Chapter 3
His palm pressed against my swollen belly, his voice dripping with false tenderness. “You two used to get along, did- n’t you?”
My entire body stiffened, bile rising in my throat.
“Of course.” I forced a smile, enduring his touch as his fingers traced my stomach.
The butler cleared his throat. “Mr. Delami, Dylan just reminded me–there are some urgent documents from the com- pany that need your signature.”
Stephen withdrew his hand, pausing at the door. “Don’t wander tonight. You’re too precious now.”
Only after they’d left did I dare to slump against the railing, cold sweat running down my back.
Once the house quieted, I curled up on the couch. My fingers moved on their own, unlocking my phone.
I’d never snooped through Joey’s Instagram before–but something compelled me to open it now.
Sure enough, the evidence stabbed me straight in the eyes like a dagger out of nowhere.
She had just posted, half an hour ago.
In the video, Stephen was carefully supporting Joey’s neck as he fed her a pill.
His fingertips gently brushed the corner of her lips, his gaze so tender it was almost dripping.
The caption read, “Thank you, Stephen, for taking care of me day and night. Even feeding me medicine yourself–so thoughtful.”
My finger kept scrolling uncontrollably. More intimate pictures followed.
Stephen holding Joey while they watched the sunset. Stephen brushing Joey’s hair. Stephen kissing her forehead…
All those pictures were time–stamped during nights he had claimed to be working overtime.
My stomach turned violently. I ran to the bathroom and dry–heaved.
When I looked up, the woman in the mirror had red, swollen eyes, dark circles smeared beneath them, and lips torn and bleeding from being bitten too hard.
That worn–out, exhausted pregnant woman… was me?
I didn’t sleep a wink that night. The next morning, I went to the hospital alone.
The sharp smell of disinfectant in the hallway made my head spin again.
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Chapter 3
“Ms. Kingston,” the doctor said, pushing up his glasses, a grave tone in his voice, “your uterine wall is down to less than 2 millimeters thick. Carrying sextuplets has put tremendous stress on your body. If you insist on a full termina- tion, the risks are extremely high. Does your husband know? You might consider selective reduction first.”
I clutched the exam report tightly, just about to respond when something familiar caught my eye at the end of the cor- ridor.
Stephen was pushing a wheelchair. Joey, wrapped in a beige shawl, was leaning weakly against his chest.
Sunlight poured in through the floor–to–ceiling windows. He bent down to tuck her loose hair behind her ear, fingers lingering on her pale cheek with deep affection.
That look–I knew it too well. Love. Longing.
“Doctor, go ahead with the termination,” I heard my own cold voice say. “All of them.”
I wiped away tears I didn’t even know had started falling and stepped out of the exam room
Joey suddenly called out to me, “Jessica!” Though weak, it was laced with satisfaction. “Stephen said you were carry- ing sextuplets. I thought he was joking! And him–how could he let you come to your checkup alone?”
Stephen finally seemed to notice me. His expression froze.
Joey reached out, her cold fingers pressing lightly against my belly. “Such a big bump. Stephen, seriously–you’ve no pity, letting Jessica carry so many at once.”
She playfully thumped his chest. And he―he actually clasped her wrist and chuckled lowly. “Didn’t you always say you loved kids? Soon you’ll have a whole pack of them running around you.”
My stomach lurched again. I doubled over and dry–heaved.
“Jessica!” Stephen rushed to support me, his warm hand through the fabric of my clothes made my skin crawl.
“I’m fine.” I wiped my mouth and forced myself upright. “Just morning sickness.”
He frowned as he scanned my pale face, then reached out to touch my forehead. “You’ve lost so much weight. Have you not been eating properly?”
That fake concern nearly made me laugh.
As I looked at him putting on his dutiful husband act, all I could think of was the video from the night before–when he fed Joey medicine with that same gentle gaze.
“It’s nothing. I’m used to it.” I stepped back to avoid his hand.
“You go ahead and keep her company. I’ll head home first.”
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