Chapter 3
Melanie wanted to turn Albert down at first, but she recalled their deal to carry out all marital obligations when they agreed to the arranged marriage.
Considering the divorce had yet to be finalized, she had no choice but to reluctantly agree to his request. “All right.”
Albert leaned down and kissed her. He was rougher than usual tonight, and she couldn’t help the moan of protest that escaped her halfway. She gripped the bedsheets tightly.
Seeing that, Albert chuckled lightly as he asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Can’t take it, huh? Shall I slow down?”
Melanie closed her eyes and whispered, “Please.”
“You got it,” Albert replied with mild amusement before kissing her even more deeply.
When Melanie woke up the next morning, she was alone in the room. She got out of bed and washed up. After putting on a change of clothes, she headed downstairs to find that Albert had left without her realizing.
Vivienne was having breakfast alone in the dining room. Melanie approached the table and asked amicably, “Did you sleep well last night? Is the breakfast to your liking?”
Yet, Vivienne ignored Melanie and continued eating. She didn’t even bother looking at Melanie, who might as well be invisible at this point.
Sighing, Melanie wondered how Vivienne could be so rude when she grew up with an older brother like Albert, whose manners were impeccable. She dropped all attempts at civil conversation and took her seat at the table to start on her breakfast.
Melanie had taken only a bite of toast when her stomach churned. She shot to her feet and ran into the bathroom, doubling over the sink as she retched. When she straightened up again, she saw Vivienne glowering at her maliciously from the door.
She leveled a sharp, incredulous look at Melanie as she demanded icily, “Are you pregnant?”
Melanie froze. She was about to explain herself when Vivienne broke down and screamed angrily, “I can tolerate your marriage with Albert and the fact that you’re sleeping together, but I won’t have you carrying his child!”
“Hold her down!” she snapped at the bodyguards by the door before turning to the maids. “And bring me the abortion pills!”
The bodyguards and the maids were stunned. They dared not make any moves and exchanged hesitant looks.
But Vivienne was fuming as she seethed, “Didn’t Albert make it clear before he left that all of you are to look after me? Is refusing to do as I say your idea of looking after me?”
The bodyguards and the maids exchanged yet another look, but at last, they decided not to disobey Vivienne. They marched forward and held Melanie still just as she finally snapped to her senses.
“Vivienne, you’re mistaken! I’m not pregnant. My stomach was acting up, and I—”
Rage had clouded Vivienne’s better judgment. When the maids didn’t bring the pills in time, she bolted into the bedroom and took a bottle of abortion pills from the medical kit.
She stormed up to Melanie and barked, “How dare you lie to me? You will not have Albert’s kid! I won’t let you!”
There was a maniacal edge to Vivienne’s tone as she gripped Melanie’s chin, forcing the latter’s mouth wide open and shoving the pills in.
Melanie shook her head frantically to keep from swallowing the pills, but they slithered down her throat all the same. Within moments, her stomach churned violently, and the sharp pain made her wobble on her feet.
Cold sweat trickled down her forehead as she slowly blacked out. She wanted to cry for help but couldn’t find her voice. In the end, she collapsed on the ground and felt her consciousness slip away.
…
When Melanie came to, she was lying in a hospital bed.
As her mind slowly cleared, she heard the doctor point out exasperatedly, “Mr. Palmer, you shouldn’t have made Mrs. Palmer swallow those abortion pills when she was never pregnant in the first place.
“You’re lucky she was admitted in time to get her stomach pumped, or we might have had to remove half her stomach altogether!”
