A Bride's Unwritten Clause

The wind howled, and icy bits of hail began to fall, stinging my exposed skin. I wrestled with my flimsy umbrella, my voice as cold as the storm. "Brady, I'm on a side road, and it's hailing."

Brady paused, his tone softening for a fraction of a second. "It's hailing? You're not at the estate? I'm coming to get you—"

Before he could finish, Selene's whimpering cut in from the other end of the line.

"My chest feels so tight… Brady, am I going to die…? I shouldn't have come back…"

Brady immediately shushed her, murmuring words of comfort. When he spoke to me again, the ice was back in his voice.

"Kylie, stop playing the victim. I'm giving you half an hour to get to the hospital and apologize!"

The cold hostility in his voice sent a shiver down my spine, but it also snuffed out the last ember of love I had for him.

"You’re demanding an apology from the wrong person, Brady. Our engagement is over."

Brady clearly hadn't expected me to say that. He sneered, "Everyone in the Hamptons knows I got you pregnant. Kylie, if you leave me, who else would want damaged goods like you?"

Finally, a gust of wind ripped the umbrella from my hand, sending it skittering away into the darkness.

I stood there, letting the wind howl and the hail beat down on me, but my mind was clearer than ever.

My Uber pulled up just then, and I ended the call.

Stroking my slightly swollen belly, I wiped away my tears and told the driver, "Please take me to the nearest private clinic."

…

Lying on the operating table, I could have sworn I heard my baby's heartbeat, a tiny flutter begging me not to give up.

I hesitated for a long, agonizing moment before I called Brady one last time.

"I'm at the hospital, Brady. You—"

He cut me off with a cold snort. "Since you're there, get to her room now! You'd better apologize properly this time, or don't expect any forgiveness from me."