6: His Priority
1362 Words
CHAPTER SIX - NYX
“Avoid stress, Mrs. Blackwood.” The doctor’s words stayed in my head the entire drive home. “The pregnancy is still delicate.”
Delicate.
I held onto that word carefully as I walked into my bedroom later that afternoon, one hand resting lightly against my stomach.
At first, everything looked normal, but then I noticed the drawer beside the vanity was slightly open, which was weird because I was almost certain I had closed it before leaving.
My eyes drifted toward the jewelry box beside it. It sat at an angle different from usual. One of my scarves on the chair had also been folded differently, the ends tucked in too neatly.
A strange feeling crawled up my spine.
I stepped further into the room slowly, looking around.
Nothing was missing, not obviously at least.
I let out a small breath and shook my head at myself. Maybe the maid had cleaned earlier, or maybe I was becoming paranoid.
Still, the unease followed me downstairs as I went to get a cup of water to ease the tension.
I had barely reached the hallway when Zora appeared from the opposite wing of the house, dressed casually in cream loungewear with her hair falling loosely over her shoulders.
“There you are,” she said warmly. “I was wondering where you disappeared to.”
“I went out for a bit.”
Her eyes moved over my face carefully. “You look tired.”
“I’m fine.”
Zora smiled softly and linked her hands behind her back as she walked closer to me. “Want to spend some time together tonight? Maybe wine and a movie? We haven’t had sister time in forever.”
The words almost made me laugh. Sister time. As if we had ever truly been sisters.
“I’ll pass on the wine,” I said quickly.
Her brows lifted immediately.
“Oh?” Then she tilted her head. “You’re refusing wine?”
“I just don’t feel like drinking.”
“How responsible of you,” she teased lightly, a slow smile spreading across her face. “You should enjoy wine while you still can, Nyx. Once pregnancy starts happening, all the fun restrictions begin.”
My body went completely still. For one terrifying second, I thought she knew, but when I searched her eyes, I could tell she didn’t.
Or maybe she was just very good at hiding what she knew. Either way, I couldn’t let anything slip.
I forced out a quiet laugh instead. “That’s very specific.”
“Is it?” She tilted her head again, peering at me. “You and Kael have been married for what? Three years now?” Her voice stayed light. “Everyone expects babies eventually.”
I looked away. “Not everything happens on schedule.”
“True.” She stepped closer. “Well, unless children aren’t possible.”
I turned sharply to her.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that. I mean medically,” Zora blinked innocently. “As in… making sure everything’s alright,” she added gently. “Sometimes these things need medical help.”
“I’m fine.”
“Have you actually checked?”
My fingers tightened against my sleeve.
“Zora…”
“I’m serious, Nyx.” Her voice softened into something almost sympathetic, which felt worse somehow. “Maybe you should see a gynecologist. There could be an issue you don’t know about yet.”
Heat rushed painfully into my chest.
“There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“Then why are you acting like this?”
“Like what?”
“Ever since I came back, you’ve been cold towards me, barely looked at me properly or even spoken to me,” she continued. “I know this situation is unusual, but I didn’t think you’d resent me for needing support.”
I stared at her, stunned by the accusation.
“You act like my presence offends you,” she added quietly.
Guilt hit me instantly despite the tightness growing in my chest. Because that was what always happened somehow. I entered conversations hurt and left them apologizing instead.
“I don’t resent you.”
“Then why do you always look uncomfortable around me?”
Because my husband sleeps in your room every night, everyone chooses you without hesitation, and I feel invisible in my own life.
But the words stayed trapped behind my teeth.
“I’m just tired lately,” I whispered.
“Tired enough to avoid me?”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Then why does it feel like you can barely stand being around me?”
I shook my head quickly. “Zora, please don’t make this into something it isn’t.”
“What is it then?” she asked quietly. “Because every time I try to talk to you, you pull away.”
“I really don’t want to argue.” I took a small step back. “I just want to rest.”
I turned slightly, ready to leave, but Zora’s fingers wrapped around my wrist before I could take one more step away. The touch startled me.
“Do you hate me?”
I blinked at her. “What?”
Her expression crumpled with something that looked painfully sincere.
“Ever since I came back, you barely speak to me unless you have to. You avoid me constantly.” Her grip tightened slightly. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Of course not!” I quickly defended and she flinched like I slapped her, when in fact, she was the one hurting me with her grip around my wrist.
She grabbed on tighter.
“Look, Zora. I don’t hate you,” I said quickly, trying gently to pull my hand free. “You’re misunderstanding me. Please, let go!”
I pulled harder this time, causing Zora to stumble backward unexpectedly.
Everything happened too fast after that.
Her heel caught near the staircase, and a glass vase beside the console table tipped over and shattered against the floor with a sharp crash.
“Ah!”
The sound echoed through the house.
The front door opened, and Kael walked in, his expression dark with exhaustion, his tie loosened slightly from work. But as soon as his eyes landed on Zora, losing balance near the stairs, his entire face changed.
“Zora!”
He rushed toward her without hesitation.
“I didn’t mean—” I started quickly, instinctively reaching forward too.
Kael shoved me past me to get to her without even looking. It wasn’t a violent push, but it was hard enough to make me trip. My foot slipped against the scattered water beneath the broken vase, and suddenly I was falling.
My stomach hit the floor first, and pain exploded through my body, tearing through me so suddenly that all the air vanished from my lungs.
For a second, I couldn’t even breathe.
“Are you hurt?” Kael asked immediately.
But he wasn’t looking at me or asking me. His hands were already on Zora’s shoulders, checking her carefully while she leaned against him.
“I’m okay,” she whispered.
Only then did Kael glance toward me on the floor, and his expression flickered slightly.
“Nyx?”
I swallowed against the ache rising painfully in my throat and forced myself up slowly despite the cramping spreading through my lower abdomen
“I’m fine,” I said quickly, even though pain still twisted violently through my abdomen.
Neither of them noticed how badly my hands were shaking, or maybe they did and simply didn’t know what to do with it.
I turned and walked upstairs alone, each step hurting more than the last.
By the time I reached my room, my breathing had become uneven. I shut the door behind me and leaned weakly against it, pressing trembling hands against my stomach.
That was when I saw the blood.
A dark stain spreading slowly across my clothes.
My heart stopped.
“No,” I whispered instantly, horror flooding through me so fast it made me dizzy. “No, no, no…”
- Writer
