STIGMA

While I Was Bleeding Out, He Lit Lanterns For Her

Katie Oettgen

As I lay on the floor of our manor, bleeding out from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, I used my last ounce of strength to call my husband, Cole. I begged him for help, my vision blurring. But the only thing I heard was the clinking of champagne glasses and his mistress's giggle in the background. "Stop the drama, June," Cole snapped, his voice cold. "We're about to go on stage. Don't call again." He hung up, leaving me to die alone on the Persian rug while he accepted an award with another woman on his arm. I woke up in the hospital days later. My baby was gone. They had removed my fallopian tube. Cole finally arrived, smelling of expensive scotch and his mistress's perfume. He didn't hug me. He didn't cry. Instead, he leaned over my hospital bed, pressing his knee into the mattress until my fresh stitches tore open and bled. "You embarrassed me by calling an ambulance," he hissed. "My mistress, Alycia, says you're faking it. Clean yourself up." He left me bleeding again to go announce a $10 million donation to Alycia's "groundbreaking" medical research. I stared at the TV screen, numb. The research Alycia was taking credit for? It was mine. I wrote that patent years ago under a pseudonym. They thought I was just a poor, orphan housewife who needed Cole's money to survive. They had no idea I was actually a billionaire scientist hiding my identity. I pulled the IV needle out of my arm. A drop of blood fell onto the divorce papers I had been hiding. I didn't wipe it off. I signed my name right over it. Then I walked into the bank, reactivated my dormant account with $128 million, and bought the penthouse directly overlooking Cole's house. The mourning widow is dead. The avenger is born.

Romance Crime Revenge Pregnancy Enemies to Lovers Pregnancy Personal Growth

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With her hands grasping the sheets tightly, Rose Lin bent up to see him sprawling over her body.

She groaned as the pain and pleasure mixed together. The she pushed her hips upwards in an effort for his body to agree with hers even more.

"Relax."

A smooth voice came from the top of her head. However, she also noticed his breathing became much heavier than usual.

Rose Lin unconsciously released her tightly curled fingers and the bed sheet around her crumbled back down.

It was no other than Burke Gu, the man who she had been married to for half a year.

She had loved him for twelve years, so she didn't really mind trusting him with this simple act.

Burke Gu gazed deeply at the bewildered Rose Lin under him. Her seducing eyes, shadowed by the lurking darkness around them.

The moment he entered her, he groaned as hundreds of thoughts flashed into his mind.

This was his wife – his actual wife. As groans and moans echoed throughout the room, he just couldn't believe that he was this lucky.

It felt as if a fire was lit up right in his chest as he lived in the moment over Rose's skin.

He leaned over and kissed her sweet and soft lips, and she moaned, pulling his face deeper into hers.

The next morning,

a pile of paper dropped in front of Rose.

She stopped what she was doing, stunned at being shocked out of her reverie. She took the forms doubtfully and scanned the familiar content.

Wasn't this their agreement, the contract they signed before marriage?

"What do you mean?"

she said, trying to steady her already shaking voice.

There was a two year deadline on their marriage. They'd already been married for half a year, yet he found the time to take it out again. Was there something wrong?

"Look at the third clause," he stated.

She narrowed her eyes at the third clause of their agreement.

"On the basis of both sides' wishes, both sides can perform the duty of a couple."

She was dumbfounded, her tongue tied at the predicament.

Trust Burke to label sex in such a formal manner.

Back then, there was only one clause in their obligation, that Rose didn't need to serve Burke in bed. All she needed was to act like his wife in public.

Once he saw the change in her face, he reached out and buttoned his suit sleeve with one hand elegantly. "You don't have to think too much into it. I'm a man, and I have my own needs to fulfill, and you happen to be the solution," he stated.

A flicker of surprise flashed in her face.

Did she hear it right? Did Burke just ask her to have sex with him?

In fact, she never really heard him speak of this topic till the time they both signed the arrangement.

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