After You Betrayed Me, I Never Looked Back

Chapter 3 She Gave In

Whitney held up her phone, the ultrasound image still on the screen. "Is this your gift to me, Sebastian?"

Sebastian's face tightened. He clearly hadn't expected Brenda to reach out to Whitney directly.

"Whitney, just calm down. Don't do anything to hurt her. We had too much to drink that night, and things just..." He trailed off when he saw Whitney's face go even paler.

He continued, "I wanted her to terminate it. But she refused. I'm devastated about our baby, too. But look on the bright side—when this child is born, you can be its mother. The Cole family needs this baby, Whitney. Just be understanding. Do it for me. Okay?"

Whitney's voice cracked. "Sebastian. Our baby died. She was so small. Only twenty-eight weeks. How dare you..."

Tears blurred her vision. The air in the car felt thick, suffocating.

She couldn't even bring herself to finish the question.

"The baby's already buried. What's the point of all this now?" Sebastian's voice turned impatient. "You want to live in pain forever?"

Something inside Whitney died right then, slowly, piece by piece.

'He is right. What is the point?'

The car pulled up to the house. They walked inside, lost in their own worlds, a few feet apart.

Sebastian glanced around, frowning when he didn't see Brenda.

After Whitney got pregnant, they started sleeping in separate rooms.

She walked to her door and opened it. Brenda was inside, mopping the floor.

The girl looked like she'd been working for hours. Her face was flushed and dripping with sweat.

When she saw Whitney, her expression shifted to something meek and apologetic. "Mrs. Cole, I've finished cleaning your room."

Sebastian's face tightened at the sight. He pushed past Whitney and wrapped an arm around Brenda. "Didn't I tell you not to do heavy work while you're pregnant? Why don't you listen?"

He turned to Whitney, anger creeping into his voice. "What's going on here?"

Whitney shook her head, confused. "I didn't ask her to do anything. I barely even see her."

Brenda swayed, collapsing against Sebastian, as if she might fall. "Sebastian, please... Don't ask. I'm fine..."

Sebastian said, "Sweetheart, you're carrying my child. If someone's bothering you, I'll handle it."

Brenda just buried her face in his chest and cried. Tears streamed down her face, looking as pitiful as could be.

"Whitney, I told you not to mess with her." His voice was sharp now. "She's pregnant, too. What's wrong with you?"

Whitney couldn't defend herself. Even after everything, the accusation stung, and tears welled up in her eyes. "What are you saying? You don't believe me?"

"Why would Brenda lie about this? She's pregnant," Sebastian shouted.

His voice softened as he looked down at Brenda. "Stop crying now, sweetheart. What do you want? Tell me."

Brenda sniffled. "Whitney has that... amulet. It's so pretty. I want one for our baby, too."

Sebastian ordered, "Whitney, consider this an apology. Go get that amulet for her. Yourself."

Whitney stood there. It felt like his voice was coming from somewhere far away.

When she didn't move, his face hardened. "If you don't apologize, I'll destroy every opportunity Arielle has. Forever."

Whitney thought of Arielle's smile. She gave in. "I'll go."

She caught the smirk on Brenda's face. She just didn't have the energy to care anymore.

Two thousand steps up a mountain—Whitney climbed them one by one in the pouring rain. Her body hadn't healed from the birth. This made everything worse.

She finally got the so-called amulet. But when she showed up soaked and handed it to Brenda, Brenda barely glanced at it before tossing it aside. "Sebastian, it's dirty now. I don't want it."

Right before Whitney passed out, she heard Sebastian's voice. "Then don't take it. As long as you're happy, sweetheart."