Betrayal and Second Chances

I rushed home after leaving the suite, hurriedly packing some clothes and gathering my papers. Just as I was about to leave, the door swung open.

Laurel's daughter, Jimena, burst in first. She charged at me, kicking me sharply. "You’re horrible! You hurt my mom! You’re bad!"

The kick sent a sharp pain through me, and as I prepared to respond, Ezra's voice followed.

"Get the child back to her room," he commanded, his tone icy and resolute. "Put her in the car."

A group of bodyguards emerged and pulled me away, forcing me into a car.

Ten minutes later, I found myself at the Smith family's private clinic, tightly restrained on an operating table.

Alarmed, I turned to Ezra and shouted, "What’s going on?!"

Ezra’s voice was strained. "Laurel just got home, and I don’t want her to be stressed. We can't have this child."

I glared into his eyes, my nails biting into my palms, voice cracked and raw. "You're willing to harm your own child for another woman?"

Ezra didn’t look up. "Yes."

That single word felt like a plunge into darkness. I knew no pleas would change his mind.

"I hope you don’t live to regret this," I murmured, squeezing my eyes shut as the anesthesia took hold. A faint voice echoed in my mind.

The doctor hesitated, "Her health isn't great. A termination could make future pregnancies difficult. Shouldn’t we reassess..."

"No," Ezra interrupted firmly.

His voice cut through the silence, and after a moment's pause, he added, "Even if she can’t have more, I think she’ll forgive me."

I drifted into a dreamlike state. A man appeared, his face blurred but smiling gently. I reached out for him, anxiety rising as I struggled. "Remington, help me, save me..."

Awakening, I found Ezra glaring at me, eyes full of suspicion.

"Virginia, who were you calling?"

Pressing my lips together, I stared at the ceiling. "You imagined it."

His eyes remained doubtful, yet he chose to believe me. Maybe he thought someone so dedicated couldn't harbor feelings for anyone else.

I touched my now empty belly, seeing guilt flicker in Ezra’s eyes as he tried to rationalize his actions in a weak and illogical way.

"Laurel married another because of me, destroying her life. I owe her; I have to do this..."

"I know you’re upset, but you’re still my wife, and that’s how it’ll stay."

"Recover well; there will be other chances for children."

I responded with quiet indifference, remaining silent.

Assuming I was still angry, he reached out to touch my face. I dodged him, leaving his hand frozen awkwardly, panic in his eyes.

As he began to speak, I was overwhelmed by the scent of Laurel’s perfume on him. Disgusted, I said, "If there’s nothing else, I need rest. Please go."

I must have hit a nerve, because his expression hardened with frustration.

"Virginia, what will it take? I’ve already apologized! What more do you want?!" he shouted.

I closed my eyes, refusing to look at him.

"Ezra! Where are you? Jimena’s crying for you. Can you come join us?" Laurel’s enticing voice cooed through the phone, making Ezra hesitate.

Glancing at me, he said, "I’ll go check on Jimena and be back."

Once Ezra left, I retrieved my phone, flooded with missed calls. I dialed back, instantly connecting.

"Virginia, you finally picked up! I was so worried. Are you reconsidering?"

"No, just had a minor procedure due to an unexpected situation. I’ll rest for a few days, then I’ll come over."

"You didn’t even tell me about something this major. No way, I’m coming to get you. Wait for me," Remington stated firmly.

Before I could argue, the call ended abruptly.

Later, Laurel texted me with a taunt. Accompanying her message was a recording of Ezra swearing to care for her and Jimena forever, along with photos of her nestled in his arms. The images were dripping with suggestion.

Weary of it all, I switched off my phone. Exhausted, I soon drifted into deep sleep.

Awaking the next day, I checked out of the clinic and returned home, only to find my room in disarray.

Jimena sat amidst the chaos, toying with something in her hands. My heart jolted. She held the locket I’d prepared for my unborn child.

I hurried to snatch it back, causing Jimena to glare and burst into tears.

Hearing the commotion, Ezra rushed in. Without a word, he tossed an extravagant necklace at me.

"Think of this as compensation!"

"This locket isn’t worth much. If Jimena likes it, let her have it for a while."

His words stabbed at my heart. The locket had been personally commissioned by Ezra, engraved with the child's birth chart and blessed at a chapel.

He had once promised to protect our child as he had protected me. But his devotion had shifted entirely.

With a bitter smile, I hurled the locket to the ground, shattering it.

"If it couldn’t save my child, it’s clearly unlucky. Better to destroy it."

"Don’t want Jimena catching its bad luck, do you?"

Ezra was visibly agitated, but found no words to counter, leaving the room instead.

Soon, the door creaked open again, revealing Laurel. Her expression smug, satisfied.

"Virginia, seeing you like this makes me happy," she gloated.

I glanced at her dismissively, refusing to engage.

"What can I say? Ezra loves me. For me, he’s willing to sacrifice everything—not just your child, but you too."

Her words were bold, assuming I’d seen her smug posts, daring me to react.

"Ezra never valued you like he values me, did he? Honestly, he always said you lacked any spark."

"I pity you for spending five years on a man who doesn’t love you."

She eye-balled my neck with her red lips curled in satisfaction, teasingly revealing more skin marked with passionate traces.

Perhaps she expected me to crumble, to cry or rage. Instead, I merely raised an eyebrow, unfazed.

"Enjoy it while it lasts."

Her inability to provoke me irritated Laurel, as she glared.

"You know, it was my idea to get rid of your child."

"As long as my child exists, yours never will."

That statement broke me. My vision blurred with rage as I threw a vase at her.

Though it missed, she screamed, "Ah!"

The door flew open, and Ezra rushed in, finding Laurel on the floor, tears streaming.

"Ezra, I’m so scared. Why did Virginia attack me? I didn’t do anything..."

Ezra rushed to her side, pushing me away to help Laurel up.

Thrown off balance, I fell, shards digging into my palms, drawing blood.

But Ezra didn’t notice, glaring at me with disdain and anger. "Virginia, have you no sense? Laurel is hurt, and you still aim to harm her?!"

Jimena ran over, kicking and hitting me.

Struggling to stand, it felt as if my heart were squeezed, robbing me of breath.

"Hurt her? Are you blind, Ezra? Can’t you see she’s the one hurting me?"

"Enough, Virginia! You still slander Laurel! I never knew you could be so cruel!" Ezra shouted, grabbing another vase to throw.

In the next instant, there was a crash, and I felt warm blood trickle down my forehead.

Ezra froze momentarily, then spoke almost involuntarily, "Why didn’t you dodge..."