~TESSA

My husband Ethan publicly declared that our unborn child was a bastard and that his childhood sweetheart— Chloe's child was his biological child.

He always put her first, but he had assured me that she was only like a sister to him and I should treat her the same.

I tried. I really did, especially after learning Chloe had been kidnapped and raped by criminals a month ago, leaving her pregnant. My heart broke for her. She needed support, compassion, a safe place to heal.

Then Ethan made a public announcement that destroyed me.

He declared that I was the one who’d been raped that night. That my child was the product of that assault. Meanwhile, he claimed Chloe’s baby was his biological child from their relationship.

When I confronted him, he looked at me helplessly. “Chloe comes from a respectable family,” he explained. “Her reputation means everything to her. Just bear with this for a while. People will forget soon enough. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

And it was at that point I realised that the person he truly loved all this while, had never been me.

"All your signatures were done." The lawyer said.

It broke me out of my thoughts and I stared at the divorce papers, all that was left was my husband's signature.

"Can I sign for him?" I asked.

"If he consents to it, then you may go ahead."

There was still hesitation in his reply. So I took out my phone and quickly dialed Ethan's number.

“Ethan, I...” I was ready to speak but a woman’s sweet voice interrupted me. "I want chocolate cake, Ethan. You know it's my favorite!" Chloe whined like a child.

My heart skipped a beat and I balled my hands into fists. But I forced myself to stay calm.

"Ethan, there's something I need to talk to you about," I managed to say.

His low voice finally came through. "Hey Honey, I am really busy right now. I can't talk right now, can it wait till tonight?"

I gritted my teeth. He always dismissed what I had to say for Chloe.

“I need to confirm something. Am I authorized to make decisions for you? Any decisions?” I pressed on.

He laughed softly. “Of course, honey. You’re my wife. Do whatever you need to do.”

“Perfect. I’ll take care of it then.”

"You heard him," I told the lawyer and he gave me the go ahead.

So I carefully signed Ethan’s name in the empty space. The attorney witnessed it, stamped the documents, and filed them away.

As I gathered my things to leave, he offered one final reminder: “The divorce becomes final in thirty days. You can withdraw it any time before then if you change your mind.”

I couldn’t help but laugh softly. “I won’t.” I nodded at him and walked out of his office.

From the sidewalk, I hailed a cab down and went directly to the hospital. I had another appointment today… one for an abortion.

"Take me to the City Hospital, please," I muttered and the driver only nodded before driving off.

"Are you sure you want to do this? The baby is very healthy, ma'am," the doctor said after multiple examinations.

"Yes, I’m sure," I muttered firmly.

The doctor gestured at the way forward.

"The nurses will prepare you," he said.

Three nurses walked in at that point and they began to clean me up before moving me to the operating room.

As I lay on the operating table, the cold clatter of surgical instruments filled the room. Fear clawed at me, as the anesthesia began to kick in, memories of Ethan and I began to plague me.

"You know you can't stay angry at me forever, my love," Ethan's voice echoed as my mind took me back to an old memory.

"I am not talking to you. Leave me alone." I folded my arms and turned away from him.

"Oh well, I guess I'll just eat this deliciously hot and moist chocolate cake alone," Ethan murmured as he began to make deliberate munching sounds.

My eyes glared up immediately as I turned around to meet him. "Chocolate cake? You know that's my favorite!"

He laughed as he offered it to me. "I know, that's why I got it for you."

I took it from him immediately and smiled as I munched it down.

"Are you still mad at me?"

I pouted my lips. "A little."

And we both broke into laughter.

"I'll always love you and treat you right," he vowed.

But the laughter began to echo as darkness started falling in.

Ethan had kept his word. All through dating and marrying me. He had treated me like a treasure, but Chloe always lingered in the background.

He missed my birthdays, missed our anniversary and couldn't even show up for me whenever I needed him.

All because of Chloe.

And I put up with it, over and over again. I told myself that it would pass.

But now he’s publicly claimed our baby isn’t his. All to protect Chloe’s reputation.

If he doesn’t want this baby, then neither do I.

And I didn’t want Ethan Either. Chloe can have him.

"Tessa?" An echoing voice asked. "Can you hear me?"

My vision finally came into focus as the darkness faded away. It was the doctor.

"It was successful. We have aborted your baby."

My mouth instantly went dry and I felt as if a part of my soul had been drained away. I felt a sudden weakness hit me.

"T— thank you," I said through pale lips.

I tried to stand and when I did, instant pain hit me as my entire body began to tremble. Stinging tears filled my eyes as I fought to stay on my feet.

But as I got out of the operating room, I was shocked to see who were a few yards before me.

Ethan and Chloe.

He was kneeling before her, feeling her stomach like he was a proud father and they could not stop smiling at each other. He pressed his ear to her stomach and she gasped.

"I just felt it move! The baby is responding to your love!" Chloe exclaimed in excitement as she started smiling from ear to ear.

Ethan returned her smile and I clutched my hospital dress sharply. My heart tightened as it began to pound heavily.

I wanted to rush over and tell him that while he was doting on another woman's child, his own child was being taken away from me by cold steel instruments.

I wanted to ask him if he still remembered how excited he was when I first told him that I was pregnant, how happy he had been as he picked me up and spun me around.

But I didn't do any of that.

I just stood there, watching them be an inseparably sweet couple. And slowly, all the anger, the pain and the resentment I felt toward them began to dissipate into an overwhelming emotional exhaustion.

I inhaled deeply before releasing a heavy shaky breath. I had nothing left to give this man. Nothing left to fight for.

Then I turned around to leave when—

“Wait… Tessa, is that you?" I stopped moving. Ethan’s surprised voice cut through the hallway. “What are you doing at the hospital?”

~TESSA

I gave him a sarcastic smile and was about to tell him that I had come for an abortion when Chloe appeared behind him like she was the other half of his magnet, destined to follow him around forever.

She reached me, took my arm and smiled sweetly at Ethan. "What a silly question to ask Tessa, Ethan. Are you too busy to remember that Tessa's pregnant too? Of course she came for a maternity check up."

Then she turned to me. "This is really all my fault. I am so sorry for hogging Ethan all the time lately. It's just. . ." She trailed and her face reddened a bit. "I have been in such a bad state of mind since the incident and the only one I can bother is Ethan. I was so afraid of people finding out that I had to beg Ethan to pretend to be the father of my child."

Then she raised my hand to her cheeks. "I feel so guilty about this and you can slap me if you want. I deserve any punishment you give me."

She broke into tears this time as she kept directing my hand to her cheeks.

However, before I could speak, Ethan cut in.

"Don't say that, Chloe. None of this is your fault and besides, Tessa isn't that kind of person. She has the kindest soul and she wouldn't mind any of this because she totally understands."

I clenched my teeth hard at his words. But there was one thing he was right about though.

I was really understanding. Understanding enough to readily divorce him so they could be together for real.

"You're right. I don't mind," I said calmly, playing along.

"Thank you so much, Tessa. You really are the best," she whispered and she held both my hands in hers.

I only returned that quiet sarcastic smile again.

"I think we are all exhausted, how about go for dinner together?" Chloe grabbed my arm tightly and smiled.

I squinted my nose in irritation. I had just had a surgery minutes ago. The last thing I wanted was dinner.

"You guys go ahead. I'm too tired. I'll just head home," I muttered.

"No, no, you can't leave, Tessa. You have to come with us. We need to eat together as one big family."

With that, she latched onto my arm and began to pull me out of the hospital against my wish. Ethan chuckled as he followed us behind.

The moment we got to the restaurant though, Chloe started acting all fussy.

"I suddenly hate it here. It's disgusting and pungent. The baby is irritated too," she whined.

"Perhaps it's this meal they brought to you. Maybe you should try every other thing," Ethan calmly said.

He was being patient and calm with her.

Chloe coughed and he swiftly poured her a glass of water. He rubbed her back while she drank from the glass.

I only remained quiet as I watched them. A hard pang hit my chest and I couldn’t tell if it had come from the aftermath of my surgery or the shock of seeing the man who once promised to love me forever now acting like this with someone else.

The waiter finally brought a which Chloe finally accepted and Ethan even went as far as wiping her mouth with a paper towel anytime she stained her lips.

I clenched my teeth hard and looked away.

Halfway through the meal, the overhead crystal chandelier suddenly came crashing down straight toward Ethan.

"Ethan!" I cried.

Chloe screamed and lunged at him.

She barely pushed him out of the way before the chandelier hit her back hard. She collapsed on the floor and started bleeding.

Chaos filled the room as people began to crowd the space. I could only stare in horror at her fallen body and the crashed chandelier by the side.

"Oh my god! Chloe, why would you do that?" Ethan cried as he picked her up in his arms.

His skin had turned white with fear and he was sweating as he trembled.

Chloe raised a bloody hand to his cheek and smiled at him. "My parents helped yours long ago and today, I have saved yours too. . ." She whispered weakly. "Don't you think we are meant to be?"

Ethan turned from white to red as his worry escalated. "I swear to God, I won't let any harm come to you."

Then he scooped her up in his arms and started hurrying out. He was so worried that he did not notice me standing right behind me.

He shoved me over and I hit my forehead hard at the nearest table. It stung hard and when I looked, I realised my hand was now stained with red.

I was bleeding too.

But I didn't feel any pain.

I just sat there, numb and blank as I watched Ethan's back disappear out the door.

For some reason, I was inexplicably reminded of the day I officially got married.

Ethan had held me tightly and whispered, “From now on, in every crowd, I’ll only ever see you.”

The vow had felt so real then but today, he had contradicted himself. He failed to see me in the crowd.

"Ma'am?" A voice called in disbelief. "You're bleeding!"

It broke me out of my thoughts and I realised that I needed to get it treated.

So I trudged back to the hospital. After getting my wounds bandaged, I was about to leave when I bumped into Ethan outside the operating room. He looked pale, his hair messy, his hands stained faintly with Chloe’s blood.

A nurse rushed toward him. “Sir, she’s hemorrhaging. Her blood type is very rare. Do you have any family members who can donate?”

I watched Ethan go paler than he already was and he started looking worriedly around until his eyes fell on me.

And his expression instantly lit up.

"Tessa! Thank God you're here. You and Chloe have the same blood type. She needs you. Please, you have to donate some blood for her," he blurted out the moment he reached me.

I felt a chill go down my spine.

Ethan knew that I was anemic. In fact, I collapsed from anemia last year and he had been so worried that he almost tore down the hospital.

But now, he had already forgotten about it all and was asking me, an anemic person, to donate blood to another woman.

“Please!” he begged, “Please, Tessa, she’ll die without it.”

And I began to part my lips to speak when he suddenly grabbed my wrist tight and started pulling me tk the donation room.

"Nurse! I found someone! She can donate!" He exclaimed and helped me onto the chair.

The entire time, I stared at him in shock.

"She is ready to donate some blood for Chloe.”

~TESSA

I felt my energy drain drastically as six hundred millimeters of blood were drained rapidly out of me.

I was definitely getting paler.

Yet Ethan stood there, staring anxiously in the direction of the operating room, not even looking at me once.

The nurse pulled the needle out and wrapped my arm with gauze. “All done,” she said softly.

I stood to leave when a heavy wave of dizziness hit me and I began to lose my balance.

That was when warm arms caught me instead and I looked up to see that it was Ethan and his eyes were wide with shock like he had finally come back to his senses.

"I— I am sorry. Tessa, I forgot..." He helped me back onto the seat and held my hand gently. "I know you're probably worried about the baby's health but the nurse said since she could draw so much, it means you're fine and so is the baby."

I didn't say a word in response and he probably took it as me still being worried.

He continued, trying to sound gentle, “I’ll ask the doctor for additional tests on how the baby’s doing. You don’t have to worry.”

With that, he lifted me in his arms and took me to the examination room. In a short while, the results were out. Ethan instantly went to the doctor.

"So, how are they both doing?" He asked.

The doctor looked surprised. "Sir, the test results say that the baby is—"

"Mr Ethan Carter?" A nurse suddenly called as she appeared in the doorway. "Miss Chloe has been screaming your name all through the surgery. I suggest you go be with her now that she's awake."

Without any form of hesitation, Ethan turned and rushed out into the operation room.

The doctor turned to me with hesitation in his eyes. "Will you tell him yourself?"

I only smiled dryly and shook my head. "He doesn't need to know."

Eventually, I was able to leave the hospital. As I stepped out, I saw the sunset and it seemed to be the only beautiful thing I had seen today.

Ethan once promised to take me to see the most beautiful sunset in the world. The sunset was still on but Ethan and I will never be the same again.

I spent the next week at home recuperating. The blood I lost had serious consequences. I felt too weak, incessant banging headaches, dizziness and a struggle every time I wanted to get out of bed.

Even the housekeepers were worried about me and so many times, they wanted to call Ethan over but I stopped them every time on the grounds that Ethan was very busy.

Indeed, he had been very busy spoiling Chloe. She never missed a chance to post about it on her socials everytime they were together.

He fed her, took her for every maternity checkup and even went out in the middle of the night to get her whatever she wanted.

While I wasted away, suffering alone in our room.

It was almost as if Ethan had forgotten who his wife really was.

It was only until half a month later that Ethan finally came home.

"Tessa. . ." He trailed as he scratched his head awkwardly. "I know I have been unavailable lately but here I am now."

He walked over to me with a smile like he had done nothing wrong. Then he revealed a small paper bag which came from a clothing store.

Then he revealed a blue dress and presented it to me.

"It's your size."

I corked my brows at him in question and he continued.

"You remember my friend, Daniel? He's doing a little get together with a few close friends and we are supposed to bring our wives."

I laughed inwardly when I finally got it. It was now he remembered that he still had a wife.

"I'll get dressed," I muttered and turned without another word.

When I got ready, we both walked out of the house. But as I pulled the passenger seat open, I met Chloe already inside.

"I am so sorry that I am tagging along. I just wanted to take a break from the hospital. The smell of that place was beginning to get to me." She stopped and gave me an innocent stare. "I already asked Ethan if it's okay for me to come. I hope you don't mind, though?"

My hand hovered in the air. Then slowly, I withdrew it.

“No,” I said quietly. “I don’t mind.”

I turned to the back seat and got in without a word.

"Is this too cold for you?" Ethan asked and Chloe nodded.

He adjusted it and even gave her a neck pillow for her to lean on. It baffled me that he was doing it while I was watching.

The tenderness and care which once belonged to me has now been showered on another woman.

The same thing happened as we arrived at the party.

Ethan didn't even hold my hand or introduce me to new friends. He instead stayed with Chloe and kept showing her around like she was all that mattered.

He didn't even notice the way everyone was looking at me.

"She has guts showing up here after what happened," Whispers began to float around.

"I feel sorry for Ethan. He loves her so much yet she ended up getting pregnant for her kidnapper."

I balled my hands into fists. It was funny how these people were gossiping about something that wasn't even true. There was only one person I blamed for this.

Ethan.

It was okay with Ethan for him to have my reputation ruined just to protect Chloe. All against my consent.

"Chloe had been kidnapped too yet she came out of it fine. I have a feeling Tessa seduced her kidnapper willingly just to save herself," another said.

“That woman’s a slut. If she hadn’t been so shameless, Ethan wouldn’t have gotten drunk and slept with Chloe.”

“She ruined her own marriage.”

~TESSA

I widened my eyes at how vicious the rumors were getting.

Worry and nervous hit me so hard that my balled hands got so hard that my nails sunk into my palms and drew blood.

I didn't expect the rumors to get so big and spread so far that I became a disgraced villain in someone else's story in everyone's eyes.

I needed to leave. I could not stand any of this treatment anymore.

So I turned around to leave when a group of ladies instantly blocked my path.

“Hey,” the lady who was clearly the leader of the group said. “Leaving so soon?”

Another reached out, looping her arm around mine. “Come play with us.”

Before I could pull away, one of them tipped her glass forward. Red wine splashed across the front of my dress.

"Oops, I didn't see you there," She said in mockery as her lips turned up into a wicked smile.

I barely got the chance to react when the other one stepped forward and pretended to accidentally bump into me.

I gasped as I lost my footing and landed hard into the water.

My heart started racing as the water swallowed me whole. The coldness sipped into my bones and caused instant tremors.

I struggled to swim out. I had never been the best swimmer before.

"Help me!" I cried.

But the girls laughed and sneered instead as they watched me struggle.

None of the people standing by made any attempts to stop them or help me. They just watched.

When I realised that no one was coming to save me, I started struggling on my own. Pushing myself forward, pushing myself hard as I battled with the cold water.

I eventually reached the edges of the pool and grabbed it. As I struggled to pull myself out, someone suddenly stepped on my fingers.

I screamed.

"Help!" I cried as stinging tears began to roll down my cheeks.

My heart was raging, I was trembling and my fingers were burning with pain.

"No one is coming to save you, bitch. Sluts like you do not deserve to walk freely."

Another pushed my head hard back into the water and the bubbling sound of my muffled scream filled my ears.

Their laughter continued to echo.

The same person grabbed my hair and pulled my head back out of the water.

"If there's anyone who could have saved you, then it's your husband— Ethan. Yet you already hurt him too deeply. He's never going to help you," she whispered bitterly.

Someone took advantage of the chaos, grabbed something long and hard, and crashed it on my back hard.

I screamed again.

"Slut! That's for toying with Ethan's feelings! He could have had any woman in the world. Any woman would have killed to have him but guess what, he chose you little slut. He's done nothing but love you and be good to you!" The person screamed.

Then the previous girl pushed my head back down into the water.

This time though, it was not the fact that I was drowning that took my breath away.

It was the fact that they called me a slut and claimed Ethan loved me too much.

What a fucking joke!

“What the hell are you doing?” Ethan's deep angry voice scattered across the space.

The girls must have been startled by his presence because the pressure on my head was removed immediately and I was able to emerge out of the water and catch my breath.

It was the deepest breath I ever took.

As my vision continued to blur, I saw Ethan charging toward me like a madman. I almost laughed out loud.

Why was he so flustered? Wasn't this the mess he had created?

He easily pulled me out of the water and gritted his teeth at the ladies who had done this to me.

"Are you all crazy? How dare you do this to her?" He roared.

"We were only holding out for you. Tessa doesn't deserve you!" One of them spat.

"Nonsense!" He spat. "This is none of your business. Stay out of it. I don't need you people doing anything for me. Even if the baby Tessa is carrying belongs to the kidnapper, it doesn't matter. I will still always love her!"

That was when the people who had been standing idly began to clap their hands for him.

"Now this here is a real gentleman!" One of them exclaimed.

"There is no one like Mr Carter! He is the best!" Another praised him.

More admiration came from the crowd, Ethan picked up the soaked me in his arms and stormed angrily out of there.

In the resting room, Ethan wrapped me in a towel. He gently rubbed my hair dry, careful not to pull too hard. His eyes softened as he looked at me.

"I know that you have been deeply wronged and it's all my fault. But I promise you that things like this would never happen again," He looked into my eyes like it was all the assurance I needed. "Once Chloe has the baby, I will send her overseas and everything will go back to the way they used to be between us."

I didn’t believe him. I stared at him for a long moment then looked away. “I want to go home.”

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. “It wouldn’t look good if we left together right now. I need to stay and make an appearance. I’ll ask the driver to take you home first. That okay?”

I didn’t know if he was being considerate or if he just didn’t want to leave Chloe alone.

I didn’t care anymore. “Fine,” I said, I turned away before he could touch me again.

When I stepped out of the restroom, I saw the stares people gave me. There was still anger and hatred.

I turned my head away from them, stood tall and left the party. I didn't even bother to wait for Ethan's driver. I stopped a cab and got driven home.

The moment I was back to the villa, I went up to our room and began to pack up my things, slowly erasing traces of me in the house.

Yet just as I was closing the last suitcase, the door burst open. Ethan stood in the doorway and his eyes went wide in horror as he took in all the scattered bags in the room.

"What's going on, Tessa?" He began in horror. "Why are you packing? Are you going somewhere?”

~TESSA

I calmly folded the clothes in my hands and placed it in the suitcase. "Now that I am pregnant, I can't wear any of these clothes anymore. I am planning to donate all of them."

My tone was bland and as always.

He released a sigh of relief and let out a nervous laughter. "For a moment there, I thought you were leaving me. I am so sorry for overreacting."

Then he walked up to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. "You love me so much, right? Surely, you could never think of leaving me, right?"

I just gave him a forced smile.

Then he smiled back brightly before his expression darkened. "Even if you wanted to leave, I won't let you. I would never sign any divorce papers."

"Hmm," it came out careless.

Then he grinned at me before revealing a black card. "Here, you can have this. I want you to buy whatever you want."

I accidentally touched his finger in the process and it made me feel sick. I retracted immediately.

Yet Ethan didn't notice my reaction.

He instead seemed to have his mind on something else. When he looked back at me, I knew he was about to do it again.

Go to her.

"So Chloe has been having a lot of pregnancy sickness lately. She needs company and I am going to stay with her for a few days."

I parted my lips slightly. All I felt was numbness as he said those things. It was not like he needed my approval before he could leave.

He was about to turn away when he stared at me with raised brows.

"I also noticed that you have not had any pregnancy sickness recently. You are so different from Chloe and never in discomfort. I hope you don't mind?"

My fingers shook slightly by the side. The only reason why I was not having pregnancy sickness was because the baby was long gone.

But I forced a smile and said nothing.

In the next moment, he was out of the house, gone without a trace.

I sighed as I remained standing where he had left me.

For the next few days, I kept seeing news about Ethan and Chloe hot on the gossip news.

"Famous Business Tycoon— Ethan Carter, was spotted late at night, sharing Icecream intimately with childhood sweetheart, Chloe Grant."

"Billionaire CEO Ethan Carter caught carrying Chloe Grant on his back while walking through a puddle of water."

"Ethan Carter closed down the entire shopping mall for Chloe Grant so that they can have a private shopping experience."

The comment section under each news was on fire. It was as if everyone was out to get me.

They commented about how Ethan and Chloe were always destined to be together and I was the obstacle, had always been the obstacle.

"I hope Tessa goes into the labour room and dies along with her child." Another commenter said and it hit me hard.

It felt as if my heart was getting stabbed by a thousand knives.

The comments got so bad that some of them found my socials and started leaving hate comments behind. They even went as far as creating my first hate account, calling me the villain in Ethan and Chloe's story.

I could not take any of it anymore. So I switched off my phone.

"It will all be over soon." I assured myself quietly.

With my now packed bags, I decided to arrange a small dinner with a few close friends who knew the entire truth.

I headed there immediately and the moment I walked into the restaurant, they ran into my arms.

"My God, Tessa!" Annie cried. "You look so pale and lean! Have you been eating properly?"

"How is she supposed to have an appetite when her husband is publicly parading another world before the world?" Lisa answered.

Jenna only held on to me for a while. "You guys should stop asking Tessa all of this question. Can't you see how exhausted she looks?"

Jenna let go and guided me to sit on a chair. "I have told you before. My house is open to you. You can just move in while you wait for everything to be finalized."

"To think that Ethan made a fuss chasing our Tessa around when he wanted her. Now, he's making her look like she begged to be in his life. I feel so bad for you, Tessa," Annie went on as she got into her seat.

The other two did the same and all I could do was exhale sharply.

"It's okay, it will soon be over." I smiled at them.

Lisa shook her head at me. "It's not okay. But since you say it will be over soon, I believe you."

"That man better not show up at my door looking for you when all of this ends. Nothing will stop me from getting his dumb ass kicked!" Jenna exclaimed angrily.

I laughed. She always had the tendency for violence even if she was never going to actually act on it.

They soon relaxed. "We only want what's best for you. If Ethan doesn't appreciate your love, then he deserves to lose you forever."

I only smiled at them and we talked more over dinner. Catching up to each other's lives.

Eventually, farewell came and we began to hug each one after the other. I watched them all leave until it was also my turn to go.

I handled the bills before walking out of the restaurant. However, as I was about to pull my car door open, two figures appeared out of the blue and came to kneel before me.

"What the?"

"We are Chloe's parents," the older man said.

I widened my eyes at them. "Why are you kneeling before me? Get up!" I cried as I looked around.

A crowd was beginning to form, already attracted by the scene and some people even began to video the scene.

"My daughter has always loved Ethan since she was a child but she's been too shy to speak up. When she finally mustered up the courage to talk, Ethan was already marrying you and she swallowed it up."

The woman was crying now like I was the cause of her tears.

"Our daughter has kept quiet about it all these years. . . Now that you have betrayed your husband and Chloe is now carrying his child, then let them be together. Let them be the family they were meant to be. Why are you still standing in the way?"

My heart skipped at their words. I clenched my teeth hard to stop myself from saying a word and I instead turned, in the aim to walk away when Chloe's mother grabbed on to my skirt.

"Please! Tessa! I am begging you! Why are you being so heartless? Why are you holding on to something that is no longer yours?" Her mother cried.

I could not believe this was happening. I looked around to see people pointing fingers at me.

"Isn't that the same Mrs Carter who seduced her kidnappers?" Voices started swimming around.

"Shame on her for showing her face in public!"

The whispers suddenly got harsher and more aggressive. I tried to break free from her mother's grip but she wouldn't let go.

"Slut!" Someone screamed and launched a half eaten hamburger at me.

It hit me in the face and I barely recovered before more people started raining food, tissue papers, sachet drinks and anything they could hurl at me.

"Let me go!" I cried as I resumed struggling with my skirt.

But Chloe’s mother only tightened her grip. I yanked hard to break free. Chloe’s parents suddenly threw themselves backward, her father’s head struck the curb. Blood spread across the pavement.

For a moment, the world went silent. Then someone screamed.

"Tessa just murdered someone!”

~TESSA

It was as if that scream was all they needed to break free.

Because all hell broke loose as they resumed hurling things at me.

"Murderer!"

"Slut!"

I groaned in pain as the things hit me. Bruises and cuts scattered across my body from the pain and that was when the driver who had been in my car the entire time came rushing out.

"Ma'am!" He cried. "I need to get you out of here."

"We need to help them first," I said instead.

So together, we picked up her parents' fallen forms and placed them into the car before firing away from the place. The mob kept screaming as we zoomed off.

When we arrived at the hospital, I had the nurses wheel both her parents away immediately. Her mother must have gotten hit by the many things they were throwing at me and this must have been what made her lose consciousness.

They were wheeled into an emergency room and I stood outside, waiting for a verdict when I heard Chloe's voice cry out from behind me.

"Tessa! You murderer!" She screamed and as I turned, I saw her launch herself at me.

She landed two hard slaps across my face and all I could do was remain standing there in shock.

"How could you go behind my back and try to kill my parents? I thought you claimed that you didn't hate me? Why did you go after them? What harm did they do to you?" She cried hysterically.

I parted my lips to explain what really happened when Ethan appeared in the space.

Suddenly, Chloe started breathing heavily like she was about to faint. She even started swaying to the side and Ethan had to catch her and hold her in his arms.

"Please, Chloe. . . You shouldn't get too worked up for the sake of the baby. You must rest instead and not worry yourself," he whispered.

Then he shot a hard stare at me. His brow was furrowed, his expression full of disappointment. He didn't even try to hide it.

At that moment, I felt a chill spread through my entire body.

He didn't see the bruises on me. He didn't even ask. He just... didn't believe me.

He only shook his head at me and I saw the disappointment in his eyes. "You really let me down today, Tessa, you..."

I burst out laughing uncontrollably and it interrupted him, tears began to flow down my cheeks. The saltiness stung the cut at the corner of my mouth.

He wasn't even going to listen to my own side of the story before jumping to conclusions.

"You know what? You're right. Everyone is right about me. I am a stone coldhearted, hopeless person!" I spat. "Perhaps it will be a good thing if I just die."

My voice echoed through the hospital corridor. "Is that what you want to hear?"

Ethan froze, clearly taken aback. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes. "Tessa, I..."

"It hurts. . . Help me. Don't leave me," Chloe suddenly cried as she clung to his shirt.

"Tessa, wait a moment..." Ethan looked at me but I looked away immediately and began to walk away.

"Please, don't leave me. Don't leave our baby," Chloe mumbled weakly like she was sleep talking.

I didn't look back, despite the way that she referred to the baby as if it was really Ethan's.

The elevator doors swung open and I got in. Ethan stared at me one last time before he carried Chloe to the doctor. When the doors slid shut, and I was completely alone, that's when I collapsed to the ground and covered my face with my hands.

My body trembled violently. My heart ached and I felt as if my soul was burning but no tears left my eyes.

So this is what true heartbreak feels like.

I couldn't even cry.

By the time I eventually arrived home, I went straight to my room, cleaned up in the shower and buried myself within the sheets of our bed. I felt too weak to face the world again and my body continued to tremble as I lay there.

I had no idea when sleep finally stole me away until it did.

And I found myself dreaming of a time when Ethan still used to love me.

We were standing under a cherry blossom tree on campus. He held my hand and would not let go.

"I can't imagine a life without you," he had said.

Then the memory moved to the day of our wedding.

The moment that he put the ring on my finger. He could not stop trembling and looking into my eyes. He was so close to tears.

And the day that he found out I was pregnant, he took me in his arms and spun me around the living room.

He had cried tears of joy.

Suddenly, the dream changed. The sky darkened and I saw Ethan holding Chloe's belly protectively.

"The child she carried is mine. . ." he had said.

He no longer cared about me. He only protected her and did anything she wanted. I was nothing but a mere shadow in his home— a trophy wife.

I was still drowning in the nightmare when a loud bang erupted in my ears. It startled me awake immediately and I dragged myself out of my room to see where it had come from.

That was when I heard footsteps next, followed by Chloe's sweet but imperious voice downstairs as she kept directing the servants to rearrange the furniture and decorations to her liking.

I opened the door-just in time to see Ethan walking up the stairs holding Chloe's pillow.

Our eyes met. Ethan stiffened.

"It's because of you that Chloe's parents were hospitalized. She can't afford to stay alone so I asked her to move in with us, at least until the time her baby is born," he explained.

I raised my brows in disbelief but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that I was not angry.

I didn't even feel anything. Ethan suddenly felt like a stranger to me.

So this was what extreme numbness and emptiness did to a person?

I didn't even have the strength to be angry.

I averted my gaze and turned to leave when—

"Tessa?" There was hesitation in his voice.

I knew what it meant. It was the same one he always got whenever he wanted to apologise after we'd had a fight and he didn't know how to do it.

I didn't face him though. I just stood still and waited to see if he would be able to apologise.

"Ethan! The baby just kicked again!" Chloe suddenly exclaimed excitedly. "I think you should come feel it! Oh my God!"

He heard him sigh softly before his footsteps retreated. He had chosen her again.

I shook my head. I already knew what he was going to say even if he had finished his sentence.

He would have tried to persuade me into believing that everything would be fine after Chloe's baby was born.

It was what he always said.

That he just needed to go along with her wishes for now.

But I was done hoping for something that was no longer mine.

I don’t want to wait any longer.

~TESSA

For the next few days, I remained in the house, mostly staying in my room like a ghost.

But it didn't matter what happened to me because Ethan only had eyes for Chloe. He went through great lengths for her. Skipped work for a couple of days just for her and even always came up with new ways to please her.

And it started to feel as if they were the real masters, the couple in the house.

But today, Ethan finally decided to go to work, seeing as he had delayed it too much for her.

It didn't matter to me either. So I went about my business as always.

I had just reached the top of the stairs to get myself something to drink in the kitchen when Chloe appeared out of the blue and blocked my path.

She said. "I don't want you here anymore."

All of her innocence was gone from her face and she only stared back at me from a place of anger.

I just wanted to head downstairs to get a glass of water. Without even glancing at her, I turned slightly to move past.

My attitude may set her off.

"You might be Ethan's wife but he only has eyes for me. Just so you know, Ethan has promised to make my child the sole heir to the Carter group while your child will be nothing but the bastard that it is rumored to be!" She spat bitterly.

"You are so pathetic, Tessa? You think you're fucking better than everyone else?" She roared and before I could process what was happening, she lunged forward and pushed me.

Since I was caught off guard, I lost balance and went tumbling down the stairs until I hit my head hard.

I passed out instantly.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was lying on a hospital bed. As my vision came into focus, I realised that Ethan was standing beside my bed with a stern expression.

"It wasn't enough that you hospitalized Chloe's parents, you had to go ahead and push a pregnant woman!" This was his first sentence, scolded me and didn’t care how I felt.

Each word stabbed me straight through the heart. I gave a shaky laugh, my whole body trembling from it.

"If I wanted to hurt Chloe so badly, “ I said slowly, propping myself up, demanded in a mocking tone“why was I the one lying in a hospital bed?"

"Because you panicked after pushing her and threw yourself down the stairs to make it look like an accident!" he said with disappointment.

If I hadn't been shocked before, then I was now.

"I don't even recognize you anymore. You agreed to let Chole stay, so why stoop to something so low?" He demanded as he shook his head continuously. "Once I walk out that door, I won't be coming back. Use this time alone to reflect on your behavior."

With that, he stormed out and slammed the door hard.

As I remained laying there, I stared up at the ceiling as freshen tears began to flow down my cheeks.

"Deep breaths, Tessa. Deep breaths," I shakily whispered to myself. “It would all be over soon, Just a little longer. "

The day I was finally discharged from the hospital was also the day the divorce cooling off period ended.

I made a quick stop at the courthouse and got my divorce papers. It was the only thing that made me genuinely smile as I stared at the papers.

I kept them in my bag and quickly hurried home.

When I arrived, neither of them were home, so I instantly packed what was left of my things and began to drag them out of the house.

That was when I bumped into Ethan.

"What is this all about?" Ethan demanded.

I could only stare at him, feeling too weak to start explaining. I did not have the energy of going through that anymore. I only wanted to be gone from him and his world.

"I can't believe the first thing you think to do right after you're discharged is to go donate more clothes," he stated instead, misreading the situation.

I did not say a word, I only nodded, agreeing to whatever he suspected.

"Look, that's besides the point," he revealed an invitation card from his pocket and handed it to me. "It's Chloe's birthday and despite everything you did, she still decided to invite you to her party."

I corked my brows as I stared at the invitation card.

"Chloe truly has a good heart. She is ready to put everything behind her. They won't be pressing charges and she's ready to forgive you," he went on. "So you're going to get a gift for Chloe, get dressed and follow me to the party."

I was about to reject the invitation and his demands when he suddenly got a call. I guessed who it was before I even heard her voice.

"Where are you, Ethan? All the guests are already here and I feel nervous being here alone. I need you," she whined.

"I'll be there soon. Just give me five minutes," he assured her before hanging up.

Then he turned to me. "Look, I can't wait for you anymore. Chloe needs me. I'll leave first and you can join us later in a cab. Don't forget to bring a gift for Chloe."

I barely said a word before he turned and walked out of the house. I remained standing alone, watching his back until he disappeared completely.

I couldn't help but smile. Since he badly wanted me to give her a gift, then I was going to do that.

I had the perfect gift which she would love the most.

So I grabbed the nearest box I could find, carefully placed the divorce and abortion papers in the box with the video evidence I got before wrapping them carefully.

Then I ordered a courier service.

I laced my house as I waited for them to arrive and when they did, I handed it over to the young man who showed up.

"Have this delivered to that address and make sure that Mr Ethan Carter and Miss Chloe Grant open it together."

The man nodded in response and hurried away.

I grabbed my luggages and left the home without looking back.

Today marked the beginning of my new life.