After You Betrayed Me, I Never Looked Back

Chapter 8 Save Our Baby

"I'm calling the police." She reached for her phone.

Sebastian stopped her easily. "You know how it works, Whitney. In Jorvik City, no one goes against me. Wait until Brenda has the baby. Then I'll make it right. Okay?"

From upstairs, Brenda's soft crying drifted down. "Sebastian... I'm scared..."

He left the black card on the table and walked away without another word.

Whitney buried her face in her hands and sobbed. "Arielle... I'm so sorry..."

She hated herself. She'd watched everyone she loved slip away, one by one. And she couldn't do a thing to stop it.

After Arielle's funeral, Whitney sat by her grave all night.

She didn't leave until the sun came up. Then she dragged herself home.

Three more days—that's all she needed—three days until the divorce was final.

Whitney locked herself in her room. She didn't eat or drink, just stared at Arielle's photo.

Brenda tried to push the door open. "Whitney, it's my birthday tonight. Are you coming?"

Whitney threw a crystal glass. It shattered against the doorframe.

Brenda screamed and ran straight into Sebastian's arms.

He shouted, "Whitney, Brenda was just trying to be nice. Simon's the one who did it, not her. Why are you taking it out on her?"

Sebastian pushed the door open and pulled Whitney up from the bed. "Come on. The Cole family's party needs its Mrs. Cole."

Whitney let him pick out her dress, her shoes, everything. In her heart, the two most important people were already gone. She felt like a walking corpse.

Sebastian saw the empty look in her eyes. For a moment, something flickered across his face—guilt, maybe.

'Brenda is carrying my child. My hands are tied. Once the baby comes, I'll send Brenda away. I'll figure it out.'

The three of them arrived at the party together. The Cole family elders were there, including Sebastian's parents.

His mother, Valerie Cole, looked Whitney up and down. She didn't bother hiding her disgust. "Walking around with that miserable face. Who do you think you're fooling? You're a disgrace to this family. Took her years to get pregnant, and she couldn't even keep the baby alive."

Valerie's voice turned vicious. "Useless. You want the Cole family to die out? If you can't have children, step aside. Let someone else be Mrs. Cole."

A few months ago, the words would have cut deep. Now Whitney felt nothing. There was a hole in her chest where her heart used to be. It swallowed everything—the insults, the hate, all of it.

Sebastian stepped in front of her. "Mom, don't talk about Whitney that way. She's my wife. She always has been. She always will be."

Whitney's face stayed blank. But Brenda, standing nearby, clenched her jaw.

Later, when Whitney paused at the turn of the staircase, Brenda found her. She pressed close, a glass in her hand. "Looks like Sebastian really loves you, huh?"

Her voice was sweet, but her eyes were cold and vicious. "How does it feel to go up against me, b***h? Bet it eats you up inside that Simon's walking free."

She covered her mouth and giggled. "You know, your poor sister was calling your name right before she died."

Whitney's hands curled into fists. Her nails dug into her palms. "You think I can't touch you, Brenda?"

Brenda leaned in closer. "What are you gonna do? I'm young. I'm pretty. You're just an old hag with a loose body. I'm going to make your life here hell. Every single day."

Then she screamed—a horrible, piercing scream.

Everyone watched as Brenda tumbled down the stairs. And there, at the top, stood Whitney. Her face was as pale as a ghost.

"Brenda!" Sebastian's eyes went wide. He rushed to her. When he saw the blood pooling beneath her, his face went pale.

Brenda sobbed, clutching her stomach. "My baby... It hurts... It hurts so much... Sebastian... Save our baby..."

Then she passed out before she could finish.