Chapter Two.

RUDE.

Emma's POV.

The air around me turned suffocating as I suddenly found it difficult to breathe, my stomach churning.

'No.' I thought. I must have misheard, it had to be that, because how could I not be the biological mother of Gina?

A child I carried for 9 months and had complications with, during labour. Derek had to be mistaken or be lying to the doctor.

He must have known I was around or hoped for me to eavesdrop on this conversation so I would be hurt, since he would do anything these days to see me in pain.

Mr. Frank's eyes flashed with confusion and he looked like he wanted to say more but instead, he just nodded.

"Alright sir. I have to go now, to attend to other patients." He told Derek who waved him away with his hand.

As I noticed Derek was about to turn, I immediately hid in a corner, till he walked past, despite the determination in my heart to confront and demand why he would say something like that to a stranger, who could have misunderstood.

I felt my palms growing sweaty as I lost the courage to speak up, a huge lump forming in my throat as my heart raced.

Was it from panic? I mean, what if my husband didn't lie?

What if Gina truly did not belong to me? The doctor did inform me about our mismatched blood group.

That shouldn't be possible right?

Before giving birth, I had always thought my daughter would look so much like me but instead, she ended up taking all features from her father.

I was disappointed but at least happy that I had a daughter.

I walked towards her ward to see her sleeping so peacefully, unaware that things might spiral out of control soon.

I decided to push those negative thoughts out of my head and walked towards her bed. I sat on the chair next to her and held her hand gently.

Her little hand felt cold.

"Don't worry, Gina. I am here." I whispered, feeling my eyelids heavy and before I knew it, I fell asleep.

Basically, I was too tired from all the work errands I had been running, before I was suddenly called to be informed that my daughter had an accident.

I dropped everything at work without thinking twice and dashed here.

.....

.....

"Mum, mum, wake up." I felt a rough tap on my arm and flicked my eyelids open to see Gina, my seven years old daughter, frowning down at me.

"You are awake." My heart soared with joy as I immediately reached forward to cup her cheeks but she flinched away from my touch, wrinkling her nose at me.

"When last did you take a bath? You stink." Gina half-yelled at me as she pushed my hands away from her.

A sharp pain hit me in the chest as I felt my hands trembling.

Did Gina just push me away?

Well I shouldn't be surprised since she does that most of the times, recently.

"Mum is sorry. I really had a busy day and despite that, I have been here, worried and trying to look after you, s...." I had barely completed my statement when she cut in rudely.

"So now, it's my fault for your incompetence? Now I see why Dad yells at you all the time. You act dirty, mum." Gina hissed as she looked around.

I went mute, dropping my hands to my side. I had no idea what to say since my daughter didn't seem to care much, that I was around.

"Besides where is Dad and Aunt Vera?" Gina asked and I froze.

"Didn't they hear about my accident? I want them here, especially Aunt Vera. She doesn't stink like you, mum." Gina continued and it felt like a blade sliced through me at her words.

My daughter preferred my husband's ex and best friend over her own mother?

"Y-your dad w-was here e-earlier." I struggled to say as I tried to contain the hurt in my heart.

"That I can see. Aunt Vera is the best." She suddenly giggled and I raised my head to see her holding up a big, giant teddy bear from the desk beside her.

"This is so lovely. I love you, Aunt Vera." Gina suddenly cried out as she kept hugging the teddy bear to her chest, like it was her greatest treasure.

I winced.

When last did she tell me she loved me?

"But I brought you a teddy bear too. The one you pointed to at the mall last week." I told her as I hurriedly opened my tote bag and brought out the Barbie bear I picked up at a store nearby, a few hours ago.

"Yuck! No. It looks cheap, mum." Gina slapped the bear away from my hand, hard as she glared at me.

My jaw dropped at her actions. I worked my butts off, day and nights, even taking extra shifts at the restaurant to be able to afford that.

I mean it cost over 300 dollars, something I didn't have at the moment because I recently payed her school fees.

"Dad told me never to use cheap stuffs again and made me to understand that you can never grant me the luxuries I deserve because you are poor, mum." Gina told me and I chuckled, bitterly.

How funny and bold of him to call me poor. Wasn't I poor when he took money from me since the beginning of her relationship?

Wasn't I poor when he made me invest my personal wealth in his business, after our marriage?

The business skyrocked and ever since then, he forgot he had a wife who was pregnant and began to parade around with his ex-lover, claiming she was now his bestfriend and backbone all because she got a few people to invest in his business.

What about the times I stayed awake over-night, despite my pregnant situation, just to work on his portfolio and important documents so those investors would actually give him a chance?

He forgot all of that and now saw me as poor and disgusting?

I shook my head sideways as heavy tears began to sting my eyes.

No. I refuse to shed another tear because of him today. First, I had more important things to do, like prove him and the doctor wrong about Gina, not being my daughter.

I should be relieved though, considering how disrespectful and insulting she had become towards me, who tried to give her the best in life.

But I knew it was a childhood phase and mainly because she had been spending time with her father and Vera lately. Also, he might have been poisoning her mind against me.

I wonder what he stood to gain from all of these? I mean, I thought we made this child out of love and vowed to never drift apart.

How did things suddenly change one day?

What did I ever do wrong to deserve all of these?

"Enough talking, Gina. You need to eat and rest more." I scolded my daughter who wouldn't stop bragging about how nice Vera was.

I wanted to burst into laughter because Vera was the opposite of nice. She acted that way because that's what people would love to see.

An innocent, kind-hearted girl, due to her gentle features but I, personally knew she was one of the worst humans on earth.

Before I knew that she was dating or knew Derek, she and I went to school together during highschool.

I was unfortunately one of her victims, who thought she was an angel till she showed her true colors and backstabbed me but that was a story for another day.

Besides a kid like Gina wouldn't understand, now, would she?

"Mum. There is going to be a PTA meeting in my school this Friday and I want Daddy to be there." Gina ordered as she pouted at me.

I sighed.

Derek was too busy for that all of these days. If I should call and inform him now, I would only be bathed with insults and I didn't want that.

But Gina's adorable face couldn't make me say no so I nodded with a smile.

"No problem. Both Daddy and I would be there."

"Nope. I want Daddy and Aunt Vera. You look too old mum, especially with those acnes on your face. My friends at school would laugh at me if you come, especially since I lied that my mum is a professional model. I even showed them Aunt Vera's picture as my mum and they all said we look greatly alike." Gina cheerfully said while my heart stopped, my blood turning cold.

Looked alike?

Now that I thought about it. They do look alike and had almost the same behavior.

Could it be that....?

No, no, no. I was probably overthinking, but staring at Gina, made me realize so much so I turned around and dashed out of the ward, running to God knows where.

Just then, I bumped into someone.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry. I wasn't look...."

"Emma? Is that really you?" I heard a familiar voice and froze. "Gosh! Where have you been?"

I looked up to see it was Nurse Olivia I had bumped to, the lady that helped with my delivery the night, Gina was born.

Was this a coincidence or fate?