4

STELLA POV 

I found myself in a hospital bed when I

woke up. 

I don't know when I passed out after Grandmother struck me. She must have been really angry to have hit me that hard.

‘Does she despise me this much?’

Grandmother was the matriarch of the family, and everyone wanted to be on her good side, including me. I've tried for years to gain her approval, but for some reason, she never seemed to like me. But when my sister came back, they fawned over her, including grandmother.

‘What makes people like my sister more than me? What draws them to her and makes them hate me instead? Why does everyone prefer her over me?’

“So you’re finally awake.”

I heard my husband’s voice and immediately looked in his direction. He stood by the door.

‘Was he the one who brought me to the hospital?’ I wondered. ‘Did he turn back and bring me here instead of my sister?’

He walked over to me, “Seriously, Stella? What are you doing here?” he asked.

‘What was I doing here?’

I scoffed. So he wasn’t the one who brought me here. He must have been too busy with Estelle to even consider that I needed to be taken to the hospital after being struck like that.

“I fainted, so I’m not sure who brought me here,” I replied. But If he did not bring me here, then who did?

I massaged my temples and turned away. I was not ready for any confrontation with him.

“Why did you faint after you almost tried to poison your sister?” he asked. “What was so stressful that it landed you in the hospital?”

I turned to look at him, anger and confusion rising inside me.

“I’m sure you’re just doing all this for attention, using illness to gain Grandma’s sympathy. What kind of person does that?” he accused, pointing his finger at me. “This is immature, and I’m disgusted.”

How could he think something like that of me? How could he accuse me like this?

“I did no such thing,” I said. “If you hadn’t noticed, your grandmother struck me with her cane, and I hit my head. I know you saw me bleeding! I passed out and didn’t even know how I got here. Obviously, someone thought it was necessary enough for me to be treated at the hospital. That is why I’m here.” My hands shook with anger as I spoke.

‘Not to mention I was pregnant. If I wasn't taken to the hospital, I might have lost our baby.’ I added, internally. I wasn’t sure this was the right moment to tell Devon I was pregnant.

Everything felt exhausting and infuriating, and I didn’t know what to make of it. He used to listen to what I say and considers my words unlike others but now he's like the rest. it's like I'm talking to a wall.

‘What is going to happen to our marriage now? Would he leave me because of her?’

One thing was obvious: I wasn't the most important person in his heart.

Would telling him about the baby change his mind? Would he finally worry about me and take care of me instead of my sister?

“Well, well, well, the drama queen finally wakes up.” Grandmother strode into the room with the cane that sent me here. “I didn’t know I was so powerful that I could send you straight to the hospital with a light touch,” she said sarcastically. “Or is my stick magical now?”

“Do not think this theatrics will absolve you of your attempted murder. Downstairs, the police are waiting for you. Your head has been bandaged so you'll soon be discharged. You’ll be taken to jail afterwards.”

“You can’t do this to me,” I yelled. “I didn’t try to kill my sister. It was an honest mistake, and she’s fine. Devon brought her to the hospital himself!” I tried to defend myself.

“So you’re using me to absolve all your crimes?” Devon interjected. 

“That’s not what I’m doing,” I spat.

“Not once did you ask about her when I got here; so how do you know Estelle is fine, huh?" 

‘Why does always get whatever I say twisted? Why does nobody hear me? Why?’

A woman in a white coat walked into the room. “Please, everyone, keep it down and stop stressing her.” 

Everyone turned to her. “My name is Savannah, and I'm the patient's doctor,” she introduced herself.

Savannah! She was my friend from college. We haven't spoken to each other for a long time due to the fact I had cut contact with everyone I knew while pretending to be Estelle.

Right now, she does not know I’m her friend Stella and not Estelle.

“She is pregnant,” Savannah announced. “The mother of the child needs to rest.”

Oh no.

I didn't tell her to keep it a secret until I announced it myself.

But why should I keep it a secret? They should know the harm they were causing me if they kept this up.

“What? She’s pregnant?” Grandmother exclaimed.

Devon turned to me, his eyes wide.

“Yes, she is pregnant,” Savannah answered for me. “Now please keep it down and don’t stress her out.”

“I’ll leave you all now,” she said before walking out of the room.

“Stella, why did you tell me?" Devon asked, leaning towards me. 

“I was going to on our anniversary but you know how that turned out." I folded my arms and looked away. 

“Still!" 

“So you actually did it, Stella,” Estelle's voice said from the door. She stood there, looking heartbroken. “You actually did it. You baby trapped Devon while I was away. How could you?”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, she walked slowly into the room but collapsed shortly after.

Devon immediately rushed to her before she could hit her knees on the ground.

“What are you talking about?” Devon asked angrily.

“Before I left, I told you Stella and I talked. You know about that conversation, right?” she said loudly, enough for everyone to hear.

“No, we never talked before she left." I immediately corrected them.

“Shut up, Stella,” Devon yelled.

I was startled and kept my mouth shut.

“I’m sorry, Devon,” Estelle continued, “but Stella told me she would baby trap you.”

“I’m sorry, Devon, that I didn’t tell you everything, Stella said she would baby trap you before I could escape and return to your arms and it seems she has kept her words. Now there’s no hope for both of us. She’s going to use that baby to control you. But it’s okay, Devon. I don’t blame you for having needs. That is not your fault but why did she use it against you?” She cried helplessly.

“That’s not true,” I said. “Devon, we never had that conversation. She’s lying. And what does she mean by escape? It sounds like I kidnapped her or something.”

Devon turned to me. I could see rage and fear in his eyes.

“This is the reason why I said she should go to jail,” Grandmother interjected. “You’ve now heard it from Estelle, her twin sister! This confirms that Stella is a manipulating wench, and she needs to face the consequences of her actions.”

I saw Devon visibly shaking as he held Estelle, throwing daggers at me with his eyes.

My body froze, goosebumps filled my arms and I couldn't suddenly hear the noisy beeping of the monitor in the room.

‘What can I say? What should I do to defend myself?’

“Devon, it’s not true,” I said weakly but it seemed no one heard me, or no one wanted to hear.

“I’m calling the police right now to drag her out,” Grandmother said.

“No, Grandmother, I beg you. I didn’t do anything,” I cried.

‘Should I tell them about my disability? But wouldn’t it sound like I was only making excuses now?’

“No, Grandmother,” Devon suddenly spat. I could feel the venom in his voice. “She’s not going to jail but to a psychiatric hospital to treat her mental illness. And someone this mentally ill cannot have children. It will worsen her health.”

“I will have the doctor ABORT the baby.”