Chapter 24
Abigail
I nodded at the apology, not trusting myself to speak just yet.
“Susanna,” Conrad said quietly. “I think Alexander is right. You should go home with him. Your husband is back
now.”
The moment he finally agreed to let Susanna leave with Alexander, a weight seemed to lift from my chest.
Alexander nodded. “Thank you again, for taking care of her He tumed to Susanna. “Start packing your things. You’ll be leaving tonight.”
“At least let me leave tomorrow,” Susanna said, her voice tight with barely concealed anger, but she didn’t dare show it in front of Alexander. “I can’t possibly pack all my things tonight.”
Alexander considered her words for a moment, his sharp gaze on her, before finally nodding
As Conrad and I walked away, the silence between us was heavy, but I broke it with carefully measured words. I turned to him, taking advantage of the quiet. “I want you to come with me to the hospital tomorrow,” I said softly. My voice was calm, masking the nerves bubbling under the surface. “It’s important.”
He looked at me with mild surprise, but his nod was immediate. “Of course, Abigail,” he said without hesitation. I felt relief swim through me. For once, his agreement felt genuine, instead of something to appease me after Susanna had gotten on my nerves. My chest tightened as I thought about the news I would share. Tomorrow, I would tell him. No more secrecy, no more wondering if there was still a future for us. The life growing inside me deserved more than a crumbling marriage.
There would be no more secrets between us…
The next day, as Conrad and I entered the hospital, I felt a strange mixture of hope and apprehension. Conrad stayed close, his hand resting protectively on my lower back as I checked in at the desk. It was such a small gesture, yet it made me hope. Maybe things could still change between us. We could go back to the way we used to be.
As I sat in the waiting area, thumbing through the pages of magazine I wasn’t really reading, movement caught my eye. Across the room, a woman clung to a doctor, her sobs echoing in the quiet hall. I squinted, something in my brain recognizing her. It was Liliana. Susanna’s sister.
“Please, you have to do something! Susanna- she fell! She fell down the stairs, and–and I don’t know if the baby
Her voice cracked, and she buried her face in the doctor’s coat.
Η
Her unmistakable wails sliced through the calm of the hospital. Tears streamed down her face as she cried out incoherent words. Alarm bells went off in my mind as Conrad stiffened beside me. His name tumbled from my lips, but it was too late. He was already walking quickly toward the commotion. I stayed seated, my fingers gripping the armrest.
“Liliana, what’s going on?” Conrad’s voice was filled with panic.
Liliana’s tear–streaked face turned to him and her sobs made her words almost too hard to understand,‘ ‘ caught enough. “Susanna…. she fell the baby… I don’t know if the baby will survive!”
I felt my stomach twist, though whether it was from suspicion or frustration, I wasn’t sure.
Questions tumbled out of Conrad as he desperately tried to understand what had happened and how Susanna had fallen, but Liliana’s cries drowned out his voice. People began to gather, their curious murmurs adding to the chaos. I couldn’t hold back any longer. Rising, I crossed the room and made my way towards them. “If it’s that
Chapter 24
+25 NONUS
urgent,” I said sharply, my voice cutting through Liliana’s wails, “why are you wasting the doctor’s time instead of letting him go save her?”
Liliana’s head snapped up, her mouth trembling, but before she could respond, or even let go of the doctor’s coat, another voice shouted, full of venom.
“It was her!” A boy’s voice. I turned just in time to see Harry, Liliana’s obnoxious son, barreling toward us. His finger pointed at me with all the righteous fury of a judge passing a death sentence. “You pushed my aunt down the stairs! It’s your fault she’s here!”
Gasps rippled through the small crowd that had gathered. Murmurs started, judgmental stares burning into my skin. I had to stop myself from scoffing. This was like the shopping mall all over again. This boy always had bold lies to throw against me.
“Harry,” Conrad said sharply, stepping forward. “That’s enough! Stop making a scene.” But Harry wasn’t finished. He jabbed his finger toward me again, his voice rising. “You’ve always hated Aunt Susanna! Everyone knows it!”
My lips curled into a humorless smile as I stared at the boy “You really should work on your storytelling skills, Harry. They’re almost as pitiful as your tantrums.”
Conrad’s hands gripped the doctor’s arm as if the man might vanish if he let go. “You need to go to her now!” His voice was urgent, cutting through the noise of Liliana’s sobe. “Make sure she’s alright”
Liliana hiccupped, clutching at her chest as she stammered, “She–she’s in the west wing, third floor. Please, you have to come, Conrad!”
Conrad nodded, patting her back, but I stepped closer, my gaze icy. “If you leave me behind again, Conrad,” 1 said, my voice completely serious, “to rush to Susanna’s side because of her demands, then we’re done.”
Liliana, never one to miss an opportunity, sniffled loudly. “This isn’t about you, Abigail,” she said, her voice trembling with faux sincerity. “Susanna’s life is at risk, and all you can think about is yourself?”
I didn’t bother to dignify her with a response and just kept my gaze on my husband. I needed to know where we stood
I would not beg for his attention, and I would not compete with Susanna for it. My focus had to be on the life growing inside me and the future I wanted to build for us. Whether Conrad chose to be part of that future was entirely up to him.
