nothing to love about you. You're just a piece of warm thighs.”

“One more word from you and I would make sure you eat your words.”

“I dare you to.” Elora edged closer to her. All her life, she had never engaged in a fight but this moment she was too blinded by anger to think. She hated Alex with every fiber of my being and if she could make her pay for the death of her child right here, she would.

Alex walked forward, her eyes sizing Elora up and daring her to do anything.

“Disgusting piece of shit.” Elora said and attempted to walk past but Alex grabbed her arm and slapped her.

Elora held her cheek in surprise and pushed her so hard, she hit the ground with a thud. A sharp scream tore from her throat. She clutched her stomach and kept on screaming.

Someone pushed the door open and Cedric was standing there. His eyes traveled from a crying Alex to Elora who stood there wide eyed.

“What did you do?” He asked as he went on his knees beside her.

Elora simply stared at them. There was no need to explain herself to him. He was obviously going to take her side.

She tried to walk out and Cedric held her. “You have to apologise to her.”

“I would never.” Elora said through clenched teeth.

“Where is this coming from? Is it because I haven't been home in a while? I told you I've been busy with work.”

“So busy you couldn't see your daughter before she left?”

“I’m here now. Where is she?”

“She’s dead.” Elora screamed at him. The room seemed to freeze over. Even Alex had shock slapped across her face.

Cedric blinked and grabbed the sink for some sort of support. Alex quickly picked herself off the floor.

“What do you mean dead?”

“She died, Cedric. And you killed her. Both of you.”