Chapter Two
820 Words
“A child?” Elizabeth’s voice came out barely above a whisper.
The doctor smiled warmly. “You’re about six weeks pregnant.”
Elizabeth stared blankly. Six weeks. That means the baby was conceived before Richard handed her those divorce papers. A painful laugh almost escaped her throat.
How cruel Richard was to her. After three years of praying for a family, after crying alone countless nights, after hearing Richard’s mother constantly call her useless for not getting pregnant. Now she was carrying his child after everything had already ended.
The doctor noticed her silence. “Should I call your husband?”
Immediately, Elizabeth shook her head.
“No.” The answer came too fast.
“I mean… there’s no need for that.”
The doctor nodded professionally and handed her the report.
“You need proper rest. Your stress levels are dangerously high.”
“Stress.” She thought to herself as she smiled bitterly. If stress could kill, she would have died long ago inside the Smith mansion.
At Smith Estate. Richard sat alone in his study with a half-finished whiskey resting beside him untouched.
The signed divorce papers were still on the desk.
The mansion felt suffocating. Everything was wrong with him yet the whole estate was in peace physically. He was restless without a cause.
As Richard loosened his tie impatiently out of discomfort, his phone vibrated. It was Selena, but he didn't pick up the call. He ignored it this time.
Another message entered immediately.
Selena: Baby, are you seriously still working?
Richard stared at the message coldly before locking the screen.
The thought of Elizabeth earlier replayed repeatedly in his head. As he sat in his thoughts, a knock came from the door.
“Come in.”
His assistant entered carefully.
“Mr. Smith, Madam left the estate.”
“I know.”
“She didn’t take anything.”
Richard frowned slightly.
“What?”
The assistant swallowed nervously. “She left all the jewelry, cards, and gifts behind.
Richard’s jaw tightened. He couldn't believe she didn't go with the wedding ring. That ring alone was worth millions.
Elizabeth once treasured it like her life depended on it.
“She also refused the settlement transfer.”
Richard looked up instantly. “She, what?”
The assistant nodded carefully.
“The finance department confirmed she rejected all payments.”
Richard became unsettled. Elizabeth had never acted like this before. Normally she would argue, cry, and wait for him to soften. But today, she looked at him like he meant nothing anymore, and he hated that version of her.
He was a lion that could crouch on her anytime of the day, but it seems he lost his power.
His phone rang suddenly, it was his mother who was calling. Richard answered coldly. He knew his mother was a catalyst to everything as well.
“What?”
“Did she sign?”
“Yes.”
Mrs. Smith sounded pleased immediately.
“Good. That girl was never suitable for this family anyway.”
“She couldn’t even give you a child after three years.”
That statement irritated him for the first time. He had always allowed his family to talk to her anyhow they wanted, but tonight was not sitting well with him.
“We’ll arrange your engagement with Selena soon,” his mother continued happily.
“I'm busy, mom.”
He ended the call immediately.
The room became quiet again. Richard suddenly stood up.
“Where is Elizabeth now?”
The assistant hesitated, “We… don’t know, sir.”
Richard’s eyes turned icy instantly.
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“She was left alone. Her phone is currently unreachable.”
Richard suddenly remembered the heavy rain outside earlier. If anything had happened to her, he would not forgive himself.
“Find her,” he yelled out.
“Sir?”
“Now! Find her.”
The next morning.
Elizabeth stood outside a small apartment building downtown.
A single suitcase rested beside her.
The morning air felt cold against her skin. Everything had happened too fast, from being divorced, to leaving the mansion and now the pregnancy news. It still felt unreal.
Her phone suddenly vibrated. It was Richard. Elizabeth froze briefly while staring at the screen.
She declined the call. Almost immediately, it rang again and again and again.
Elizabeth closed her eyes tightly and picked up the call.
Richard’s cold voice came out instantly.
“Where are you?”
Elizabeth leaned against the wall tiredly.
“Why are you asking me ?
“You disappeared.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted? I signed the papers, Richard. So why does it matter now?” Her voice remained calm all through the conversation.
Richard had no immediate response. He always has something swift to remedy every situation but this was different.
“Don’t look for me again.” She ended the call.
- Writer
