The Wife He Betrayed And Murdered

Chapter Three

Stacie’s POV

‘Murderer!’

My eyes fluttered open as I woke up with a scare, the pain at the back of head forced me to shut my eyes for a minute. My mind went blank and I stared at the white-washed walls, trying to make sense of my location.

Little fragments of the past incident came flashing back. The Doctors standing around me, me wearing a surgical gown and being wheeled into the theater, Jason.

I gasped, my hands instinctively flying towards my stomach but it was flat, more flat than it should be. I shoved aside the clothes that covered me and realized it was gone and realization dawned on me that I wasn't dreaming, it really happened.

“I see you're awake Miss Stacie.”

I turned around to see Doctor Kyle walk in with a faint smile on his face. Immediately he got closer, I grabbed him by the collar and began to yell. “Where is my daughter! My daughter!”

The nurses tried to intervene but he stopped them.

“Tell me, where's my daughter!” I screamed even louder, jerking Doctor Kyle but his silence only confirmed my worst fears.

“I'm sorry Miss Stacie but your baby was born prematurely and she didn't make it.”

I burst into laughter, the type that originates from a place of pain and torture then I straightened up, chuckling. “My daughter is dead?”

Doctor Kyle averted his eyes and I lost it, I let out a soul piercing screech and collapsed to the ground, crying uncontrollably as I held my chest with one hand and my stomach with the other, I coughed out blood and jerked uncontrollably but I didn't care. Doctor Kyle tried to placate me but Jason suddenly walked in.

“What the hell do you think you're doing?” He barked, face reddened with anger.

“Jason.” I called out weakly. “Our daughter is dead.” I whispered, as if it weren't true.

He look one long look at me, there was a shift in his countenance; guilt, anger, pain, pity. But, his next words hit me like a fully loaded truck.

“What the hell do you think you're doing while Nancy needs your attention and is suffering alone?” Jason thundered and I felt the temperature drop drastically, even Doctor Kyle was shocked.

“Mr Forbes, Miss Nancy is fine and the surgery is a success, Miss Stacie's health is unstable at the momen-”

“Are you tired of your job or you want me to shut down this hospital? Didn't I clearly tell you to attend to Nancy first? She's the priority and if anything happens to her I'll kill you, I swear.” Jason threatened.

Doctor Kyle looked at me apologetically and hurried out with the rest of the medical team while Jason didn't spare me a look before also leaving. I was left on the cold hospital floor, mourning the loss of the one person I held on to life, this long for.

For the next two weeks, I experienced the tortures of hell without having to visit hell itself. Because of my cancer, the surgery incision wasn't healing and my health deteriorated, I lost weight as I could barely eat, the only person who came to check up on me was Doctor Kyle and when the time came to be discharged, Jason sent one of his men while Nancy was treated like a queen and he even threw her a welcome party.

“Sleep at the maids’ quarters for the time being, the Doctor said Nancy needs a good environment to recuperate and you're ill, I can't afford her getting sick all because of you.” Jason had brutally said when he threw me out of our room into the maids quarters while he spoiled Nancy rotten.

I fiddled with a card, looking at the number written on it. Doctor Kyle had slipped it into my hands when I was leaving the hospital.

“Someone came by and asked that I should give it to you, call this number whenever you need help.” Doctor Kyle had told me.

I contemplated calling the number, I have few weeks left to live, my eyes were sunken, my skin dry and my lips chapped, my sanity slipped away from me, I couldn’t get over the fact that I lost my baby, I just wanted to end it all, if I can't find peace with the man I loved for seven years, the least I can do is find it in heaven, with my daughter and parents.

So, I did the only sane thing I could think of; visit Jason’s mom grave. The sky was pregnant with dark clouds, threatening a heavy downpour and I hugged the coat I wore, the chilly wind threatening to stiffen my limbs. I dropped a rose on her grave and sniffed back my tears. Today's her death anniversary, paying my respects was the least I can do.

“Mrs Forbes, I’m sorry my dad ended your life,I've spent my life atoning for it and this is my last visit to you before I die, I just hope you find it in your heart to forgive us.” I breathed with a heavy heart.

“I tried my best but Jason still holds the bitterness in his heart, I hope my death will free him of this and repay the debt my dad owes him.’ I muttered under my breath and coughed up little blood which I quickly hid. Seeing that it was about to rain, I began to leave but froze midway as I saw Jason.

My heart sank into a deeper bitterness and I let out a short self-mocking laughter. Of course Jason would be here, it's her death anniversary and it's my bad luck to run into him.

“What do you think you’re doing? Your dad killed her and you won’t let her rest even in death?” Jason spat, bitterly.

I lowered my gaze and muttered an apology. “I’m sorry”

He scoffed loudy. “You’re sorry? You think there’s anything you can do to remedy it? Nothing! Not even that bastard daughter you were pregnant too is enough to pay with her life.”

His words struck a painful nerve, I looked in his eyes and it held nothing but anger and hatred.

“She was your daughter too!” I barkled, without thinking.

He guffawed and slapped me hard across the face, I fell at the impact, my head spinning but he towered above me, staring down disdainfully.

“Don’t you dare try to pull that card on me.”

Something in me snapped. In a week or two I'd be dead but I needed to air my grievances. “I have tried to pay for my sins for two years now! For two years I've suffered in silence, I lost my parents too and it wasn’t my fault, how long are you going to punish me? I’m dying and you don’t even know, where is the man I married? When I look at you now, all I see is a monster who would go as far as murdering his own daughter to prove a stupid point. I sincerely hope your mother is proud of you and I'm kinda glad she’s dead else she'd regret having you as a son!”

I knew I had gone too far because his face reddened and he took bold daring steps towards me, menacingly, I scooted, trying to get away but he caught me and landed several slaps on my face.

“She’s dead, I guess we’ll never know.” He spat then grinned mischievously.

“No one is to drive her back home, leave her here and let her find her way home since she thinks she’s smart.” He ordered his men.

I would’ve begged, pleaded with him not to leave me there but I was exhausted so I gave up; on life, him, redemption and everything. It began to rain heavily and I roamed around aimlessly. The only thing I had with me was my phone, my legs couldn’t carry me any further and gave way to the ground beneath, there was only one thing left to do; with shaky hands, I dialed a number, the one Doctor Kyle told me to when I needed trouble. It rang and someone picked up.

“Help me.” I said, breathless. The line went static and I lay on my back, allowing the rain to pour on my face. I had no idea how much time had passed but I knew for a fact that I wasn't going to make it to the next morning.

Just as I was about to give up, I heard the rumbling of a car engine pull up just beside me. Through the hazy lens of my eyes, I saw a man alight from the car and walk up to me.

“You're dying.” He commented, his voice synchronized with the resounding thunder.

“I know.” I replied, letting the rain wash what's left of my lifespan.

“What do you want? Do you want me to save you? Do you want to live?” He asked, his voice heavy with danger.

I laughed like a lunatic, flashes of my baby's sonogram appearing before my eyes. I could feel it, death had come for me and I was ready to be taken away. The man squatted beside me, staring down like a mother eagle, though my vision was foggy the man looked oddly familiar, I felt a sense of peace with him, like I've known him for ages yet I couldn't recognize him but I dismissed it, knowing that I'd probably be dead in few hours.

“Jason killed my daughter, I won't survive the night but promise me one thing.”

He scooped me in his arms like a child and slowly began to carry me back to the car.

“A life for a life, avenge my daughter.” I whispered, air exhausted from my lungs.

“Done.”

I let the rain hit my face one last time as I hearkened to the call of death, embracing its clutches