Chapter 4 An Apology Wrapped in Bitterness
479 Words
Simon scowled, realizing he couldn't afford to put Vivian at risk.
He turned to Nina with a command, "Say you're sorry."
Nina scoffed, dismissing the idea, "Not a chance."
Her defiance pierced Simon's heart, a reminder of her recent loss, her baby gone too soon.
Then Vivian gasped, clutching her belly, "Simon, look! What's burning there? Could it be a hex from Nina?"
Simon's eyes followed hers to the firepit, where a small effigy bearing Vivian's name smoldered among the flames.
Moments earlier, it had been obscured beneath layers of baby garments, unnoticed.
Rage swept over him, and he barked at the guards, "Make her kneel and apologize."
Despite her efforts, Nina's body, frail from her miscarriage, was no match for their strength.
They forced her to Vivian's feet, her head bowed shamefully by a firm hand at her neck.
"Simon," Vivian implored gently, "don't be so harsh. I understand Nina's pain about the loss, even if it involved a curse. But Nate..."
Simon's resolve hardened at the mention of his son.
"Apologize and vow to never let it happen again!"
Compelled into submission, Nina's head hung low.
She clenched her teeth, memories flooding back. On their wedding night, Simon held her hand, promising, "Nina, from now on, you're my wife. I'll shield you, cherish you, and won't let anyone harm you. You and only you, forever."
Blushing and blissful, she had believed herself utterly lucky.
Now, he was the one pinning her down, demanding she apologize to another woman.
Vivian watched, a satisfied smirk upon her face.
Tears traced paths down Nina's cheeks, mixing into the floor below.
A pang pricked Simon's conscience, and with a silent gesture, he motioned the guards to let her go.
Vivian took a feeble step forward, holding her belly as she pleaded, "Simon, I don't care about me, but if Nina remains and endangers our baby again, then what?"
Simon stood silent, suspended in thought. For Nate's future, he was left with no recourse.
"Nina, stay with my mother for a few days and learn some manners."
Nina's gaze suddenly lifted, piercing through the tension in the room.
He was painfully aware of how much Olivia Moore relished making her life difficult. When she first joined the Moore family, Olivia had forced her to stand at attention in the yard. It was Simon who had burst in then, pulling her to safety and furiously confronting his mother.
"This isn't why I brought her here! She doesn't deserve to be treated like this."
Furious, Olivia had trembled with rage, ordering them both to leave. Yet now, it was Simon who seemed eager to send her back into that lion's den.
Nina shook her head defiantly. "I'm not going."
Simon met her eyes. "For Nate's sake, you really need to embrace your role as Mrs. Moore. In exchange, you're free to name your price."
- Writer
