After Divorce, He Begged A Thousand Times!

My husband hates me. He didn’t start hating me over – there was a time when he loved me immensely. When Ivan Vossi would look for me in every room, in every conversation, and at every event. When my name was more familiar than his name on his tongue, and his eyes would sparkle the moment we saw each other. But that was sixteen years ago. And for the past sixteen years, I’d watched the sparkle in his eyes dim with every moment we shared. Neither did he come home, nor did he send any message. It was so terrible I had to speak to my own husband through the staff. I glanced around, tears blurring my vision as several workers buzzed around, hanging up countless decorations. The same way they did every anniversary The only difference was this year, I wasn’t locked in my room crying, waiting for Ivan to do the impossible – actually come home. “Madam, are you sure you don’t want to go upstairs?” Ellie, my personal maid asked. My chest tightened. “We can tell the guests that you fell ill—“ “We said that last year.” “Or you’re feeling a bit sore—“ “And the year before that,” I answered, and she avoided my gaze. “I… I don’t want to misspeak ma’am, but why do you think that he…” “Even if he does…” “He’ll stay this time, Ellie.” My lips curl upward, my grip on my report tightening. “He’ll definitely come.” This time, I was certain Ivan would come. Not because the decorations were different, but because I emailed him the news. My hands traced my belly. The wonderful news that I was carrying his child. Ivan could hate me all he wanted, but he could not hate his child. “Oh, wow. The decorations are the same,” I turned to see some guests entering. A slender woman nudged the speaker. “Of course they are, because the result will also be the same,” The speaker, a brown-haired woman raised an eyebrow. “Sir Vossi won’t come home even now?” The woman scoffed, “Home? I’m not even sure he still remembers the address.” My hands curled into fists as I kept my gaze on the door. I didn’t care about their taunts, I was patiently waiting for Ivan. No one else mattered, once he accepted our child, everything would be fine. “She seems hopeful for someone who has spent the past four years alone.” A man murmured. “Of course she does,” another whispered, my throat tightening as he continued. “Mrs. Vossi doesn’t care about anything except for Sir Vossi” “In fact, one time, she stood outside Vossi Industries for twelve hours, calling out his name and begging him to see her.” My grip on my dress tightened. “That isn’t even the worst thing she’s done for him.” “What could be worse?” “Ask Sir Vossi’s mistresses. Half of them met him because his wife arranged it.” The other man’s eyes widened. “Word on the street is, he couldn’t love her, so she was helping him find happiness elsewhere.” They weren’t wrong. Many people said my love for Ivan wasn’t even an obsession, it was stupidity. But for me, it was atonement. Atonement for what happened sixteen years ago. I snatched everything from Ivan and I couldn’t lose him until I was sure that I had atoned for ruining his life. But now, thanks to my baby, I wouldn’t have to do anything else to keep Ivan. My baby was— The large doors slammed open, and hope swelled in my chest as I caught sight of Ivan’s boots. For a brief moment, our eyes locked and I had to dig my fingers into my skin to reassure myself that it wasn’t a dream. He was really there. “Ivan!” I hadn’t even gotten within five inches when my husband shoved me. I lost balance but Ellie caught me before I could hit the ground. Ivan strolled in, flanked by two women. Their manicured hands curled around his arm, my heart sinking further into my stomach as he took several steps forward. His hazel eyes met mine again, he had seen the reports, hadn’t he? So why was Ivan ignoring me? He had always wanted a child, his little rare jewel. I had his jewel, so why— “Ivan,” one of the women drawled. “Who’s she? And why does she keep staring at you?” He tilted his head before scoffing, “I have a house full of staff, Miranda. Surely, you can deduce that I don’t know everyone by name, right?” My feet moved back before my heart could take the hit. He moved past me as murmurs grew. I caught his wrist. The room dropped a few degrees as silence swept across it. Maybe he didn’t know. “I’m pregnant, Ivan.” “I’m carrying your baby,” I brought his hand to my belly, my heart pounding in my chest. “Our baby.” His gaze lingered before he spoke up. “I know.” “Why else do you think I came here, Mrs. Vossi?” “Ivan—“ “I came here to deliver the good news personally” He continued. “No child of mine will come from a murderer.“ “Ivan!” “What else is the child of a murderer called?” He grabbed my arms. “Even if you were the last woman on earth, Mrs. Vossi, I would forget my dreams and remain childless.” A sob finally escaped my lips. “Ivan—“ “You have only ever hurt me, Mrs. Vossi. Surely, you can do this one thing for me.” He was right. I ruined his life, whatever Ivan wanted, I would give it to him. But what could he possibly want? “Tell me, I—“ “Get rid of it.” The ground beneath me moved as Ellie’s grip on me tightened. “W-what?” I heard wrong. Right? “Go to a clinic,” He snapped his fingers again, retrieving a suitcase from one of his guards. “And get it done. Go to the best clinic too, don’t be stingy.” He grabbed a stack of cash and threw it at me. “It will be enough, right?” I couldn’t breathe. The room felt so still it was hard to move and it felt like it was spinning so hard, it was difficult not to. Ivan had asked me for a long list of things in my life– my dreams, desires, dignity…. But now, he wanted me to… To get rid of our child? Of my baby? My hands trembled at the thought. “Or else…” He began, his jaw tightening. I parted my lips, opening and closing them for what felt like forever until I mustered the courage to speak up for the first time in four years. “Or…” I began, my grip on my dress loosening, “Or else what, Ivan?”