Chapter 3

Anyta's POV

“You’re pregnant, Mrs. Ashbourne.”

I stared at the doctor, convinced I’d not heard right. “What?”

He adjusted his glasses. This man was way too calm for what he had just dropped on me. “You’re pregnant.”

“No!” I blurted and sat upright on the hospital bed. “That’s… no. You could be wrong, right? There could be a mistake?”

“There’s always a chance,” he replied evenly. “That’s why we’ll need the official test report. But based on what we’ve run so far, yes, you are expecting.”

I pressed my palms against the armrest of the chair. I was pregnant with Everett’s baby. The same Everett who wanted me gone, who couldn’t even stand to look at my face. A divorce and a surprise pregnancy, all within twenty four hours of each other? My head felt as though it would implode.

The tears began to well up again. “I don’t… I don’t want this. I mean... I can’t want this.”

The doctor gave me a sympathetic look. “You’ll need to collect your report at the reception desk, Mrs Ashbourne."

I forced myself to my feet. “Fine.” My voice was croaky, so I cleared my throat and tried again. “Okay, fine. Yeah.”

I made my shaky way out of the ward and into the foyer of the hospital, walking over to the front desk. When the nurse handed me the folder, I flipped it open with shaking hands.

Positive.

My chest collapsed inward. There it was in black and white. This was no error, I was truly pregnant.

I slumped against the wall, whispering to myself, “Everett doesn’t even like me…"

I pressed the folder to my chest. Abortion wasn’t an option, not for me, at least. Still, I was just eighteen. I was barely an adult. How was I supposed to raise a baby when I couldn’t even save my own marriage?

Only one person could give me answers, and he was in this same hospital.

I headed straight to the front desk and asked. “Siena Rushmore is in which room?”

The nurse silently pointed me down the hall and I gave her a simple nod. Then I followed her directions, clutching the report to my chest.

When I reached Siena’s door, two bulky men in black suits were standing at the entrance.

“I need to see Everett.” I told them. "I know he's in there."

“No entry." one of them replied. "Miss Siena is...."

“I don’t care about Siena!” I snapped. “I just need to talk to him. Two minutes, please.”

They didn’t budge.

“I’m his wife!” I roared so loudly that some nurses gave me the stink eye as they walked past. “I have something important to tell him. I won’t disturb her. Just tell him I’m here.”

One of them finally nodded and disappeared inside. I wrung my hands, frantically pacing in front of the door.

“Please come out. Just this once, listen to me…”

Minutes dragged on like hours. But finally the door opened, and the same bodyguard stepped out.

“Mr. Ashbourne said he won’t come out. He doesn’t want to see you.”

“What?”

He looked away, as if he couldn’t even meet my eyes. “It might upset Miss Siena, and he said he doesn’t want to talk to you either.”

I shook my head. “So he won’t… he won’t even hear me out?”

The guard stayed silent. That was enough of an answer.

I stumbled back a step, holding the folder even tighter. Everett was inside with Siena, while I stood outside with a baby he didn’t even know about. And he maybe never would.

By the time I stumbled back to the foyer, my head was pounding. I should’ve just gone home. But if I left now, I’d never get another chance to tell Everett about the baby. Tomorrow I was supposed to leave the country. After that he’d never know.

So I sat in the hospital lobby, clutching my report and staring at the automatic doors.

Rain streaked the glass. Every time the doors opened, a gust of cold air entered, making me shiver. I hugged myself tighter, fighting the urge to cry again.

Then finally Everett stepped out of the elevator with his bodyguards surrounding him. I scrambled to my feet immediately.

“Everett!” I yelled as I hurried toward him.

He didn't even glance my way. “Keep her back!” he ordered his guards.

The guards moved in front of me, blocking my path. But I pushed forward anyway.

“Please, just listen....”

“Don’t talk!” he snapped at me.

“It’s important!”

But Everett was past caring. He walked past me and stepped into the rain. I watched in desolation as one of the guards opened an umbrella above his head, and he hurried towards his car.

I broke into a run, stepping outside in the rain and tripping over my own shoes as I chased him. “Everett, wait!”

The pavement outside was wet and the second I stepped on it, I slipped and fell. My knees slammed into the mud, cold water soaking my tights. My palms stung as I scrambled up and rain had plastered my hair to my face.

“Everett!” I wailed, but he was already in the back seat of his car.

“Drive.” That was all I heard before the black Audi roared to life, taillights blurring in the downpour until they were gone.

I stayed there, soaked and shaking until someone from the hospital rushed over to help me up. I waved them away and staggered home alone.

*******

When I collapsed into my room, It was already night and I was too drained to cry. Tomorrow I was supposed to leave, but every part of me told me that I couldn’t.

I sank onto the bed, staring at the half-packed suitcases lined up by the wall. My hand drifted to my stomach. How was I supposed to raise a baby in a foreign country, broke and alone?

I dragged my phone closer and scrolled through my contacts. Nothing. Not one name I could reach out to. F******k? I*******m? I scrolled again and again but who would help me? Every person in my circle was either tied to Everett or Siena, or a celebrity who only knew me as Everett’s arranged wife.

Grandma Jo was the only one who could help me, and yet even her thought I'd pushed my sister down the stairs.

I dropped the phone onto the mattress and pressed my hands to my face. I’d always prided myself on being strong, on not begging anyone. But this time, I didn’t know how much longer I could hold on.

Soon, I felt dizzy. I set the alarm on my phone and curled up on the bed, telling myself I’d just close my eyes for a little while. The next thing I knew, someone was pounding on the door.

I jerked upright in fright. Sunlight streamed through the curtains. It was morning already?

The knocking came again and I dragged myself to the door, yanking it open... only to freeze.

Everett stood there with a raincoat thrown over his broad shoulders. And the manic look in his green eyes horrified me as he growled in my face.

“GET OUT NOW!"