Chapter 0002

ANGELINA

“Angelina needs to know that I'm pregnant for you.”Monalisa's words echoed in my head over and over again,as though it was some annoying music put on repeat.

I felt a sudden headache as the words were so heavy for my mind to process.My heart twisted inside my chest painfully as though someone was squeezing it into a tiny ball and it was becoming hard for me to breath…

I could feel tears burning in my eyes, fighting for release.As much as I wanted to run away and forget about what I had just heard,I remained standing at the same spot.I didn't have strength to move,not even an inch.

It felt as though time had frozen...

The door clicked open and I raised my head slowly from the scattered papers on the tiled floor,my heart thudding wildly against my ribcage.I looked at my husband and best friend who were now standing at the door.

I looked them straight in the eyes,as though searching for some answers which I couldn't find.

Why?

That was the only question that popped in my head.I couldn't believe they had the guts to show their faces to me after what I had just heard.

“What's wrong hun?Did you fall? Are you hurt?”Lucas asked with a worried voice, scanning my body with his eyes to see if there were any injuries.

How was he able to put on a straight face and pretend as though he hadn't done anything wrong?I couldn't help it but question myself.

I didn't say anything as my tongue was too heavy to utter even a single word.I didn't know which question to ask first because I had so many questions in my head.I just looked at him,as though I didn't recognise him any more.

I was still trying to come to terms with what I had just heard.

“Don't worry,I will take care of it.”He bent over and collected the scattered papers.When he was done,he straightened up and handed me the file.

“Here,”His voice was so gentle that I almost fell for it.I looked at the file,then raised my head to look at him and I didn't miss the frown on his handsome face.

“Is…something wrong?”He asked hesitantly when I didn't respond to him.

How dare he ask me such a question?My heart ached inside my chest and I clenched my hands into a tight fist.

I hated the fact that he pretended as if everything was okay.

I shifted my eyes from Lucas to Monalisa,She hadn't said a word or bothered to ask what was going on since she stepped out of my husband's office.She looked pissed off no matter how much she tried to act normal.Perhaps she was angry because I had ruined their sweet moment.

I couldn't believe she was the same Monalisa,my best friend who promised to always be there for me whenever I needed her.

Slowly,my eyes shifted from her face to her tummy and that's when I realised that her baby bump had begun to show.She was wearing a red bodycon dress which hugged her so tightly like a second skin.

“Is it true?”I asked with a trembling voice,my eyes still fixed on her tummy.

Even though I had heard what Monalisa said earlier,I wanted to hear it from my husband.Perhaps my ear was playing some tricks on me.As much as it hurt so bad,I wanted to hear him say it straight in my face.

I could feel my heart pounding against my ribcage and I was afraid that it would explode the next second.Deep down,I wished and hoped that it was not true.

Mother instincts kicked in and Monalisa wrapped her hands around her tummy so tightly and stepped back, hiding behind my husband as though he was her knight in shining armour.Swallowing the lump down my throat,I turned my gaze to Lucas who was quiet.

I held my breath, waiting for his response.He heaved a deep sigh then looked me straight in the eyes and nodded.

“Yes,”He said in a firm voice.My heart sunk deep in my stomach.The small hope that I had left flew through the window and the tears that I have been holding streamed down my cheeks.

“Why?”I choked out,”How could you do this to me Lucas?”I asked and more tears flowed down my cheeks.

“You need to calm down Angelina,”I slapped him so hard on the cheek.

“How am I supposed to calm down after what I just found out? How am I supposed to stay calm when you betrayed me,Lucas? How am I supposed to act cool knowing too well that you have impregnated my best friend?Tell me how...”I asked in between the sobs,feeling helpless and completely lost.

“And you,how could you do this to me?I trusted you Monalisa.I treated you like a family and always cared about you.Why would you go behind my back and sleep with my husband?What did I ever do to you to deserve all this?”

I asked, desperately demanding for some explanation why the people that I trusted the most had betrayed me.

Maybe if they explained to me the reason why,I would be able to understand and it wouldn't hurt this much.

Just maybe…

The betrayal hurt so bad!It felt as though I was locked inside a cage,the air was cut off and it was becoming hard for me to breathe.

I felt suffocated.

Monalisa looked at me and she seemed unbothered by the pain that I was going through.The caring look on her face was long gone and now it was replaced by something that I couldn't wrap my fingers around.

“How dare you sleep with my husband and get pregnant with him!”I shrieked, pointing my index finger at her in accusations.

“Angelina, please keep your voice low.We are at the company…”

Lucas tried to make me calm down but I didn't care.How dare him ask me to keep my voice low! If he knew all this would cause problems between the two of us,he wouldn't have done it.

It hurt so bad that I wished I could shout from the rooftop so that the whole world would feel my pain.

“I didn't do anything wrong,Angelina.It's not my fault you can't get pregnant for your husband.”She said with an innocent face.

Her words were like a thousand daggers that pierced my heart mercilessly.I couldn't believe that Monalisa was using my inability to bear my husband a child against me.

She made me feel like it was all my fault all this happened.She made me look like a villain in the story.

My heart ached inside my chest.Monalisa is my best friend,she knows damn well that I have been trying to get pregnant for my husband for the past four years.

“How dare you say that to me?”I jumped angrily towards her but Lucas stepped forward and blocked me from reaching Monalisa.He pushed me and I stumbled backwards…