Chapter 2

Emmanuel dropped the words and stormed out, leaving Elena frozen in the middle of the living room, staring blankly ahead. Her heart felt hollow. Completely, achingly hollow. She loved him—deeply, desperately, to the point she'd lost herself. But he didn't love her back. Emmanuel's heart was with her cousin, Lilith Wakefield. Lilith, the beautiful and brilliant daughter of her uncle, the perfect match for Emmanuel. Together, they looked like a dream couple. And Elena? What did she have to offer? She wasn't gentle. She wasn't talented. She didn't even have an ounce of pride left. She knew Emmanuel didn't want her, but she still threw herself at him. She had managed to get in his bed, sure, but that was all it was. Just sex. Emmanuel never treated her like she mattered. When he needed her, he'd show up and stay a night. When he didn't, he disappeared for days, even weeks. He'd never acknowledged her, not even once. And yet… even with all of that, she still took everything with a broken smile and full heart. For three whole years, whatever he said, she followed. Now she was pregnant, and when he told her to get rid of it, she didn't even argue. But today—today changed everything. The doctor told her after this miscarriage, she might never be able to have a child again. She lost it. She couldn't let go of this baby—not now. She wanted to keep it. No matter what. But she knew how Emmanuel was. If he said she had to get rid of it, then she had to. That was how it had always been. He was ruthless. And there was no way she could get away. So what could she even do now? In the middle of her spiraling thoughts, the sound of a car broke through the silence. Emmanuel was back—barely had he been gone for long. The second he walked in, he grabbed her by the collar, his voice snapped with rage. "Elena, what the hell did you say to Lilith?" "Emmanuel, are you crazy? You're hurting me!" Her neck stung where his grip tightened, and she tried to pry his hand off. But he wouldn't let go. His glare cut through her. "You told her about the baby, didn't you?" "I didn't! I swear I didn't tell her," she shot back instantly. "Then explain why she just walked out of the hospital without telling anyone?""How would I know? Maybe she's just busy with something else? Emmanuel, Lilith's a grown woman, not some toddler. Aren't you tired from hovering around her 24/7?" "Elena, do you even hear yourself? You know she's sick right now, don't you?!" Watching Emmanuel look all frantic just made Elena's heart sting even more. "So now that she's gone missing, you're blaming me? Seriously? What does any of this have to do with me?" "How doesn't it have something to do with you? Lilith ended up like this because of you. Don't you feel the slightest bit guilty?" Back then, Lilith had gotten seriously ill because of the mess between Elena and Emmanuel. And now Emmanuel was dead set on thinking Lilith vanishing was all her fault. "I'm warning you, Elena, don't think you can play games with that kid in your belly. Get rid of it. Immediately." That hit her like a slap in the face. He could be all worked up over Lilith, but when it came to her… his heart was ice. Her chest felt like it was being crushed, the anger simmering inside finally boiling over. "Emmanuel, are you even human? That's your child too! How can you be so heartless?" Elena had always been the one to hold back, but this time her rage pushed her past her limit—which only made Emmanuel lash out harder. He gave a low, mocking laugh. "Oh, I know it's mine. But no child of mine deserves to have a disgusting mother like you." Disgusting? He really just said that? Elena stared at the fury in his eyes and suddenly lost the will to argue. It was pathetic, all of it. Was her only sin falling for Emmanuel? Was it her fault she wound up in his bed that night? And now she was somehow the villain of the story. She was the woman, bearing the shame of it all, and not a single person stood by her. All she got was blame, scorn. The sadness just spilled over from the deepest part of her. Staring at the man she'd been in love with for five years, she whispered, "So, that's really what I am to you. That worthless." Emmanuel's heart skipped—he didn't know why. But right then, his phone rang. As he picked up, a panicked voice shouted from the other end, "Mr. Mitchell, Miss Lilith's been in a car accident!"