All Chapters of After the Miscarriage, I Stopped Being a Stepmother to Don's Heir: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Leon frowned. "Less talking. More resting."I twisted the blanket in my fists, pressing creases into the fabric."The day I told you I was pregnant, you wanted me to get rid of it, didn't you? You never said it out loud, but it was all over your face."That same afternoon, Giselle had shown up at our door, furious. I could hear them arguing through the wall, her voice sharp enough to hurt."Leon Santoro, don't you forget what you promised me. Rosalie is your only child.""She has an IQ of 148. You swore to her she'd be the heir. That's the only reason I stopped trying for more. And now you're going to make Scarlett keep it? Get rid of it. Now."Leon's voice came back slow and even, like cold water."The reason I divorced you is because you keep forgetting your place.""I'll say it one more time: don't tell me what to do. I make my own decisions."Silence.Then Giselle's crying leaked through the crack under the door, steady and relentless, draining away every bit of joy I'd felt about

I was in the hospital for a week.Leon vanished without a word or a call.My body felt scraped hollow, and I stopped caring whether Giselle was using Rosalie as an excuse to get close to him. I was too tired for that.I went home to an empty house.Rosalie was on the couch working a Rubik's cube. She looked up when I walked in, and something lit in her eyes."Scarlett, look."She grabbed a gift box and held it up eagerly.I looked away without a word.Her body went still and the light in her eyes died. She slowly hid the box behind her back.She was perceptive, the kind of child who could read a face like a page in a book.I walked past her and went to my room.I didn't think I could be around her the same way I used to be anymore.That afternoon, Giselle let herself in.She dropped an empty suitcase on the living room floor and started loading it.One of the housekeepers stepped forward, flustered. "Miss Giselle, what are you doing?"Giselle flinched at the word Miss, then turned vici

A week later, they came back.Leon, unusually, brought Rosalie into the office with him.I didn't want to see them. I went to HR to ask for time off.The HR director grabbed my hand. He had a smile on his face that made my skin crawl."Feeling under the weather? Still recovering from the miscarriage?"I froze and forgot to pull my hand away.He rubbed his thumb across my knuckles and kept smiling."A buddy of mine's a doctor. He recognized you. Told me you came in a while back.""You're not married, right? Didn't know you had it in you, sweet face but clearly not shy.""I could approve your leave. I know a hotel nearby, nice and private. We could—"I snapped back, pulled my hand free, and slapped him.He blinked like he couldn't believe I'd actually done it.Then he slammed his palm on the desk and shoved to his feet."Bitch! How dare you hit me? Who do you think you are?"He raised his hand to hit back.A cartoon backpack smacked him in the face.I spun around.Rosalie.She ran in fro

The pregnancy hit me hard. I was exhausted all the time, my moods swinging without warning.The day it happened, I'd just woken up from a nap. Rosalie's voice filtered in through the door, small and thoughtful."She's not up yet. What if she's dead?"The housekeeper laughed softly. "She's not dying, Rosalie. She's just having a rough time with the pregnancy.""Oh. Is there any way to make the baby go away? I don't want Scarlett to keep being sick. She hasn't played with me in forever. Can you figure something out? Make whatever's in her stomach disappear?"I pushed the door open.Rosalie heard me and came running.I felt dizzy. I pressed a hand to my temple."You're up! Is your head hurting again? Can I help?"She reached toward me. Without thinking, I stepped back and covered my stomach.She stopped and stared.Then something shifted in her face, like a lock clicking open."Mom's right. You never liked me.""Nobody likes me. They all say I'm strange.""And now you hate me too. That's

I came back slowly, out of thick black nothing.Leon was sitting by the hospital bed.Shirtsleeves rolled to the forearm, long fingers working a paring knife around an apple.He glanced at me. Kept peeling."You're up. Doctor says you're fine. Just needs observation, then we can go home."I pushed myself upright. "Leon, I want a div—""I cut you an apple. Do you want it whole or should I cut it into pieces?" He cut across me quickly. "Actually, pieces are easier. Let me cut it."He finished, set the plate in front of me.I pushed it away gently. "Leon, listen to me.""You just woke up. Rest. Don't talk."He cut me off again and started doing up his cuffs, buttoning carefully, deliberately.He was talking more than usual, and faster, like every word was too hot to hold and had to get out. He kept going."Eat some apple first. I need to step out, Rosalie's looking for me."He was almost at the door before I said it."Leon. I want a divorce."He stopped.His back went rigid as a bowstring