CHAPTER 0006

CHAPTER 6

Stella

My heart was pounding like never before.

I still couldn't believe Scario had actually said he wanted a divorce. There was a time when I desperately wanted that freedom, when nothing between us seemed capable of working. But fate always seemed to have other plans.

I couldn't look weak in front of Ella, so I quickly forced a smile and told Scario that I was going home.

“Wait a minute," I heard his mother say from behind me just as I grabbed my handbag.

“You can't leave without having dinner with us. Your sister has just returned, and this is a big day for our family," she said with a smile.

I knew that woman loved seeing me hurt, so I wasn't going to give her that satisfaction.

I thanked her for the offer and turned to leave. Behind me, I could hear Ella begging Scario not to let me leave, but I didn't have the energy for any of it.

As I approached the garage, it became obvious that the drivers had been instructed not to take me anywhere. Without saying a word, I headed toward the main gate instead.

I asked security to open it and walked out.

I tried calling Audrey, but the call wouldn't go through, so I ordered a ride back to the penthouse.

The moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by silence.

The image of Scario hugging my sister kept replaying in my mind. I could still hear their laughter.

The second he saw Ella, he remembered who he truly wanted. And I became nobody again. The betrayal and emotional torture were unbearable.

I fought back tears, but the pain buried deep inside me refused to stay hidden.

I grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. I didn't deserve this. I hadn't done anything wrong except fall in love with a man whose life I once saved.

I was about to scream again when a sudden wave of nausea hit me. I rushed to the sink and threw up. My body felt weak.

I couldn't even bring myself to call Scario.

I made my way back to the couch and was about to fall asleep when my phone rang.

It was Audrey.

“Hey, is everything okay?" she asked from the other end.

“Please come get me," I replied weakly.

“Stella, what's going on? And where are you?" Panic filled her voice.

“I'm at the penthouse. Just... just come, please," I whispered before my vision blurred completely.

HOURS LATER

I slowly opened my eyes and looked around in confusion.

I tried sitting up, but Audrey immediately stopped me.

“Stay down for a second," she said gently.

“What's going on?" I asked.

“Nothing. How are you feeling?" Audrey smiled nervously.

“I feel exhausted. Why am I here?"

Before she could answer, a man in a white coat stepped into the room.

“Mrs. Ford, thank goodness you're awake. How are you feeling?" he asked.

“I'm fine. What am I doing here?" I looked at him.

“Your body reacted badly to an extreme level of stress. Thankfully, you were brought in on time. The baby is fine."

I stared at him.

Baby?

“What baby?" I whispered.

The doctor smiled.

“You're four weeks pregnant, Mrs. Ford. Congratulations."

The room suddenly felt smaller.

He continued explaining that I needed to take my medication, avoid stress, and get plenty of rest, but I barely heard any of it.

I looked at Audrey.

She looked just as shocked as I was.

Being a mother was something many women dreamed about.

But this...

This felt terrifying.

“I'm going to be an aunt," Audrey finally said, tears gathering in her eyes.

“No," I whispered.

“I can't have this baby."

“Stella, what the hell?" Audrey's eyes widened.

“I don't know what to do," I admitted as tears slid down my cheeks.

“Trust me, Scario is going to be happy when he hears this. You're carrying the Ford heir."

Her excitement instantly disappeared when I told her about the divorce.

“Wait... did you just say Ella is back?"

“Yes."

I swallowed hard.

“Scario looked alive for the first time in years. He was excited, happy... everything I used to wish he would be around me."

Audrey sighed heavily.

“That's bad."

She squeezed my hand.

“But if Scario wants Ella back, then maybe this divorce is the freedom you've needed all along. You've spent years trying to be everything for that man, Stella, and he's never appreciated any of it."

“I don't know what to do with this baby. I'm scared."

“It's going to be okay," Audrey said softly.

“I'm here. Your mom is here. You're not alone."

I looked away.

“If Scario wants to leave for Ella, then there's nothing we can do about that. Maybe I should just accept reality."

“It's not that easy," I whispered.

“I started loving him somewhere along the way. I kept fighting for him to see me, but all he sees is a villain."

My voice cracked.

“I don't want to lose my marriage."

“Stella," Audrey said firmly, "You need to see the truth for what it is. That man doesn't love you."

A painful silence settled between us.

I lowered my gaze to my stomach.

“I can only imagine how much worse things will become if I bring this child into all of this.”