Chapter 15
After Alina collapsed at the wedding, the Fords had her rushed to the hospital. The doctors diagnosed signs of a threatened miscarriage, brought on by stress and emotional strain.
Thankfully, they got there in time, and the baby was still stable, but Alina had to rest and stay
calm.
Even so, lying in bed while watching the gloomy sky outside the window, Alina couldn’t pull herself out of the spiral. That wedding had once been something she had struggled to accept but now it was a wound she couldn’t bear to look back on.
Alina truly did love Aaron, but deep down, she had always known there was an impossible gap between them. The only woman he had ever really loved was Eleanor and Alina had only entered his life because of one accident.
That accident had flared up like a falling star–brilliant and quick–but destined to burn out. Once she gave birth to this child, she would disappear from Aaron’s world for good. That much, she knew for sure.
But even though she knew that, she still couldn’t stop herself from sinking, getting swept up in how his eyes had once looked at her, soft and warm.
As for Eleanor, guilt had always lingered in Alina’s heart. If not for her, Eleanor probably would have had the perfect wedding, the perfect husband, and a future full of peace and
happiness.
Every time they crossed paths, Alina would instinctively lower her head, too ashamed to meet Eleanor’s eyes. But still, she had sensed that Eleanor had likely figured something out.
That shame and guilt of wrecking someone else’s relationship never stopped haunting her.
And if she was honest, when she saw Eleanor run out of the wedding, she had felt a flicker of relief, maybe even a sliver of hope.
After all, that meant there might be another chance. However, when Eleanor announced the pregnancy in front of everyone, Alina felt like her sin had been dragged out into the daylight, exposing her for what she really was.
All the dark, heavy emotions she had stuffed down had exploded at once, and she had fainted right then and there. As a result, the baby was at risk, and her already unstable emotions were even harder to control.
That evening, Margaret showed up. She noticed Alina had barely touched the dinner the nurse brought in and scolded Alina immediately.
“Lina, you’re carrying a child. You can’t just pick at your food like this. How is the baby supposed to get proper nutrition?”
Chapter 15
The sharp tone sent a wave of anxiety through Alina. Even without an appetite, she quickly picked up the spoon and forced herself to eat a little more.
Margaret finally nodded, but she still reached for the chart at the bedside. Her expression tightened the more she read.
Alina noticed it and felt a nervous knot forming in her chest. Margaret had always been polite with her, even kind, but she also knew that kindness was never truly about her–it was about
the baby.
With the pregnancy unstable, Margaret had every reason to hold her accountable. Just as Alina feared, Margaret soon launched into a lecture.
Maybe it was the chaos from earlier still sitting heavy on her chest, but this time, her tone was far from gentle. The words hit hard and fast.
Alina was already afraid of her, so now the tears welled up quickly. The moment Aaron stepped into the room, she looked at him like he was her lifeline. Yet, the second she saw the devastation on his face, she froze.
In all the time she had known him, she had never seen him like that–haunted, wrecked, completely unrecognizable.
Her voice came out soft, tinged with concern, as she asked, “Mr. Ford, what’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?”
Π
However, Aaron didn’t respond to her worry. Instead, he walked straight to the bed, his eyes locked on her belly, and his voice rang out with grim determination. “I want this baby gone women stared at him, stunned. The entire room froze. Both
Alina looked absolutely shattered, while Margaret stormed up to them with barely contained fury.
She snapped, “As long as I’m still breathing, don’t even think about it! That child carries the Ford family’s blood!”
