Chapter 4
In a self–punishing manner, she wondered, “Would Eric trail kisses along Mandy’s body from collarbone to waist, just as he had done with her?
“Would Eric, as he always did with her, continuously whisper ‘I love you‘ with each deep movement?
“And after it was all finished, would Eric lift Mandy and carry her to the bathroom, tenderly washing every inch of her himself?”
The mere thought of these scenarios nearly pushed Ariana to insanity.
Over time, the agony dulled her senses.
The madness gradually transformed into tranquility.
Two weeks passed, and Mandy realized her period was late.
A hospital blood test confirmed that Mandy was expecting a baby.
When Eric learned about Mandy’s pregnancy, he got down on one knee in front of Ariana and gently reassured her.
“Sweetheart, once Mandy has the baby, I’ll provide her with a significant amount of money to move on, and the Gibson family will take care of raising the child. After that, nothing will stand in the way of us being. together!”
Eric continued to dream about the future he and Ariana would share.
Meanwhile, Ariana was secretly counting the days until she would leave in just two weeks.
Despite Mandy’s pregnancy, Eric remained indifferent toward her.
Mandy, on the other hand, stayed quietly in the background, never seeking attention.
The day finally came for Mandy’s initial prenatal appointment.
She faced Eric, her cheeks red, anxiously fidgeting with the edge of her outfit.
“Mr. Gibson, I have a prenatal appointment tomorrow and need a family member to accompany me.”
“I’ll arrange for someone to join you,” Eric replied, his gaze stern and caution evident in his eyes.
“Remember not to desire what doesn’t belong to you. Know your place.”
Eric turned and whispered quietly into Ariana’s ear, acting as if Mandy
wasn’t even there.
Mandy’s eyes filled with tears, and she left with her eyes rimmed red.
A few minutes passed before Eric stood up.
“Little crybaby, I need to use the restroom.”
Eric was gone for quite a while and didn’t come back,
Ariana got up to look for him in the restroom, but froze at the corner.
Outside the bathroom, Eric pressed Mandy against the wall, softly stroking her lower abdomen.
“Is it because I didn’t go with you to the prenatal appointment? Stop being a crybaby. I don’t want our child to be a crybaby, too, when it’s born.”
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Mandy bit her lip, tears threatening to spill.
“Mr. Gibson, you can go and be with Ms. Harlan. I’ll be okay.”
“Are you jealous?”
Eric’s hand gently moved from Mandy’s lower abdomen to the hem of her dress.
“Ariana is still here. I can’t spoil you too much,” he remarked.
Mandy weakly protested, her cheeks turning a deep red as she involuntarily released a moan mixed with a sob.
“Mr. Gibson, please… Ms. Harlan might notice us.”
“We’ll be married soon. You’re carrying my child, still calling me ‘Mr.
Gibson“?”
“Eric.”
Mandy’s eyes became unfocused as she collapsed gently into Eric’s.
embrace.
As he supported her, Eric’s fingers moved gently under her dress, murmuring softly, “Behave… The baby wants to meet me first, too.”
Their breathing intensified, and their bodies slowly melded together.
Outside the door, Ariana felt frozen, as though trapped in an icy cavern, unable to move for what seemed like ages.
It felt like a hammer was pounding her heart over and over.
The agony caused her to tremble.
Oh, Eric, how could you betray me?
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Ariana retreated, wandering without direction back to her room.
Once there, she pulled out her phone, accessed the hidden album, and tapped on a picture of Oliver.
Four years earlier, she had also borne a child for Eric.
