Chapter 310: Solidify the bond
Abby sat on the cold, tiled floor of the bathroom, surrounded by a sea of discarded pregnancy test kits. Her hands trembled as she stared at the last one, hoping—praying—that it would show the result she so desperately wanted. But as the seconds ticked by, the single line on the test remained unchanged, mocking her with its starkness. Not pregnant. Again.
Her chest tightened, and she felt a wave of frustration and despair wash over her. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She had planned everything so perfectly. She had stopped taking the pill months ago, timing everything meticulously. She wanted to give Remo a child, to solidify their bond in the most undeniable way. A baby would ensure he would never leave her; it would keep them connected forever. But no matter how hard she tried, the result was always the same.
"Why?" she whispered, her voice cracking as she flung the test across the room. It hit the wall with a clatter before falling to the floor, just another piece of plastic in the growing pile around her. "Why isn’t it happening?"
Abby pulled her knees to her chest, rocking slightly as panic began to take hold. What if she was infertile? The thought slithered through her mind like a venomous snake, coiling around her heart and squeezing. No, she couldn’t be infertile. That would ruin everything. She needed to get pregnant. If she didn’t, Remo might leave her, and she couldn’t bear that. The idea of losing him, of watching him walk away from her, was too much to bear.
She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling slightly as she tried to think. There had to be something she could do. Maybe she needed to see a specialist, or maybe there were other methods, ways to ensure she got pregnant. But even as she considered those options, a darker, more insidious thought crept into her mind. What if Remo was the problem? What if he was the one who couldn’t give her a child? The thought was blasphemous, but it stuck with her, feeding her growing paranoia.
The sound of the front door opening jolted her out of her spiraling thoughts. Remo was home. Panic surged through her, and she quickly scrambled to her feet, gathering up the tests and shoving them into the trash can under the sink. She couldn’t let him see this—couldn’t let him know how desperate she was. Abby wiped her tears and plastered a smile on her face, forcing herself to calm down. Everything had to be perfect. She had to be perfect.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, she found Remo in the hallway, loosening his tie. His expression was tired, and he seemed lost in thought, but Abby ignored that. She rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his. "Welcome home, darling," she purred, trying to infuse her voice with as much warmth and excitement as she could muster. "I missed you."
Remo returned her embrace, albeit a bit distractedly, patting her back. "I missed you too, Abby."
As she hugged him, her eyes caught something that made her heart stop. There, on the collar of his shirt, was a faint smudge of red lipstick. Her smile froze, and a cold chill ran down her spine. Nicole. She knew that shade anywhere. The smile wavered, but she quickly masked it, pulling away just enough to look up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"What’s this?" she asked playfully, brushing her fingers over the lipstick stain. Her voice was light, but inside, her mind was a whirlwind of rage and suspicion. How dare Nicole? How dare she try to take him from her?
Remo glanced down at the mark and frowned slightly. "Oh, that. Must have been from someone at the club. Nicole dropped by for a bit, but it was nothing. You know how she is."
Abby’s heart pounded in her chest as jealousy and fury burned through her veins. Nicole was trying to seduce him, trying to steal him away. The thought of Remo even looking at another woman—let alone someone like Nicole—made her blood boil. But she forced herself to smile, hiding the storm brewing inside her.