CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

HEAVEN

This day has got to be the most shocking and eventful one of my life.

I woke up to a faint beeping sound. My eyelids felt like they were weighed down with bricks, but I managed to crack them open, only to be greeted by the sterile white of a hospital room. 

My head throbbed, the dull ache a stark reminder of everything I had been through. The events of the day came rushing to my head.

"You're awake."

I turned my head to see Raquel sitting on a chair beside the bed. Kyle left the room that time obviously to get the doctor.

"I fainted?" I asked slowly, like it wasn't evident enough.

"Yeah, you've been out for hours now. Thank God you're back. The doctor says it's due to exhaustion and stress," she said, and I let out a sigh. 

Of course, I had to be affected by everything I went through that day, but never did I expect the next thing.

"Also... there's something you need to know," she announced, her brows stretching. It sounded so serious, and I had to sit up.

"Is something wrong with me?" I asked, feeling a bit of fear in me. Did I pass out because I had an underlying illness?

Before she could reply, the door opened, and Kyle walked in with a male doctor who gave me a small smile as he approached me.

"I'm glad you're back, Mrs. Belmont," the doctor started, and I squeezed my face. The way that name sounded just reminded me of everything the Belmont had done to me.

"Please call me Heaven. My friend says something is wrong with me," I said, and he took a glance at Raquel.

"You're just so stressed out and it's not good for the baby," he said, and my brows scrunched. Did I just hear baby? 

"Baby? What baby?" I asked, the urgency clear in my tone.

The doctor lifted his brows.

"Your baby. You're pregnant," he announced.

"What!" The word burst out of my mouth before I could think.

"I'm pregnant?" I asked again, hoping I had heard wrong earlier.

"Yes, congratulations and..."

I couldn't hear anything else. I was shocked beyond words. I was pregnant? How come? Why now?

I had basically thought something was wrong with me after that miscarriage years ago and then we had tried getting pregnant several times. Why did it come now? Why now of all times? Different thoughts raced through my mind but the sound from the TV broke into my thoughts.

"Breaking news! Hours after his divorce, billionaire Atlas Belmont announces his engagement to fashion designer Amanda Henshaw. Congratulations to..."

The TV went dead that instant. My pulse quickened and I couldn't bring myself to look away from the TV. The announcement hit me like a physical blow. My hands gripped the blanket as I struggled to process the betrayal. I couldn't believe he divorced me just a few hours ago just to announce his engagement to his friend. How long has this been going on? How come I never had any idea about it?

A sharp ache shot through my chest, making it hard to breathe as the room spun around me. He couldn't even wait till the next day to disgrace me. What have I done to deserve all this? 

I should have known. I should have suspected he was cheating. He had suddenly distanced himself from me, we rarely eat together, we had little to no communication as all he did was bury himself in work. The signs were there but I never paid any attention to it. I should have known his parents would choose a wealthy woman over a no name like me. They had always shown their disapproval and hatred towards me.

I had thought things would get better and we would overcome the trouble in our marriage but it just kept growing worse. At first, I had been so confused about the reason for our divorce but it got clear with this news.

My chest heaved as anger overtook my shock. My breathing quickens as anger bubbled beneath her heartbreak. The doctor rushed over at that moment obviously, alarmed by the beeping monitors. But I waved him off, her resolve hardening.

I wouldn't allow all this to slide. I would surely make him regret everything.

"Can I leave now?" I turned to the doctor who seemed taken aback then he shook his head.

"Not yet. We need to ensure you're stable first."

"Okay. Thanks for the care."

"The nurse would check on you soon. Take things easy," he said and I bobbed my head then he made his way out of the room.

Raquel and Kyle struggled to say anything beside me. Thankfully, they understood that I needed to be alone at that moment so they walked out of the room. Once they were out, I grabbed the pillow and let out a yell as I threw it to the other side of the room.

I thought I could handle the divorce but Atlas really went overboard. How come he never cared about my feelings?

I whispered through clenched teeth as I placed my palm on my stomach, “If he doesn’t want me, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

First, it was the public humiliation then the fainting then the pregnancy and now the engagement news. How come this day wasn't getting any better? Why was it becoming a nightmare? Just when will I take a break?

But it didn't become a real nightmare until Kyle and Raquel entered the room again, the concern written all over them. As they approached me, it felt like they were walking on eggshells so I had to force a smile in order to ease the tension.

"Heaven, are you okay?" Raquel asked slowly, and I nodded.

"I'm fine. I saw it coming. I wanted the divorce too," I said in an assuring tone.

"Are you sure?" Raquel questioned again.

"I'm fine. Thank you guys so much for caring about me," I replied, clearing my throat.

Kyle offered me water and as I drank it, I noticed how he stared intently at my hand almost making me feel uncomfortable.

"I have a question," he finally said, and I creased my brows as I dropped the cup on the table beside my hospital bed.

I exchanged glances with Raquel wondering what it was. It sounded so serious and I couldn't help but be curious.

"What is it?"

"Where did you get that?" He asked, pointing at my wrist, and I frowned, looking down at my bracelet.

"This? I didn't get it from anywhere? I've always had it for as long as I can remember. Why?"

He didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped closer, gently grabbing my wrist to examine it. His thumb brushed over the delicate emblem etched into the metal—a crest.

He croaked out. "This...." He stepped back.

"It's definitely the one. I thought I saw it wrong earlier."

I furrowed my brows, confused about what he was talking about.

"What do you mean?"

"And this..." He pointed at my large birthmark that was shaped like a crescent moon. It had continued growing as I grew older but thankfully, it didn't cover all my wrist and I've come to love it differently from when I was still a kid and always felt insecure about it as it looked like a tattoo at one point.

"It's definitely not a tattoo, right?" He asked, and I squeezed my face.

"It's not. What is it? I'm confused about this whole thing."

"I knew it. The evidence is clear enough. You're certainly the one. How come I didn't find out at our first meeting?"

"You're confusing me, Kyle. What is it about my birthmark and bracelet?"

"That bracelet was custom-made; there's no way it could have ended up with anyone else unless...and the birthmark? It's not just a coincidence. It's true."

I exchanged glances with Raquel, who didn't seem as confused as me. Probably they had discussed it before I woke up.

"What are you saying?" I asked, my voice sharp. My patience was already wearing thin, and I'd been so stressed out to add more confusion to it.

"I'm not the best person to explain. You'll find out soon."

The door opened at that moment, and seeing the people that walked in, my eyes widened in shock. 

"They have the answers," Kyle announced, and my heart skipped a beat.

This isn't what I'm imagining, right?