His Forgotten Bride

Chapter 14

Trigger Warning

This chapter contains mature and sensitive themes that may be disturbing or triggering to some readers.

Please read with caution.

“Calm down, Alliyah,” I whispered to myself.

I had lost count of how many times I held my breath while staring at the pregnancy test. I was inside the bathroom, waiting for the result to appear on the test in my hand.

I bit my lower lip when the red line appeared.

My knees weakened, and I leaned against the sink, only to be met by my own reflection in the mirror.

What should I do?

I didn’t know what I was supposed to feel at that moment. I was confused, stunned, and terrified.

“Are you not done there yet?” I heard Terrence’s voice from outside the bathroom.

I heard him hold the doorknob, then let it go. It took me a while before I finally opened the door, and when I did, our eyes met.

He was sitting on my bed with his arms crossed, staring at me without any emotion.

A sharp pain pierced my chest because I didn’t see the joy I had always read about in books. But what else should I have expected? He was Terrence, my cold-hearted husband.

Slowly, I walked toward him and handed him the test kit I was holding. He took it from me and looked at it. A moment later, his forehead creased before he lifted his gaze to mine.

“You’re pregnant?” he asked, his tone uncertain.

“Yes,” I answered, biting my lower lip. “We’re having a baby.”

I tried to smile.

He didn’t say anything for a moment. He only stared at me, his face unreadable.

“Uhmm… should we make an appointment?” I asked suddenly, even though my heart was pounding loudly in my chest.

“Do you think we can buy baby things now—”

I stopped speaking when he suddenly stood up.

With his cold eyes, he looked at me sharply before his gaze dropped to my stomach. I didn’t know if what I saw in his eyes was disgust and anger, or if I was only forcing myself to believe in an illusion of Terrence that never truly existed.

“Abort it,” he said coldly, his eyes returning to mine.

My lips parted at his words. My knees began to tremble as my hand automatically moved to protect my stomach.

“W-What did you say?”

Terrence walked closer to me. “Abort that child. I don’t want it,” he said directly.

I shook my head as tears began to burn in the corners of my eyes.

“How can you say that?” I asked, my voice filled with pain, my hand still protecting my womb.

“What part of that don’t you understand?” he asked in a cold tone. “Get rid of that child. It’s not even fully formed yet.”

I could no longer stop myself.

My hand flew across his face in a hard slap. His head turned to the side from the impact.

“How can you even think of killing my child?!” I cried out. “Is being a father really something you can’t handle right now, Terrence?!”

A hollow laugh escaped him before he turned his eyes back to me.

“I don’t need your sermons or accusations, Alliyah. Get rid of that child as soon as possible, or else…” He smiled, his gums showing as his teeth clenched tightly.

“What? If I don’t, then what?” I challenged him, pushing against his chest.

He grabbed my hands and held them tightly. “Don’t test my patience, Alliyah. If you don’t get rid of that child, I’ll throw you out of my mansion,” he warned.

I blinked twice before letting out a painful laugh.

“Then throw me out if that’s what you want. I’ll leave, and I’ll raise my child on my own,” I said bravely.

Terrence smirked.

I screamed when he suddenly grabbed my hair and pulled it harshly.

“Who said you would be able to raise that child after I throw you out?”

My whole body turned cold at his words.

No matter how painful his grip on my hair was, it was nothing compared to the emotional pain tearing through me at that moment.

“Why can’t you just let our baby live?” I asked weakly, my voice breaking.

“I don’t want to have a child with you,” he answered without hesitation.

No words were enough to describe the pain that struck my heart. It was so intense that my entire body went numb.

The man I loved. The man I thought I would build a family with… was the complete opposite of what I had dreamed of.

“Will you love me if I do it?” I asked weakly, looking at him as tears silently streamed down my cheeks.

“I don’t love you, Alliyah,” he said clearly.

“Will you be happy if I do it?” I asked again.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he slowly let go of me and turned his back. When he was about to leave the room, he stopped and glanced back at me.

“Yes. I’ll be happy when it’s gone,” he said before leaving me alone inside my room.

I stood frozen, staring at the door he had just walked through. A moment later, my strength left me, and I slowly collapsed to the floor while holding my stomach.

“I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry,” I murmured as I cried silently.

I hugged my stomach tightly, unable to feel the tiny life growing inside me, even though I was already bleeding.

“Forgive Mommy, my child. I’m sorry.”

“Hija,” Manang Fe greeted me when I came out of the room.

I smiled sadly at her and begged her not to cry with me.

I heard the repeated opening of my bedroom door as the doctor spoke to my husband.

“The abortion went well,” he told Terrence, who was standing beside the wall. “I already gave your maid medicine to stop the bleeding. If you need anything else, just give me a call.”

Terrence only nodded at the doctor before turning his gaze back to me.

“Go back to your room and rest,” he said calmly.

It was almost funny to think that, at that moment, I still imagined seeing concern and sadness in his eyes.

Enough with your illusions, Alliyah.

I didn’t answer him. After everything that had happened, I no longer had the strength to do anything. I hugged Manang tightly and buried my face against her shoulder.

“I’ll let her rest in our room first,” Manang said to Terrence.

From the corner of my eye, I saw him sigh before giving a small nod.

“Come on,” Manang said softly as she guided me while we walked.

Manang carefully laid me down on her bed when we reached their room. Just like she always did, she let me rest my head on her lap. In her own quiet way, she showed me support for the pain I was carrying.

“What did I do wrong, Manang? Why am I being punished like this?” I whispered hoarsely.

“You will find the answers to all your questions in time, hija. Everything happens for a reason,” she said, trying to comfort me.

A weak laugh escaped my lips as my tears continued to fall.

“What reason did he have to kill our child?”