Losing Baby to His Schemes

Brendan Cook was a renowned geologist.

Eight months into my pregnancy, he gifted me a beautiful amethyst, and I thought it was a symbol of his affection. That belief was shattered on his birthday when I decided to surprise him by quietly sneaking into the trunk of his car.

I overheard him speaking to his lover, whom he called his "moonbeam."

“That amethyst,” he said, “I found it during a geological survey. It’s radioactive and will harm the baby.”

“When the time comes, I’ll persuade her to end the pregnancy so you won’t feel envious.”

I felt numb all over. Instead of making a scene, I calmly scheduled the procedure to terminate the pregnancy and sent a report to his workplace.

I had just hidden in the trunk when Brendan got into the car. At the same time, Violette Martinez joined him, settling into the passenger seat. Brendan gently fastened her seatbelt and tossed out the small pillow I used for lumbar support.

I froze, struggling to believe what I was seeing. But it was unmistakably Brendan.

“Come on, don’t be mad, Violette,” he whispered. “I know you don’t like Mackenzie’s things. See, I remembered to get rid of it for you.” Brendan stroked her cheek, and Violette smiled, playfully pouting.

“Dr. Cook is always so busy; I thought you might have forgotten me.”

“Forget you? Never.” Brendan nibbled on her ear. “You’re my treasure.”

My nails dug into the leather seat, half-kneeling in the trunk and witnessing all of this. Brendan was usually very busy, often traveling for surveys in the Alps. Because it was his birthday, I had planned to hide in the trunk to surprise him, but instead, he surprised me.

Violette’s face flushed with a bright red, yet there was still a trace of dissatisfaction. “I saw you gave Mackenzie an amethyst not long ago and claimed you didn’t love her!”

Brendan’s lips brushed against her ear.

“That amethyst is radioactive and will harm the baby she’s carrying.”

“When the time comes, I’ll persuade her to end the pregnancy so you won’t feel envious.”

These simple words hit me like a bomb. My grip tightened on the seat, nails breaking instantly. I nearly collapsed but held onto the seat with all my strength.

“Really?” Violette exclaimed in surprise.

“Of course. I know you’re upset she’s having my baby, so I devised this solution.”

“Now, you don’t have to be angry, right?”

Brendan was already undoing her Victorian-style dress.

I covered my mouth, trembling all over.

If I hadn’t gotten into the car today, I would never have known that what I held dear as a treasure was actually the weapon that would destroy my child!

I tore the amethyst from my neck and clenched it tightly in my hand.