Billionaire’s regret: You Let Me Go First

Chapter 6 Tests

Clara

“I understood when you kept going on impromptu work trips whenever we were supposed to spend time together.” I said. “I understood when you kept me hidden from the world as if I was something to be ashamed of, but Ronan, how do you expect me to understand this?”

“Don’t be ungrateful Clara.” Ronan said impatiently. “You can afford to live so comfortably because someone’s putting in the work. Do you expect me to leave my work behind just to spend all my time at home with you?”

Humiliation burned through my veins like hot lava. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Maybe you should get a job.” He said, a frown on his face that let me know it was not a suggestion. “It’ll keep you busy. Veronica just came back and she already has a job as a news anchor for one of the top media outlets in the entire country. Why can’t you do the same?”

Veronica covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her laughter. “Clara, this isn’t the fifties. Women are free to work these days. You don’t have to sit at home cooking and cleaning while waiting for your husband to return.”

It stung a lot more than I would have liked to admit. The way they casually mocked my devotion, shuffling it under a performance no one asked for.

I couldn’t stop the tear rolling down my face as I looked at Ronan. “You said you liked my cooking.”

He tugged at his tie impatiently. “Yes, I did. Two years ago. Because I felt sorry for you. You were so desperate to make yourself look useful. But Clara, do you intend to cook for the rest of your life? Don’t you have any dreams?”

Dreams? I grew up in an orphanage where if I wasn’t careful, my meal could get snatched by someone else and I would have to go to bed hungry.

As soon as I turned eighteen, I was sent out of the orphanage and started to fend for myself. I never had the chance to go to college, so I couldn’t get good jobs. My four years of working hard had only covered my basic feeding and the rent of my shoebox apartment. Even the clothes I’d worn had mostly been donated and the rest had been thrifted from goodwill stores.

Without the ability to fully support myself, how could I have had the leisure to dream?

I laid back down in bed, too tired to continue talking with the both of them. “Just go. You came to check if I was lying right? Now you’ve checked, you can leave.”

His hand reached out automatically towards Veronica, but then he stopped himself and looked back at me. “You’re sure you’ll be fine?”

“Would it make any difference if I wouldn’t be?”

He frowned. “Clara.”

I watched him quietly for a moment. “If I asked you to stay with me today, would you?”

He looked away. “I still have some work at the office after getting Veronica’s discharge processed. I can’t push it off any longer.”

“Work.” I chuckled. Just how many times had the dates I spent weeks preparing for been cancelled because of ‘work’, or how many times had the meals I spent hours preparing ended up in the trash because he’d been too busy ‘working’ to eat them? But that same work had been pushed aside so easily for Veronica.

“You can go to work Ronan, you don’t have to stay with me.”

He looked relieved. “I’ll come see you when I’m free.”

“You don’t have to.” I said quietly. “I’ll be fine on my own.”

“Acting coy doesn’t suit you, Clara.” He said as he turned towards the door. “You should just continue being obedient like before.”

“Yes Clara.” Veronica chorused with a laugh aa she followed him out. “You should just keep being obedient.”

“You just let them go like that?” The woman on the right bed questioned.

The one on the left was staring blankly into space. “I can’t believe Ronan Carson is your husband.”

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Ronan didn’t come back that day, or the next. I stayed in that room under the curious stares of my two roommates who couldn’t hide their wonder at how little my title of Mrs Carson mattered. Thankfully, they didn’t say anything about it. They pretended they hadn’t seen anything out of respect. For all of two days.

“Aren’t you going to do something about her?” The woman on the right bed asked. It was the third day since Ronan’s visit, and she’d finally cracked.

“That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking.” The woman on the left bed said. She dropped her phone on the bed. “You’re his wife. Aren’t you upset seeing him parading another woman around like that? You’re not saying anything so everyone thinks she’s his real wife.”

Before I could respond, the doctor walked in. He was a middle aged man with kind eyes but I couldn’t deny feeling a little uncomfortable every time his gaze lingered on me. It always felt like he was looking through me.

He walked straight to me. “Mrs Carson, how are you feeling today?”

I blew out a deliberate breath to appear less tense. “I’m feeling better, doctor. How long until I can be discharged?”

He hesitated for a second, then pushed up his glasses. “Although your surgery went well and there are no other complications, it’s recommended for you to remain here for at least three more days so we can monitor you closely.”

I sat up slowly. “I can’t stay that long. I have to go back home.”

“It’s not advisable Mrs Carson.” The doctor shook his head. “Especially since you’re pregnant.”

“I can sign the AMA form right?” I said. “You don’t have to worry about me suing the hospital if anything goes wrong.”

“That’s not what I’m concerned about.” He said under his breath, then looked straight at me. “Mrs Carson, do you have any other family in Manhattan? Maybe parents, siblings?”

I was already shaking my head before he finished speaking. “I grew up in an orphanage.”

“Ah,” a thoughtful look appeared on his face. “What orphanage?”

I frowned and looked more closely at him. “Doctor Greg, are these standard questions? I’m a little uncomfortable with them.”

“There’s no need to feel uncomfortable.” He said, clearing his throat. “I’m just trying to understand more about your situation.”

I exchanged glances with my roommates. They’d sat up too. “Is there a reason why you’re so interested in my family?”

“Actually,” he sighed. “I’m a bit concerned your body might react negatively to the pregnancy and try to force the baby out.”

My hand rested on my stomach as fear shot through my heart. “But the nurse said everything was fine earlier.”

“Yes.” He adjusted his glasses slightly. “Everything is fine for now but there’s a bit of a risk of complications that might occur later on. If you don’t mind, could we run a few tests just to be sure?”