Womb for Wagers

"Kaelith, when did you become so cruel?"

For the next two months, Cassian had taken meticulous care of me, comforting me and promising he would give me many, many more children.

He had brought me to a private island named Obsidian Isle to clear my mind.

Strangely, his other five friends and Sabine had joined us. I had felt deeply uncomfortable at the time, but Cassian still insisted they come along.

That entire week, I fell asleep early every night, yet the next morning I was always so exhausted I could barely get out of bed. My body felt torn apart, as if it had been ripped to pieces.

Each time, Cassian admitted he couldn’t control himself while I was asleep…

Only today did I learn the ugly truth.

Compared to that, the man who kidnapped me yesterday didn’t seem so terrible after all.

I took out the business card he had given me and called the number. "Are you absolutely sure the child I’m carrying belongs to Adric Vale, the underground king?"

The secretary on the other end, Lennox Hale, was extremely certain and even sent me the fetal genetic test report.

"All three babies belong to President Vale. He has a hereditary condition that makes it nearly impossible for him to have children. For him to have heirs is truly heaven’s blessing. Miss Kaelith, you must keep them…"

My mind was in complete turmoil.

At that moment, the front door opened. Cassian had returned, and Sabine was with him.

Ever since his younger brother, Pluto Thorne, died unexpectedly, Cassian had brought Sabine into our home. He said she was family and that he would take care of her for the rest of her life.

I had looked at their hands, still clasped together, and a dull ache spread through my chest.

I should have known long ago that something was wrong between them. I had just been lying to myself.

Cassian released her hand and reached for me. "Honey, why aren’t you asleep yet? Didn’t the doctor say you need plenty of rest?"

I gagged instinctively. It was revolting to think that the same hand had just been under Sabine’s skirt.

"Don’t touch me."

Cassian frowned. "Honey, what’s wrong?"

Before I could answer, Sabine suddenly brightened. "Kaelith, you’re gagging. Are you pregnant again?"

"Pregnant?" Cassian sounded excited, too. "The timing would make sense. Honey, go rest. Tomorrow we’ll go to the hospital together for a checkup. I’ll tuck Sabine in first and come back to keep you company."

He led Sabine by the hand and closed the bedroom door next to mine.

A sharp pain pierced through my chest.

Ever since Pluto died, Sabine claimed she had nightmares every night and couldn’t sleep without Cassian beside her. He ended up dividing himself between two bedrooms.

He had told me, "It’s only temporary. Once Sabine gets through this difficult time, I’ll be yours and yours alone again."

An hour turned into two, until eventually he stopped returning to our room at all.

When I protested, he had said, "She’s a woman too. How can you have so little compassion?"

Now I stood outside their door, hearing Sabine’s soft moans.

"Cass, how many babies do you think Kaelith is carrying? And whose are they? I’m so curious."

Cassian panted heavily. "No matter how many, and no matter whose they are, they won’t be kept. Sabine, you know I staged all of this to avenge that slap she gave you. I did it for you."

"You’re so good to me, Cass. When will I finally get pregnant with your child? I’m so jealous of her."

"Jealous of what? When the time comes to abort those babies, I’ll have the doctor remove her uterus, too. That should put your mind at ease. Thorne babies can only come from your womb."

I stood outside the door, frozen to the bone, holding the phone that had never been hung up.

"Tell Mr. Vale I agree to keep the children."

That night, Cassian did not return to the bedroom.

At dawn, Sabine pushed open my door, her body covered in red marks. She deliberately lifted her skirt in front of me.

"Kaelith, is he that rough with you, too?"