A father he deserves

To repay the kindness of her adoptive parents, despite knowing that her sister's fiancé would never love her, she accepted that marriage. Living in foster care, being bullied by others and having no family made her think that she owed them for taking her in. She lived her entire life as the shadow of her adoptive sister, Spring Clinton. She left on her engagement day and never returned. To reserve the place of the wife of Travis so that other women couldn't marry him or take him away from the Clinton family, who thought of him as the door of their fortune, she was ordered to marry him.

Dawn thought she would have to act like a good wife and once her sister returned, she would get divorced without any problems.

However, from the time being, she accepted her role as a good wife who never complained, argues or demanded anything.

She knew her husband didn't love her. She knew she was the shadow of her sister who was always there, looking down on her.

But except for loving her, Travis was a good husband. From money to other responsibilities, he fulfilled. It was just- She never needed money or other things. She wanted her husband to return home, have a good afternoon with her and her son.

Travis used to call Asher every afternoon. Past few months, he stopped, excusing himself for having meetings and busy with work.

Asher was understandably upset but he was understanding that his father had his responsibility as the CEO. He never complained except for sometimes when his friends talked about how their father took them to the Disneyland.

He wanted to go to the Disneyland after his birthday party. She planned everything, she booked tickets for three, she booked hotels and a perfect plan for a trip to the Disneyland. Who knew, she would have to see her son's lifeless body and her unborn kid's blood flooding the floor.

" No! No My... My child." She trembles violently and tries to hug her belly. But it is too late. She has lost her another child.

Travis in the meantime, looks at her. His eyes widen with disbelief, his face draining of color as the realization sets in.

" Were you... pregnant?" His breath chokes on his breath.

Dawn’s sobs choke out of her, raw and broken, as she nods her head in silent acknowledgment. The world around her feels like it's collapsing, crushing her under the weight of the unbearable loss. Tears stream down her face, each one a testament to the agony gripping her heart. She watches, paralyzed, as the realization sets in — both of her children, gone. The room feels colder, darker, as a numbness begins to spread through her body, dulling the sharp edges of her pain. Her hands tremble, reaching out as if trying to hold onto something that’s slipping away, but there’s nothing there, just the void of losing them, leaving her alone in the utter darkness.

Dawn’s empty gaze slowly shifts to Travis as his words cut through the air like a knife. “Whose child is it? Is this why you killed Asher? Our son?”

His tone is serious and cold.

For a moment, Dawn is frozen, her mind struggling to comprehend the accusation. Then it hits her, like a slap across the face, and she gasps, a sharp intake of breath that pierces the suffocating silence. Disbelief flashes across her features, mingling with the shock already etched there. Her lips part, but no words come out; it feels like the wind has been knocked out of her.

Did her husband just accuse her of adultery? The question echoes in her mind, drowning out everything else. Her heart pounds, each beating a painful reminder of the betrayal. All those nights alone in this cold, empty house with Asher while Travis was out, undoubtedly with his mistress, and now he dared to accuse her?

" It's possible!" Spring chirps in, " You have already done vasectomy. There is no way you can get her pregnant, Travis!" She smirks, finding the best way to get rid of her.

Travis's eyes flash dangerously. The veins bulge under his skin with fury and despise. He embraces Asher, looking at her, " Who is this? Who was that bastard?" He screams.

But at that moment, Dawn remains silent. Each of their words, accusations and blindness with hatred killed her. Even now, losing her last chance of having a child she finds herself has no meanings of her life.

Her eyes are only watching those flashbacks where Asher cried to meet his father, wanted to play with him. There were thousands times he begged to see his father, but she failed.

She grips her stomach, and stares at her Asher's lifeless body. She smiles bitterly, their accusations and hatred don't reach her anymore. As if Asher is waving her from far away, calling her to meet him.

He looks happy, playing with his piano, drawing the family picture. She smiles at Asher, feeling a deep of solace. She doesn't have any regrets anymore. She will do anything for her son. She will do anything to protect him, even Divorcing her husband.

" She is smiling. Travis! She has lost her mind. She will definitely try to hurt us. Please... Chain her and throw her out. Don't worry about anything. We will call the doctor. We will have our own child. It's fine. Okay? Kick her out. She doesn't deserve you or Asher."

Spring tries her best to make Travis look at her, an attempt to make him think, he can replace Asher with another kid. Assuring another kid will make him happy. However, Travis looks at Dawn who is staring at Asher mindlessly.

" Call for ambulance and take Dawn and Nancy to the hospital! Later I will decide what I will do with her!"

As the guards seize Dawn to take her away, Travis turns his back on her, his hands trembling with the force of his rage. His mind swirls with thoughts of hatred, so consuming that he fears he might kill her himself if she remains in his sight any longer. He carefully lays their son on the couch, touching his son's face. It's cold, pale and peaceful. As if he is sleeping soundly.

Suddenly, a gasp erupts from the guards, followed by a sharp intake of breath from Dawn. Travis whips around, eyes narrowing.

The sight that greets him makes his blood run cold. Spring, her eyes alight with a sinister cruelty, has driven a fruit knife deep into Dawn's heart.

Travis's eyes widen in shock, his breath catching in his throat. Dawn coughs up blood, her expression a mixture of pain and betrayal, but also something else—something darker, almost triumphant.

"Spring! What did you just do?" Travis roars, his voice laced with disbelief as he rushes toward them.

Spring, still holding the piece of vase, looks down at her bloodstained hands, a look of horror washing over her face. It’s as if she’s just woken up from a nightmare, only to find it wasn’t a dream at all. The knife, now replaced with a shard of Vase, glistens in the dim light.

“I… I didn’t… I didn’t do anything!” Spring stammers, her body shaking violently. She stares at her bloodied hands, tears welling up in her eyes. The guards step back, unsure of what to do as chaos breaks out around them.

Dawn’s lips curl into a smirk, despite the blood flowing from her mouth. With a trembling hand, she grasps Spring’s wrist, pulling her closer. Her voice is a raspy whisper, each word laced with venom.

“Killing you won’t bring my son back. But killing me in front of everyone will make you a murderer, even if my husband tries to protect you.”

Spring’s eyes widen in horror. “You—!” she starts, but Dawn cuts her off.

“I’ll wait for you,” Dawn says, her voice growing weaker. “Even if it’s in hell or anywhere, I will haunt you. I’ll make you pay for killing my son!” Her grip loosens, and she falls to the floor, a dark crimson pool spreading beneath her.

Her vision blurs, the pain intensifying as blood continues to seep from the miscarriage and the stab wound. She manages to lift her head slightly, her fading eyes finding Travis, who stands rooted to the spot, his face pale and stricken with shock. His eyes are wide, his expression one of disbelief and silent horror.

Dawn’s voice is barely a whisper, ragged and hoarse. “My Asher cried all night when you didn’t answer his calls, Travis. You… you don’t deserve to be a father,” she breathes, every word an effort. “My Asher deserved a father who wouldn’t make him cry.”

As life drains from her, Dawn’s eyes flutter shut, her body finally succumbing to the numbness that spreads like a cold wave over her limbs. The room seems to close in, the sounds of chaos muffled as darkness overtakes her, pulling her into its merciful embrace.