He Chose My Stepsister, So I Chose His Brother

Isabella's POV

The force of his slap threw me to the floor, and I released a cry of pain and shock as my vision turned black for a moment.

Pain exploded through my face as I hit the floor. I lay there frozen, too shocked to even move.

What just happened? Why?

My mind scrambled for answers, but nothing made sense. Why had Marcus hit me? He had never done that before.

I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the dizziness. My hands trembled as I pushed myself up from the floor. I noticed Bianca standing behind the furious Marcus, with her arms folded across her chest, and tears running down her face.

“What the hell is going on?” I croaked, my voice shook as tears welled up in my eyes.

Marcus towered over me, breathing heavily in anger. “You hit her, Isabella? You hit the woman carrying my child? Is that how bitter you have become?”

“What?” I whispered, still struggling to process his words. “I—what are you talking about?”

“She came to talk to you, and you attacked her? Your infertility is causing you to become deranged!” he yelled, his eyes blazed with fury.

Bianca sobbed as she stepped forward. “I... I just wanted to check on her. I brought her some tea,” she said softly. “She started screaming. I tried to calm her down, but she... she started hitting me. She said I was ruining her life, that I deserved to die.”

Her voice broke, then she continued while I gaped at her. “I didn’t want to tell you, Marcus, but she really scared me. I thought she would kill me.”

My heart nearly stopped. She was lying boldly and shamelessly.

I shook my head slowly, still on the floor. “You lying snake,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I never touched you.”

Bianca’s lips shook, and she looked away, looking like the perfect victim.

Marcus didn’t even hesitate.

“Get out,” he growled at me. “Get out of my sight before I do something worse to you.”

I stared up at him with tears burning in my eyes, not just from pain, but from disbelief that he had really done this because of her.

“You believe her?” I whispered. “Do you think I would ever do such a thing?”

His eyes wavered for a moment, before they hardened. “You’re unstable, Isabella. I don’t even know who you are anymore. Jealousy is turning you into something else.”

A bitter laugh escaped my mouth. “I have nothing to be jealous of.” I spat.

I could taste blood on my lips. The force of his slap had split my lip. I wiped it with the back of my hand, ignoring the sting.

For a brief second, Marcus’s gaze dropped to my bleeding lip, and he clenched his jaw. His expression softened, and he stepped forward.

“Isa—”

But before he could finish, Bianca whimpered from behind him. “My head hurts, Marcus,” she said, her voice soft and fragile. “She hit me so hard. I just… I didn’t expect her to snap like that.”

Marcus turned to her instantly, forgetting all about me, like I never existed. He wrapped a protective arm around Bianca, who leaned into him like she was a fragile glass doll.

Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them drop. I was done shedding tears because of them.

Bianca glanced back at me with a mocking smirk on her lips, and triumph gleaming in her eyes, but I brushed it off.

Three more days.

Just three more days, and I would be gone.

~

The next morning, I left the house early to go to the clinic for the abortion. My chest tightened, and my heart ached as I waited to be attended to.

My hands shook as I slowly placed a hand on my stomach. It was flat. There were no changes, but something precious was within. Something I had once thought I could never have.

A baby.

Tears welled in my eyes again, but I blinked them away. I had made a logical decision. It was a necessary one.

A nurse called my name, and I rose to my feet slowly as my heart pounded in my chest. I was led into a private room where the doctor turned to face me.

The moment he saw me, his brows lifted in surprise.

“Mrs. Pierce?” he said in obvious surprise. He had been the doctor who had declared me barren after the accident six years ago.

I gave him a weak smile.

He glanced down at the file in his hand, then back up at me. “Are you… sure about this?”

I didn’t respond. My throat had closed up.

He sighed softly and walked over, his voice gentle. “Mrs. Pierce, I need you to understand how rare, and miraculous this pregnancy is.” he paused. “If you go through with this, you will never get another chance. Ever.”