3

I woke up in a sterile white room, the antiseptic smell of the hospital filling my nostrils. My body ached all over, each movement sending sharp pains through me. The beeping of the machines was rhythmic and distant, like a heartbeat far away from my own. I blinked, trying to clear the fog from my mind, but the pain was a constant, relentless reminder of what had happened.

I tried to sit up, but my limbs feel heavy, weighed down by an unbearable sadness and physical agony. As I moved, I felt a dampness beneath me and looked down to see the sheet covers stained with blood. Panic surged through me, and my breath caught in my throat.

The door creaked open, and a doctor entered, his expression neutral but his eyes betraying a hint of sorrow. He approached my bedside, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Mrs. Luther," he began, his voice calm and measured, "how are you feeling?"

I swallowed hard, my voice trembling as I spoke. "Doctor, my baby... Is my pregnancy okay?"

His face fell slightly, and he shook his head. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "You lost the baby."

"No," I whispered, the word catching in my throat. "No, no, it can't be..." The tears welled up, spilling over and streaming down my face. "Please, no..."

The doctor sighed, his gaze filled with compassion. "We tried everything we could to save the baby, but the trauma from the accident was too severe. I'm truly sorry."

A guttural cry tore from my chest, my body shivering uncontrollably as the reality of his words sank in. The pain was overwhelming, a crushing weight that seemed to suffocate me. My hands clutched at the sheets, the bloodstains a cruel reminder of what I had lost.

I cried out, my sobs sounding in the room, a raw, primal sound of grief. My whole world had shattered in an instant. The baby I had carried, the life I had dreamed of, was gone. The betrayal of Williams and Jessica, the accident, and now this – it was too much to bear.

The doctor stayed by my side, his presence a silent acknowledgment of my pain. But there was nothing he could say or do to take away the ache in my heart. My tears flowed freely, and I let myself drown in the sorrow, my cries filling the room as I mourned the loss of my child.

In that moment, I felt utterly and completely broken, the weight of my grief pulling me into a darkness I feared I would never escape.

Right after the doctor left, I was still crying, the raw pain of losing my baby consuming me, when the door opened again.

My heart sank as Williams and Jessica walked in, their presence an added weight on my already shattered spirit.

“How dare you show up here?” I spat, my voice cracking with grief and anger.

Williams chuckled, his eyes cold. “You’re fat enough that you can barely carry yourself around and clumsy enough to get into an accident? Pathetic.”

Jessica laughed, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “Oh, poor thing,” she cooed, brushing Williams’s arm. “It must have been really bad for you, getting into an accident.”

I cursed at them, my voice hoarse from crying. “You will regret this. Both of you.”

Williams clapped his hands, and one of his servants rushed in carrying a file. The servant held it out to me, barely looking at my face.

“These are divorce papers,” Williams said, his tone authoritative and cold. “Sign them. It’s over. I no longer want this marriage.”

I stared at him, hurt and anger boiling within me, making my body tremble. I had lost our baby, after getting involved in an accident because of his betrayal, and now he was shoving divorce papers in my face? The depth of his cruelty was staggering. He couldn't even beg for forgiveness.

Jessica, smirking, deliberately flaunted her curves in a tight dress, trying to make me feel even more insecure. But I clenched my jaw, refusing to give her the satisfaction.

Williams’s power and wealth radiated off him, and the servants hovered around me with the pen and divorce documents, waiting for my compliance. I looked at the papers, my vision blurred by tears, and then back at Williams and Jessica.

My mind hardened. I would not show them my hurt anymore; it only brought them joy. I refused to let them see my pain.

“I’ll give you ten million dollars and two of my estates to compensate for all your pains,” Williams added, his tone almost bored like he would rather be anywhere else than here.

I shook my head, my voice firm. “I don’t want anything from you.”

Jessica scoffed and blinked incredulously. “You were broke and struggling before Williams pitied you, picked you from the gutters, and took you in. And now you’re rejecting his money and properties? Do you want to starve to death?”

I didn’t respond to her. Instead, I met Williams’s gaze and said, “You want a divorce? Fine, I’ll give it to you.”

Satisfaction flickered across Williams’s face, a twisted sense of victory in his eyes.

With a trembling hand, I finally signed the divorce papers, feeling a cold finality settle over me. William's face broke into a triumphant smile as he collected the papers.

"It's so sad we're ending this way," he said, feigning regret. "Nevertheless, I saw it coming." He then pulled Jessica close to him, his voice dripping with affection. "She is my ideal kind of woman. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman. Thanks to you, Seraphina, I found her."

He pecked Jessica on the lips, and I felt a wave of disgust wash over me as I watched them. They thought they had won, standing there so smugly. I chuckled bitterly, the sound harsh and filled with contempt.

"Get out," I ordered, pointing at the door. My voice was firm, even though my heart was breaking.

Jessica smirked and added, "Lose some weight, Seraphina. You’re too fat for your own good. No man would want to keep someone like you."

As William started to leave with Jessica, he turned back one last time, a cruel smirk on his lips. "It’s a shame you couldn’t be the woman I needed, Seraphina. But don’t worry, Jessica will take good care of everything from now on."

Jessica, nestled against his side, looked at me with a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "Goodbye, Seraphina. Try not to eat yourself into oblivion."

William chuckled, a low, mocking sound that rang in the room. "Remember, you brought this on yourself. You were never good enough."

My heart shattered but my jaw slowly hardened.

This was just the beginning of my return.

As the door began to close, a fierce growl escaped my lips. "You will both regret this," I vowed, my voice trembling with fury and boldness. "I swear, you will regret everything you've done to me."

William and Jessica paused, staring at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. "You can barely help yourself," William scoffed. "How could you possibly make us regret anything when you have nothing?"

Jessica added with a sneer, "Good luck with that, Seraphina."

With those parting words, they finally left, their laughter sounding down the hallway.

I stood there, my heart pounding, tears streaming down my face, but a new fire igniting within me.

They had no idea what they had unleashed. This wasn’t the end of my story. Not by a long shot.