Chapter 6
Shattered, Yet Strong
Lately, reality has been unkind to me, draining my stamina in ways I never thought possible. I’ve always prided myself on resilience. yet the ordeal with Edgar has left me feeling hollow like a part of me has been stripped away.
I won’t deny it–his betrayal shattered my heart. On the surface, I may seem strong, but deep inside, I’m just a woman pretending to be okay
And then, there’s this pregnancy. My body feels weaker than ever before. But I don’t blame them–my babies. No, not for a second. If anything. I blame myself for everything that has happened
“Don’t worry, my babies. You still have me, and I will love you with all that i an
I caressed my stomach gently, whispering my silent promise, while watching my mother cook chicken soup in my kitchen. For days, 1 had hesitated to let her visit my apartment after walking away from Edgar. No one knew I had this place–not even my mother–which was why Edgar couldn’t find me here.X
“I was shocked when you told me you were carrying twins,” she said as she placed a steaming must not be easy, going through this alone.
bowl of soup pon
the dining table. ”
I nodded: None of this was how I had imagined it would be I thought I’d go through this pregnancy with Edgar by my side, that we’d be just like any expecting couple–eagerly awaiting the arrival of our children. I had pictured the happiness on his face when he found out he was going to have not just one, but two heirs.
But that future no longer existed. After his betrayal, I decided to keep this pregnancy a secret. I refused to let him use our unborn children as an excuse to complicate the divorce.
“Is Edgar still living in your penthouse?” my mother asked
I nodded. “I suppose I was kind enough to let him have it. That’s why I moved here.”
“That’s good.” She sighed. “He came to the house looking for you. Have you seen him since the divorce?”
my babies
“No. He called a while ago, but that’s about it. I’ve spent most of my time here, with
My mother reached out and stroked my hair, the same comforting gesture she had done since I was a child.
“You are a strong woman, Sharon. You will get through this
I nodded, warmth filling my heart as I looked at the woman in front of me. Even after knowing what Edgar had done–how he betrayed me despite everything I had given up for him–she never blamed me.
“I should go now,” she said after a moment. “Your father is on his way back from his business trip, and I need to be home to elcome him. Besides, I have a feeling Edgar might be watching me, hoping I’ll lead him to you. He knows I would visit you sooner or later.”
She kissed my
d my forehead softly before heading for the door
“Thank you for coming, Mom. And for the soup,” I said. “I’ll come home once things settle down.”
“Take care of yourself and my grandbabies, alright? And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me
I watched her leave, waving as she stepped into the elevator. Just as the doors closed, I noticed a neighbor standing by his apartment door, staring at me with an unreadable expression
A strange feeling crawled over me, the weight of his gaze making me uneasy.
Why was he looking at me like that?
I quickly stepped back inside, locking the door behind me.
“I hope he’s not a stalker,” I muttered under my breath.!!
I collapsed onto my bed, pulling out the reports from my boutique. Work had been piling up, but i still wasn’t in the right state of mind to deal with it. More than that, I was afraid–afraid that my emotions would cloud my judgment, that my broken heart would spill
into my work!
Healing from betrayal takes time. And I needed time.
The worst part was knowing how thoroughly Edgar had deceived me. He had worn his mask so well that I never once suspected him. How could I have been so blind? So naive?
“I’m sorry, my loves, if I have to hate your father,” I whispered, placing a hand on my slightly rounded belly. “I just hope you grow up with good hearts, despite everything.”
That night, I slept surprisingly well. I was grateful that my pregnancy had been relatively smooth–just the usual morning sickness, but nothing unbearable
Today, I had an appointment with my doctor. It was time for another check–up, and I was eager to see my babies again.
Wrapping myself in a thick coat and scarf, Heft my apartment and called for an Uber to take me to a hospital on the Manhattan
e outskirts of
The moment my name was called, I stepped into the consultation room, where I was greeted by Dr. Liam–the obstetrician recommended by my family doctor Dr. Wright
“Hello, Ms. Sharon. How are you feeling?” Dr. Liam smiled.
“A little exhausted.” I admitted
“So, this is your first pregnancy? Well, congratulations. Let’s start by checking your blood pressure.”
“So, this is your first pregnancy? Well, congratulations. Let’s start by checking your blood pressure
His assistant wrapped the cuff around my arm and took notes on my vitals. Then, Dr. Liam had me lie down as he began th ultrasound
The moment the monitor flickered to life, my heart clenched. There they were–my babies. Two tiny lives growing inside me “They’re doing wonderfully,” Dr. Liam said. “Both are healthy, growing right on track)
I blinked back tears. Hearing their strong, steady heartbeats filled me with overwhelming emotion–joy, relief, and a deep, aching guilt.
Seven years. Seven years of marriage, waiting and praying for this moment. And now, when it had finally come, I had to face it alone But maybe that was for the best. Yeah.
Better for them to grow up without a father than to live in the toxic world he had created
