After Five Miscarriages, I Divorced Him

Chapter 4

"Clara," she went on, her tone shifting into something almost theatrical, "I used to think you had such good taste. That's why I went to all that trouble to take your fiancé from you. Turns out he was worthless anyway, cheating behind my back and racking up gambling debts. I wasted years on a man like that, and I blame you for it. I really do hate you."

I turned away from her and drew a slow breath, fighting to keep my voice level. "What do you want?"

Her face lit up. "I want Sebastian back, of course. A man who loves me that much, why would I ever let someone else keep him? And as for you, my own personal blood bank, I'd rather not lose that either. If you want your mother to survive, you'll stay exactly where you are and do exactly as you're told."

My hand came up before I could stop it.

But in the next instant, she crumpled to the floor on her own, letting out a sharp, pained cry.

Sebastian came around the corner at that exact moment. He saw Vivienne on the ground, and the rage that crossed his face was immediate. He crossed the distance in seconds and shoved me aside with enough force that I lost my footing and hit the floor hard. A searing cramp tore through my abdomen.

"Clara," he snarled, his voice at a register I had never heard from him before, "what did you do? If anything happens to her, I will make you pay for it."

I looked up at him, and what I felt wasn't anger. It was a quiet, exhausted disappointment. "Sebastian, I need you to think very carefully about who your wife actually is. Does it seem right to you to take her side without knowing anything?"

Something shifted in his expression for just a moment. Then it closed off again.

"Whatever you are to me, Viv is my closest friend. She doesn't just fall down on her own."

Beside him, Vivienne was crying softly and, with great theatrics, interceding on my behalf. "Sebastian, please don't be angry with Clara. She probably still resents what happened back then. It was my fault for going after her fiancé, but if she hadn't done what she did, then..." She caught my eye and let the sentence hang.

Her calculated attempt at defending me had done the opposite. It had only reinforced the old accusation that I had known exactly what I was doing when I entered a relationship with a taken man.

Sebastian shot me one last withering look, then swept Vivienne up into his arms. "I'm taking her to see a doctor. You had better hope she's all right, or I won't let this go."

The cramping in my abdomen was worsening, and a cold sweat had broken out across my forehead. I reached out and grabbed his arm with everything I had left. "I don't feel well either. Please, can you just take me to see a doctor first."

He shook me off without looking at me, his face twisted with contempt. "Enough, Clara. There's a limit to acting out of jealousy. Viv just hit the ground because of you, and you're still making this about yourself."

I fell when he pulled away, striking the floor for the second time.

In that moment, I let go of every last thing I had been holding onto where he was concerned.

Something warm and wet spread beneath me. I pressed one hand to the wall and forced myself upright, each step forward an act of will. Then my legs gave out entirely, and I went down.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the emergency room. The doctors and nurses moved around me with tense, focused faces, sweat at their brows.

"Ms. Clara, we've completed our examination. You're experiencing heavy bleeding, and I'm afraid we are unlikely to save the baby. We can proceed with termination, but I have to be honest with you. Given how many losses you've had, your uterus has sustained permanent damage. Carrying a child in the future will be very difficult."

I gripped the doctor's hand, my voice breaking. "Please. Please try to save the baby."

This was the sixth child. I could not let another one go. Whatever Sebastian was to me now, this child was mine, my own blood.

The doctor's expression was tight with worry. "If we prioritize the baby, I'm concerned your body may not hold. There would be a serious risk to your life."

I bit down on my lip and gave the only answer I had. "It doesn't matter."

I closed my eyes and waited.

When I opened them again, the doctor was shaking his head.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Bennett. We did everything we could. We weren't able to save the baby. Please focus on resting and taking care of yourself."

A single tear slid down my face.

Sebastian, the sixth child is gone. I suppose that's exactly what you wanted.