Chapter 4: He Wouldn't Believe It

*Elena's POV*

I stared at the ceiling, thinking about my terrible fate after hearing the doctor's words. Not only was I drugged, but it had been at very high levels, like someone had been administering the drugs to me over a period of several days.

My child… Someone had tried to kill my child in my own home. But who could it be? No other person knew I was pregnant, except…

It was like a bucket of cold water was poured over me, and blood ran cold when I remembered the time I had caught Rosalie snooping around my things and pretending like she wanted to take one of my clothes or shoes and make a massive fuss if I didn't give them to her.

“Elena…” Michael's soft voice drew me away from my thoughts, and I turned my head to find him holding two cups of coffee with his brows furrowed.

“You should be resting instead of thinking hard. I just tried calling Damian, but his line is busy. Once it connects, I will have him come over immediately.”

The doctor said that my child was a miracle child because the pills never worked; if not, I would have bled the first day the drugs were administered.

“I can't rest.” I bit the bottom of my lips to keep myself from crying.

How could I be so stupid? The truth had been right there in front of me this whole time, and I was dumb not to suspect what she had been doing.

“I keep thinking about it. She put something in my juice, Michael. I watched her do it, and I still drank it. I don't know if I was stupid not to pay attention. Even my breakfast and lunch because she makes them. I never suspected because she and Damian always ate the food.”

He set the coffees down on the bedside table and pulled the chair closer to my bed.

“You didn't know what it was.”

But I wasn't listening to him, certain about what I was saying the more the scene was replayed in my mind.

Her little smirk when I had raised the cup to my mouth, and there I was thinking that she was just mocking me because of the loss of my company.

But it wasn't the company! She had known all these while…

“She smiled when she shook the bottle.” I slammed my palm across my forehead.

“I never knew she would go that far. I never suspected. I... " found myself choking on my tears.

Michael's jaw tightened as he came up beside me, typing into his phone again. “Have you been able to reach Damian since I left?”

“I haven't spoken to him since I woke up.” I let out a bitter laugh that hurt my stomach.

“He doesn't even know I'm here.”

He didn't even care, but I didn't add that part. Michael saw Damian as one upstanding man who would never hurt a fly, but I knew the devil that Damian was.

“Elena, he needs to know because this is his child.” He was trying to explain.

“You think he'll believe me?” I turned my head away, staring out the window.

“What if he thinks that I'm trying to trap him with the baby by keeping it?”

“Huh?” Michael gasped slightly. “Why would he think that? Both of you are legally married, and it is his responsibility to take care of the child. I can talk to Rosalie if she's causing trouble, but I've known her since we were kids. She wouldn't do that. Her mind is not dark.”

“But you know she loves your friend…” I said slowly, swallowing the pain that threatened to tear out of me as my hands rested on my stomach.

“She would do anything to be with him.”

“Rosalie loves Damian, yes.” Michael accepted that fact.

“But she wouldn't go that far. With time, her feelings for him would fade, and she would be able to move on. At this point, I think you're overthinking this.”

He rubbed my shoulders gently as he stepped forward.

“If there's a way you can reach out to him and tell him, I'm sure he would come running to you. Damian has always wanted to have children, and he could help you find out the real truth of who poisoned you and which of the staff was responsible.”

I almost laughed bitterly at the things he said. He didn't know his friend because he never lived in the same house with us.

And Damian had fired all our domestic staff, including the chefs. He knew I couldn't cook, and he wanted to make sure I starved or bought food from restaurants.

Michael was quiet for a moment. Then he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

“The hospital needs payment. They've already processed the emergency care, but the stay, the medication, and the surgery—”

“I know.” I closed my eyes when I thought about that. “I don't have any money, Michael. My accounts were frozen when the investors pulled out. Everything I had was tied up in the company.”

“I can pay.” He offered.

“No.” I opened my eyes and looked at him.

“No, I'm not taking your money.”

He wasn't the one responsible for my plight, and the one who was responsible was supposed to pay for it.

Also… Something entered my mind, and it was like I was filled with a rush of hope.

It was true that Damian had always wanted children, even though we tried and failed in our first year of marriage. If he knew what Rosalie had done…

I hated myself for wanting to snatch this opportunity and show Damian just how wicked his mistress was.

This was our child we were talking about, and even after that drunk night between us a few weeks ago, we never acknowledged what we did.

“Don't worry, I'll call him.”

I snatched my phone from the coffee table, calling his work line directly. I didn't care whether he was with investors or not; I wanted him to know how bad his desperation to have me sign the divorce papers had gotten Rosalie to do these stupid things.

Damian answered on the second ring.

“What?” His voice was sharp and impatient, as if I had interrupted something important. In the background, I could hear Rosalie's laugh.

“I'm in the hospital, Damian.”

He paused before he finally spoke. “Congratulations. What do you want, a bouquet?”

I gripped the phone tighter at how apathetic he sounded after he saw me bleeding out in front of him in our home.

“I almost lost our baby, Damian. Someone's been putting abortion drugs in my food and drinks. The doctor found it in my system and…”

I paused when I didn't hear him speak. “Damian? Did you hear me?”

“I heard you.” His voice was flat. “I'm just trying to figure out what angle you're playing from right now.”

“Angle?”

I sat up so fast that my head spun, and pain shot through my abdomen. I gasped, pressing my hand against my stomach, and Michael half rose from his chair.

“There's no angle, Damian! What is your problem? Why would I joke with something as delicate as this? Someone tried to kill our child!”

“The child that you're conveniently pregnant with right when I'm trying to divorce you? The child who appears out of nowhere after one night we barely remember? That child?”

The coldness in his voice bit into my skin, and I pressed the phone tighter unconsciously while Michael's face paled on hearing how Damian truly spoke to me.

“I'm not lying!”

“You've been lying for five years, Elena. Forgive me if I don't start believing you now.”

Tears burned at the back of my throat. I swallowed them down.

“It was Rosalie. She put something in my juice. I saw her do it. I'm certain of that.”

“Can you just stop?” His voice rose.

“I thought you called to tell me that you were going to sign the divorce papers, and you're calling me for something as stupid as this? When will you ever learn, Elena? When will you finally see that you are just a thorn in my flesh? Is it because you're an orphan and you have no one that you're trying to dig your claws deeper into my life by bringing pregnancy into this? Get the fuck off my phone and only speak to me when you're signing the papers!”