Chapter 4

Cara’s POV

“Henry, what are you doing?” I asked, staring blankly at him. I was beginning to realize slowly right then, the depths of hatred my husband had for me.

“What part of she's pregnant do you not understand?” Henry’s harsh words took me aback. I was still standing in the middle of the room, shock and pure anger climbing into me with every passing minute.

“You're going to take her own side over your wife?” I asked, staring at him—at his empty and brown eyes. I knew, almost immediately in that moment, that whatever Henry felt for me before was long gone.

“Do not bite more than you can chew, wife,” Henry continued, the last word exiting his mouth with sheer contempt. “Ever since she told me about the pregnancy, she's become more important than you. At least she can carry a baby and not lounge around the house like a useless piece of garbage.”

I felt my throat close up at Henry’s harsh and pointy words.

“At least garbage is useful sometimes for composting. You’re more useless than garbage, Cara.” He pushed even further.

I swallowed. I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to know that we didn’t have to wait any longer. I wanted to tell him that I was pregnant and then watch him fall at my feet. But for some reason, I didn’t. The shock was unable to let me find the words to tell him.

“Why are you doing this to me? Why Patricia of all people?” I asked, begrudgingly pointing at a naked Patricia, still sitting on the edge of the bed, giving me the nastiest look I had ever seen.

“Why not Patricia?” He continued. “She knew just how much I was suffering by putting up with you. Unlike you, she can actually give me what I want. And it did not have to take two freaking years!”

“Henry—”

“And unlike you, Patricia isn't boring in bed. She actually does the things I want. The things you could never do. So yeah. I went for her.”

I stood still, staring at him. He was the one I caught cheating. I walked in on him and my best friend in our bedroom. But for some reason, I was the one getting blamed. I looked at my husband, or whoever it was standing before me in disbelief. This was not happening.

This was so not happening.

“Henry, baby—” Patricia started.

“Shut the hell up! He’s not your baby,” I said, turning back to Patricia. For some reason, all of this continued to feel like a dream, even though I was feeling every presence.

I watched a slow smile creep onto Patricia’s face as she made her way out of the bed and towards me.

“Oh, but he is,” she said, dropping her feet on the floor and standing up to me. “I was trying to hide this from you before, you know, so you don’t get your feelings hurt too much. But, well, cat’s out of the bag, Cara. I’ve been sleeping with your husband.”

I felt my feet weaken. Patricia was standing right in front of me, basically telling me to go screw myself. The rage in me started to grow again, and something told me this time, I might not be able to contain it.

“I’m also giving him a baby,” she continued. “Something you’ve been unable to do for two years now. You see, unlike you, Henry loves me dearly. Our love is true love. And your time here is very limited.”

That was it.

It was almost involuntary what happened next. I raised my hand and ran my palm hard across Patricia’s face. She stumbled and fell into the bed, a loud scream escaping her mouth as she put her palm around her cheek.

“What?!” Henry screamed and got out of the bed, moving closer to me. “You crazy bitch.”

Before I was able to register what was happening, Henry slapped me as well, the force of his rugged palm connecting hard with my face. I felt a sharp pain hit my face and I moved back, my ears stinging.

“I told you not to touch her, didn’t I?” He screamed at me. I covered my red face with my palm, and in that moment, I saw it in his eyes—the pure, unadulterated hate. “Try anything foolish again and you’ll be out of this house faster than anything.”

Whoever this was, standing before me right then was not my husband. The love of my life was long—long gone.

“Hey, Patricia, baby. Are you okay?” Henry asked, hurrying towards a crying Patricia. I continued to watch in utter disbelief as he helped her up to her feet. “Come on, let’s get you to the hospital.”

I watched them both make their way towards the door, only in their underwear, and right as Henry grabbed the doorknob, he turned to me.

“Just because your best friend was able to do something you couldn’t, doesn’t give you the right to become a vengeful bitch.”

I was unable to control the tears in my eyes anymore. They flowed freely down my face as I stared at my husband exit the room with my best friend, leaving me alone to my misery.

I remained frozen to the ground, the disbelief still hounding me and the tears in my eyes growing more unstoppable. I couldn’t believe this. I couldn’t believe this was really happening. Was this it? Was this how my marriage of two years crumbled to the ground?

A buzz in my jean pocket interrupted my spiral and I reached for my phone. Amidst teary eyes, I was able to look at the name calling on my screen. It was Doctor Mary again. I picked up the call and put the phone to my ear.

“Doc?” I started, trying so hard not to make my voice falter.

“Oh, thank God. I’ve been trying to reach you.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I just—I just got home.”

“You need to come back to the hospital now, Cara. There’s been a mistake.” She said to me, her frantic voice laced by the phone’s static.

A frown covered my face, giving me an instant headache and my heart froze in place. “What?”

“The insemination.” Doctor Mary continued, the utter urgency in her voice filling me with fear. “There was a mix-up with the insemination. You need to get here now.”

I remained frozen in place, my phone still against my ear, several thoughts running through my head at the same time.

What kind of mix-up?