MARRIED TO THE CEO WHO RUINED ME

ital

came back i

y beep of

e sting of

ight of some

ignity

e opened

. The soft ache in her arm from the IV needle. But none of

mot

ike a verdict had already been delivered. Arm

." Marceli

ow and venomous. "Now tell me, young lady. Wh

d hit li

e coiled like a serpent in her stomach. Her vo

e test results don't lie. You're pregnant. And unless the H

. Her body felt foreign-heavy, distan

a hissed. "Who

deep to pull free. She didn't want to say it. Sayi

ed out in a b

.Cro

s widened in disbelief, t

st say?" Her voic

eated, tears now spilling down

. But no

silence that hung

warned you. I warned you to stay away from that boy. That snake. And now

arceline sobbed. "It w

hat you've done? You've stained this family's nam

in waves. Her heart was a raw, pulsing wound. She cou

" she whispered again a

didn't

Marceline was something

ord a dagger. "You want to act like a whore, then suffer li

n't make sense

at?" Marcel

aid coldly. "You are n

she turned

n flashing but ignored. Blood welled, but she dropped to

eave me-don't abandon me," she sobbed, clinging

at her-no pity, no w

disgrace," she spat. "I

arceline's hands a

ed behind her,

didn't j

t, with the weight of a mother's rej

ine did

gling from her arm, blood trickling down her skin like shame. Her body tr

ed to no one

ls didn'

kered, casting a pale glow on her pale ski

ould hold her heart together if she just pushed har

da wa

l Marceline had now was the steady echo of her own heartbeat-erratic

een cut. Her hands shook as she pulled the blanket around herself-not for warmth, but

t this time, it felt farther away. L

.. ...

a's Ap

oss the sky like br

ir was

ones and stayed there, clawing at your chest with every breath. Marceline stood out

the door," she whispered, bare

ootsteps on the othe

around her like smoke, choking the l

ast thread of connection, of salvation. Cross. His na

the cal

in

in

ice

hest rising in sh

ng. Still

ga

, please

ga

. Each second he didn't answer was anot

her hands trembling uncontrollably now.

loud, her voice shaking like broken glass. "I

her stomach-that little flicker of life she hadn't

tched. "Just something to survive. Just a

er hand, landing on the c

mpled ne

atic. Not

.. def

the night. "I was good to you. W

t just sadness. Rag

he person you gave everything to...

the tears flowing without shame now. "Why is it

d t

li

or crea

ught mid-sob. Slowly, she lifte

all and soft in the gol

nt. No dis

hear

he tears away like a ritual. Like maybe, if sh

me in," Jenn

. She just helped her up, steady hands

ll into her arms and sob, but she held he

e saw he

ma

carved from stone. No flicker of sympathy. No

d coldly. "Tomorrow you're g

for a reply. Sh

ed her back-an

hat si

uder than

here, hollowed out, as the world she on

.. ...

filled with sleepless tears, and silence became her only companion. Her cousin's hou

d jobs came her way-washing dishes, scrubbing floors, taking orders with a tired smile

tending to care. When her body curled into itself on the too-small mattress, one h

words still clung t

and take care of that bastard in your be

a knife. And they ne

r lower back had returned, heavier than usual,

ng for? Get your act together!"

bbed the tray stacked high with dishes. The metal bit into her

ining area. Her breath came fast

more hours. Yo

slick on the floor. One mi

sli

fening. A gasp rippled through the re

through her abdomen. She collapsed hard onto

. The agony was so sharp, so raw, i

ears burst from her eyes, unbidden. "Auntie..." she choked

rritation in her voice gone. "Stay

ine loo

lo

d vivid, and the moment she saw

pressed into her belly, desperate, panicked, pleading

please-n

rror. The pain kept coming in waves, rollin

her face, but not fro

was

helple

g she might be losing the one thing-t

whimpered, her body folding i

itation. "Don't move, don't move. I'll take you

when she

e b

Marceline like

rl whispered, t

ing hers, tearing itself from her body. Her fingers trembled as t

but Marceline couldn't focus. The sounds around her

herself

into uncon

of darkness where

e final, rat

let

.. ...

al Room

ence. Machines beeped steadily, indiffer

cheeks. The light above was dim, a gentle glow that could've

eir eyes met,

ing was

ked like brittle glass. "

s she stepped forward, hesit

hung heavy

ddenly alert. "What... what do

ame like a bl

baby. It-it d

rld sto

derstand. The words made no sen

weight of her horror. "No... no, no, tell me you're lying." H

ook her head. Tea

hands flying to her stomach-f

t be gone! You promised me-" Her voice crack

ld still hold onto what had already slipped through

nsumed her in an unrelenting wave. It stole her breath,

an't be h

isn'

all she

d her skin. Her sobs were no longer quiet-they were broke

led with venom and despair. Her eyes darkened with fury

-at the ceiling, the w

te you for not answering. For not c

the weight of those fina

ce. Deafening. Suffo

rceline turned away, curling into hersel

r with n

t with