All Chapters of She was never his to own: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

The emerald silk felt like armour—beautiful, expensive, suffocating. Alexander had laid it out on our bed this morning, along with the diamond earrings and the Louboutin heels I could barely walk in. No discussion. No choice.I navigated the Four Seasons ballroom like a minefield, champagne flute in hand, smile fixed in place. Across the room, Alexander stood with a group of investors, his posture relaxed, his laugh easy. But I could feel his eyes on me. Always on me."You look beautiful, Elena," said Jenna, Marcus's wife, her hand resting on her pregnant belly. Seven months along with their second child. "That colour is stunning on you.""Thank you," I murmured, smoothing the silk.Marcus grinned. "Jenna's been craving Thai food at two in the morning. I'm basically a delivery service now."I laughed—a real laugh—remembering when life felt that simple."Elena Rodriguez?"I turned. A young man approached, his face lighting with recognition. David Chen. We'd worked together at Morrison

I stared at the message in the darkness, Alexander's breathing steady beside me. I wanted to type back. I wanted to scream into the phone that no, I wasn't okay; I hadn't been okay in so long I'd forgotten what okay felt like.My fingers moved. "I'm fine. Just tired."I looked at the words. Deleted them.Typed: "All good!"Deleted that too.The cursor blinked. Waiting. Judging.I set the phone down without sending anything.Alexander would check it in the morning. He always checked. And anything I said to Sarah would be used against me, twisted into evidence of my disloyalty, proof that I was turning my friends against him.I closed my eyes.Tomorrow I have a doctor's appointment. My annual checkup was scheduled months ago, before everything had gotten quite this bad. One hour in a doctor's office. One hour where Alexander couldn't follow me, couldn't monitor me, couldn't—Unless he insisted on coming.The thought made my chest tighten. Would he insist? Would he find a reason why I ne

"Bathroom. I had to pee."He looked past me, into the bathroom, like he'd find evidence of something. What did he think? That I had a lover hiding in the shower? That I was secretly calling someone? That I was—His eyes fell on the toilet. On the faint smell of vomit still lingering despite the flush."Were you sick again?""No. I told you, I just had to—""Don't lie to me." He stepped closer, and I instinctively stepped back. "I can smell it. You were throwing up.""It's nothing. Just a stomach bug—""For three weeks? That's not a stomach bug, Elena." His eyes narrowed, something dangerous sparking in them. "What aren't you telling me?"Everything. I wasn't telling him everything."I'm tired," I said, trying to move past him. "Can we talk about this in the morning?"His hand caught my arm. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to stop me."Come back to bed." It wasn't a request.I followed him back to the bedroom. Climbed under the covers. Felt his arm settle across my waist, heav

Ice flooded through my veins.He knew.He knew about the baby.How? Had he seen medical bills?Tracked doctor's appointments? Have you gone through my things before I left?My phone rang again. Same number.I answered without thinking. "How did you know?""Did you really think you could hide it from me?" His voice was cold now, all pretence of pleading gone. "I'm not stupid, Elena. The morning sickness. The baggy clothes. The sudden need to 'escape’. You're pregnant with my child.""You have no right—""I have every right. That's my baby. And you will not keep my child from me.""The restraining order—""It won't matter when I prove you're an unfit mother. Unstable. Delusional.Running away while pregnant, making false accusations. What judge will give you custody when I can prove you're mentally ill?"My breath came in short gasps. Panic attack. I was having a panic attack."You're a monster," I whispered."No, Elena. I'm a father protecting his child from a mentally unstable woman.