After Three Years of Torture, I Returned the Heart He Blamed Me For

As if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.

“Pregnant?”

“Pregnant is good!”

“Jessica Pruitt owes Bridget a life. She can pay it back with the child in her belly.”

“Once she gives birth, I'll cut the baby's heart out right in front of her……”

Gabriel's words drove into my chest like a steel blade.

Memories churning, I pressed my hand to my stomach, tears streaming down my face.

“This baby has no father.”

So it wouldn't affect the heart removal surgery.

The abortion took an hour. When it was done, I scheduled the heart removal just as I'd planned.

One week from now.

Walking out through the hospital doors, I pressed my palm against my lower abdomen and took slow, measured breaths.

I swallowed the painkillers in a hurry. Then Gabriel's call came.

“Jessica. Ten minutes. Golden Horse Club.”

“You know what happens if you're late.”

I shoved the surgery form into my bag and hailed a cab to the Golden Horse Club.

The second I walked in, a ball slammed into my face.

“Gabriel, you called it. It really is Jessica.”

“Almost thought we hit the wrong person.”

Someone laughed and carried the ball away.

A sharp sting tore through my nose, and the thick taste of iron flooded my mouth.

Blood dripped onto the white carpet, one drop at a time.

I wiped my nose clean the way I always did, then walked over to Gabriel.

His shirt was open, lipstick marks visible across his bare chest, a girl curled in his arms.

He swirled the glass in his hand and let out a low scoff when he saw me.

“You came.”

“I lost at cards again today. Drink this case of beer for me.”

I looked at Gabriel and forced a smile.

Without hesitation, I grabbed a bottle, tilted it to my lips, and drank.

The bitter, biting liquid burned all the way down.

The pain blurred my vision.

Less than a minute and the bottle was empty, my stomach heaving.

But I didn't stop. I wiped the foam from the corner of my mouth and reached for the next one.

The moment my fingers touched the ice-cold glass, a sharp pain seized my chest.

I dug my nails into my palm and tried to sit down on the couch to steady myself.

Someone kicked me off.

“Thud!”

My head cracked against the floor. I nearly blacked out.

When I pushed myself up again, the room erupted in laughter.

Gabriel sat in the center of the private room, a faint smile resting on his lips.

“Enough.”

The room went quiet.

He walked over to me, step by step, and pulled me to my feet. Then he reached into his pocket and took out the sapphire ring from the auction.

Its brilliant blue caught the light and scattered it in dazzling fragments across the dim room.

Gabriel fixed his dark eyes on me and lowered himself to one knee.

“Jessica. Will you marry me?”

I hadn't even processed what was happening.

A mocking smile split across his face.

“You've imagined this a million times, haven't you?”

“Probably rehearsed exactly how you'd cry when you said yes.”

“Too bad, Jessica. This ring was never for you. It's for her.”

Gabriel pointed casually at the girl beside him.

She wore a white dress, her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes bright and clear.

I knew who she was. The college girl from Westgate Film Academy he'd been keeping recently.

Ida James.

“Ida, give me your hand.”

Gabriel slid the ring onto Ida's finger and laced his fingers through hers.

His gaze drifted to me, heavy with contempt.

His other hand curved gently around Ida's neck, and he leaned in to kiss her.

The room broke into whistles and cheers as they kissed.

I clutched my aching chest, and my tears fell freely, lost in the noise of the crowd.