Dark storm clouds hung over Blanchard Garden.
The flame of a lit candle in the study flickered slightly in an almost ominous and sinistrous manner.
Aidan Nelson stared vacantly at the image that was being projected onto the wall - it was a picture of a man and a woman engaging in intercourse, their bodies close and intertwined with each other.
Even though the man’s face was blurred out, the woman’s face was as clear as the day. Aidan recognized the woman’s face - he knew just who she was, all too well.
It was his wife, Eliana Harvey, the most beautiful and stunning lady in the whole of Mallstrick City.
On the day that he almost lost his life to a blazing fire, this woman, who had always told him that there was no one else for her but him in this world, was, to his horror and dismay, stabbing him right in his back by cheating on him with another man…
Just then, there was a knock on the door - the person outside informed in a respective and poised voice: “Young Master Aidan, you have a phone call. The person on the phone said that Miss Harvey is currently experiencing a premature birth.”
Something flashed across the man’s intent and sharp eyes as he furrowed his brows together. He then got up from where he was seated and swiftly walked out of the room.
...
Meanwhile, in a hospital ward, a woman was screaming out in the pain from childbirth.
“C-Call Aidan. I want to see him - do it now!”
Alas, instead of obliging, Laura Collins, the woman clad in a long white dress who stood beside her bed, scoffed and sneered at her.
“Eliana, my dear cousin - how could you still have the audacity to ask of something like this? Don’t you know just how much hatred and resentment Aidan has towards you after you had crippled your aunt, murdered my sister and made me infertile? I hate to break it to you, but it’s a fact that I’m the only one whom he loves now - just last night, we…”
Before she could complete her sentence, Eliana, who was lying on the hospital bed, mustered up all of her strength to sit up so that she could reach out and grab Laura by her collar.
Even though she was as pale as a ghost, Eliana nevertheless looked as mesmerizing and captivating as she usually was.
“Y...You’re utterly shameless!”
Laura clicked her teeth in disapproval as she retorted: “As defending champion, there’s nothing that you should worry about - I’ll never stoop to your level no matter how shameless that I may try to be! I’m not the one going about and doing those kinds of outrageous and scandalous things behind his back.”
Eliana gritted her teeth as she growled lowly: “I never did any of those things.”
“Oh sure, you didn’t.” Laura retaliated sarcastically - she then drew herself to whisper into Eliana’s ear: “I mean, I believe you - but sadly for you, Aidan doesn’t. I’m the only person whom he trusts now.”
Laura’s harsh and cruel words jabbed right into Eliana’s heart.
It’s true...she’s right...Aidan doesn’t believe me, not anymore. There’s...there’s no way that he would ever believe me again!
Enraged and provoked by Laura’s jabs, Eliana summoned all of her strength despite her weakened state and attempted to claw at and shove Laura to the ground.
Even though Laura had not managed to push her over, Laura deliberately fell onto the ground when she heard the sound of footsteps coming to the door.
The door of the hospital ward soon swung open to reveal a tall and broad figure, who hurried over to Laura to help her up - just then, his sharp gaze shifted upwards to look at Eliana.
As cold-hearted and emotionless as he usually was, Aidan couldn’t help but feel his heart wrench and tighten upon noticing just how frail Eliana look - her face was as white as sheet, and her hair stuck to her forehead and the sides of her temples, completely matted and dampened.
Just then, Laura flew over to Aidan’s side and pleaded in a pitiful voice: “Aidan, please don’t blame Eliana, she didn’t mean to push me! She probably only did it because she’s in a lot of pain right now - it’s alright, I’m fine, I’m not hurt. I’m willing to take anything if it means that the child will be delivered safely and smoothly.”
Aidan’s handsome and charming face scrunched up at this as he instantly turned to Eliana with an angered expression on his face - he roared: “You’re too much! You’re so despicable that you can’t stop yourself from harming others even when you’re lying on a hospital bed and giving birth, huh?”
Eliana’s heart sank at Aidan’s harsh and accusatory words - she had never felt so helpless and agonized.
This was the very man whom she’d sworn that she would marry ever since she was a child.
“Aidan, I want a divorce. The child…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Aidan lurched forward and grabbed Eliana by the neck as soon as he heard the word “divorce” - he snarled: “I can’t believe the audacity of you to make such a demand! What makes you think that I wish to continue being with you? I'm telling you right now - you better get out of my life after giving birth to the child and handing him or her over to Laura. I don’t want to see you ever again.”
He then wrenched his hand off Eliana’s neck and turned around to storm out of the room.
Laura glared at Eliana as well before following Aidan out.
…
To describe the pain of childbirth as simply ‘vicious’ would be an understatement.
Never had Eliana expected the pain to be so excruciating and agonizing - she felt as though she was suffocating and drowning in the depths of hell, utterly helpless and unable to break free from its merciless and formidable prowess.
Alas, Eliana bit her lip and held herself back - she told herself that she would stay strong, that she would not let out a single cry no matter how bad the pain got, even if she felt as though her insides were being ripped right apart. I must hang in there - I will get through this. I can’t let them see how weak and pathetic I am and give them a chance to make a mockery out of me.
At last, the child was born - Eliana finally could not hold on any longer and passed out from exhaustion and weariness.
It was already dark outside by the time she stirred.
Eliana heard murmuring coming from outside the hospital ward in her dazed and groggy state.
“I heard he brought four dogs.”
“I can’t believe he fed a small and young child to the dogs...I’m shuddering in fear just from thinking about it alone.”
Eliana suddenly sensed that something was off - despite her exhaustion, Eliana croaked out: “W-What are you talking about?”
One of the nurses jumped slightly, startled when she heard Eliana’s voice.
“Whose child are you talking about? Whose child was fed to the dogs?” Eliana asked demandingly, “This is a psychiatric hospital - where could the child have possibly come from?”
Rather than sending her to a regular hospital on the day that he found out that she was pregnant, Aidan had sent Eliana to be locked up in a psychiatric hospital instead.
Knowing that something was very wrong, Eliana felt a shiver run down her spine as goosebumps began to spread gradually across her skin - I have a very, very bad feeling about this...no, please don’t tell me...no, it can’t be…
Despite her weakened state, Eliana threw the covers off herself and hauled her heavy body off the hospital bed - she dashed out of the room as quickly as she could whilst clinging onto the wall for support.
When she reached the hospital’s back door, Eliana saw Laura and several male servants crowding around the area.
She could hear a few dogs barking loudly in the yard.
“Laura, what the heck did you do?! Where is my child?!”
Laura turned around to face Eliana upon hearing the latter’s voice - a wicked and menacing crept upon her lips at the sight of her cousin.
“Ah, my dear cousin - what a terrible fate that you have! Don’t you know that your baby was stillborn? Aidan was absolutely livid - he said that the stillborn baby was bad luck and ordered for it to be fed to the dogs.”
Eliana’s eyes widened in horror at this revelation - she immediately ran over to the dogs. only to see blood trickling down the snouts of two of them.
Eliana felt as though her entire world had just crumbled apart - she screamed and wailed in agony, unable to believe her eyes: “No - it can’t be! No...NOOOOOOOOO!!!”
