The Billionaire's Second Chance

Olivia’s POV “...You are 8 weeks pregnant…” Dr. Dale said with a smile. My eyes moved frantically, trying hard to focus. I guided my gaze to the screen as he pointed to a tiny dot. I watched as the tiny dot pulsed gently. I reached for the screen with a faint longing, almost as though I could touch my baby. My baby, that’s what this means. I had been so careful, never missing a day of using the contraceptive Roy had insisted I take to prevent a pregnancy. Breaking this news should be the happiest thing for a woman, but why does my heart break instead? Four years ago, I had signed a marriage contract where clause 9 read “under no circumstances should there be a pregnancy.” Tears filled my eyes as I stared for a long time at the tiny black dot. “Why do I get the feeling you aren’t happy about this?” Dr. Dale asked cautiously. He had been my doctor on days when Roy would leave me sick in the house, and I couldn’t get across to our personal doctor. I hesitated, unsure of what exactly I was feeling. I collected the tissue he handed me and wiped my tears. “I am. It has always been my dream to be a mother. I am beyond elated.” Was that really true? Am I truly happy about this news? Dr. Dales' expression softened a little, almost like pity. “Is the father not in the picture? Or …” he gently wiped the cool gel from my stomach and moved to take a seat. I pulled my top down quickly and sat up. I sniffed as more tears rolled down. “ It’s complicated.” “Are you considering not keeping the baby?” This time, he looked at me with worry and concern. “No…I really want this baby…I…I am only this way because I have been using contraceptives for years now, and I have been consistent with it…” I paused, unsure, calculating if I had missed any day, but I hadn’t. “ I didn’t think I could get pregnant, that’s why.” “Well, sometimes these contraceptives, when used frequently, can lose their potency, and cases like this happen,” he passed across the box of tissues to me. “I must warn you, though, your blood pressure is high, you are malnourished, and this can be a risk to both you and the baby. You’ll need frequent check-ups, proper rest, and good nutrition.” I zoned out through the rest of what Dr. Dale said. I thanked him and left his office. I got into my car, slamming the door hard as I gripped the steering wheel with my hands. I held tightly to the steering wheel, moving my head back and forth as I hit it against my hands. I suddenly stopped and picked the file from the passenger seat. The world fell silent, and all I could hear was the loud thumping of my heart. I was still in St. Mary’s hospital, packing lots, my hands trembled as I read the file that said “8 weeks pregnant." I held out the ultrasound picture and slowly ran my fingers down the tiny black dot on it. The sudden ring of my phone snapped me out of the trance. Roy had called several times that morning, but I had not answered any of his calls. I should have been the happiest woman, delivering the news of my pregnancy to my husband, but that wasn’t the case. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and picked up the call. “Where on earth are you?” I immediately took the phone from my ear as the scream from the other end almost deafened me. “I…I stepped out briefly.” I held my breath and placed the phone back to my ear. “Get here immediately!” I winced a little as my stomach churned, Dr. Dale’s warning about stress ringing in my ears. I turned on the ignition and drove out of the parking lot. It was a blurry ride home, and thirty minutes later, I pulled into our driveway. I killed the engine with my shaking hands. I looked around and saw that Roy’s car wasn’t in the driveway. “Had he left the house?” It was customary for Roy to leave the house for days, then return only to pick up some clothes and leave again. Today was probably one of those days. I adjusted the seat to recline, and I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes. I had never imagined being married to someone could feel like hell, like a prison, like this. Wasn’t marriage supposed to be about love, respect, loyalty, and starting a family together? I placed my hand on my flat stomach. Dr. Dale had said it would take more weeks before I began to show. I finally realized that I had bitten off more than I could chew. In our four years of marriage, Roy had made it his priority to always remind me that I was nothing but a convenience to him, nothing more. “ This is for convenience, a mere deal,” he’d said coldly, pushing the contract across his Oak desk. “This means nothing to me, neither should it to you.” If only I could turn off my feelings, expectations, and wishful thinking. I didn’t hesitate to sign the marriage contract with Roy Dylan, my high school crush and the CEO of H&R Pharmaceuticals. I knew Roy had no feelings for me, but I deeply believed I could make him. Time would make him see me differently and eventually develop feelings for me. Four years later, he had squeezed every ounce of hope I had that things would eventually work out. Our relationship existed only on paper, unknown to many but his lawyer, personal assistant, and family members. To him, I was just a convenience, but to me, he was everything despite his coldness towards me. I pushed the door to the living room slightly, my hands trembling slightly. I opened the fridge and grabbed an apple. The whole day had exhausted me, and as much as my stomach grumbled, I was too tired to fix myself something to eat. After eating the apple, I went into the bathroom as I needed to take a quick shower, and I couldn’t help staring at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were sunken, I had dark circles, and my lips were chapped. I had been sick for some days and alone in the house until I dragged myself to the hospital. I had called Roy several times, but he had rejected my calls. I took off my clothes and stared at my naked body. I ran my hand down my stomach, a little smile broke from the corner of my lips, but was gone the instant I pictured Roy’s reaction to the news. I couldn’t help but wish a little, maybe Roy would be so happy about this baby after all. I jolted as Roy barged into the room. I hadn’t heard his car pull in. He stood for a minute as he stared at my body; something in his appearance screamed lust, and a softer expression like love. Oh, I wish. I knew what this was; this was one of the nights I had to satisfy his s****l need. He stood behind me as he held my neck, pulling me to his body. I could feel how hard he was underneath his blue suit pants. He turned me around with one swift move and buried his lips in mine, and for a second, I closed my eyes. The moment was cut short by the ring of his phone; he picked it up almost immediately with the biggest smile on his face. “Baby,” I heard the unmistakable voice from the other end. It was Helen. This same man, who had never smiled at me once since we got married, never failed to smile whenever he was talking to Helen. She was the woman he loved the most, the only one who could soften his cold heart. The only woman he cared about, and that woman is step stepsister.