Chapter 2

Vanessa's POV

"Oh, that's wonderful, Ms. Foster!"

After a brief moment of excitement, the person on the other end of the line hesitated, their voice taking on a note of concern.

"There's just one thing I want you to think carefully about before making your decision. Once you join our team, you'll be stationed in Altara for the rest of your life. You may rarely, if ever, get the chance to see your family again. What about Dr. Monroe?"

Before they could say anything else, I answered firmly, "I've made up my mind."

"Alright! We'll send a vehicle to pick you up in three days!" they replied.

That meant I had only three days left to terminate the pregnancy.

I went to the local clinic and took the medication. Then I returned home and began packing for my departure.

Christopher and I had been married for eight years, and every piece of furniture and every decoration in the house was something we'd picked out together.

He'd wanted to give all his monthly allowances to his widowed sister-in-law, Serena Caldwell. I hadn't objected and had worked myself to the bone, earning work points to support our household.

But now, as I stood looking at the home I'd poured so much of myself into building, I finally realized that everything we'd shared had been nothing more than an illusion.

Christopher walked through the door. When he saw me packing my things, he assumed I was throwing another tantrum and planning to run back to my mother's house.

"You pull this childish stunt every time we have a disagreement. If you don't want to terminate the pregnancy, then just say so. Look at Serena. Despite everything she's been through, she was the one begging me just now to make sure you didn't lose the baby.

"She's pregnant, too, and the last thing she needs is more stress. So stop making a scene with all this crying."

I suddenly let out a bitter, mocking laugh.

"I'm pregnant, too! Am I not allowed to be upset? Do you think these past few years have been easy for me?"

"That's enough!" His patience finally snapped. "Serena lost her husband and has no one to depend on. At least you still have me. You have it better than most people!"

I froze as tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

Ever since Christopher's older brother, Alexander Monroe, had died in the line of duty, Christopher had willingly stepped into his brother's role, acting as Serena's husband, catering to her every need, and never denying her anything.

But when I'd suffered a hemorrhage during my last miscarriage, he hadn't been there. When villagers had harassed me while I was working in the countryside, he hadn't been there either. And even on the day my father died of an illness, Christopher was nowhere to be found.

Yet whenever Serena so much as complained of a headache or a minor ailment, he'd drop everything, including me, and rush to her side without a second thought.

And after everything I'd endured, he still had the nerve to claim that I was the one who had it better than most people.

My eyes burned as I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.

"You're the director of a prestigious research institute, yet you're sleeping with your widowed sister-in-law. What happened to all that talk about propriety, decency, and moral conduct?"

Just then, Serena came rushing in, one hand resting protectively on her belly.

"Vanessa, how can you say something like that about me? I've always treated you like my own sister!"

Tears welled in her eyes before she broke down sobbing.

"You should direct all your anger at me instead. I was selfish. But I just wanted to give the Monroe family a son. If you don't like the fact that I'm having this baby, I'll get an abortion right away!"

With that, she covered her face as though overcome with shame and hurried out of the room.

Christopher clicked his tongue in irritation, shoved me aside, and rushed after her.

My abdomen slammed into the sharp corner of the table. A jolt of pain shot through me, and I gasped, instinctively grabbing his arm.

"Christopher, my stomach really hurts…"

He roughly shook off my hand.

"Stay home and think about what you've done! If anything happens to Serena's baby, I'll hold you responsible!"

Then he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

It wasn't until he was gone that I finally realized what was happening to me. Blood was streaming down my legs.

Dizzy and barely able to stand from the pain, I struggled toward the telephone and somehow managed to dial the local clinic.

"I'm bleeding so much. Please, someone, come help me…"

But instead of getting the response I'd desperately hoped for, I heard Christopher's impatient voice come roaring through the receiver.

"Just stay home and behave yourself! What danger could you possibly be in? From now on, I forbid you from using public resources to carry out your personal vendetta, and you're not allowed to make any more phone calls!"