Chapter 5 I struggled to pull my hand away. Kenneth panicked, reaching out to grab me, but when his fingers brushed mine, he hesitated, unable to hold on. "I... I swear I didn't know you were pregnant..." His words tumbled out in a rush, sweat streaming down his temples. Suddenly, he raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face. He didn't hold back-the red imprint of his fingers swelled instantly. "If I'd known you were pregnant, I would've done anything to protect you." I shook my head, my voice weak. "I've already taken the medication. Even if it wasn't you, tomorrow he would have left me anyway." "What?" His eyes widened in shock. "Why? Why don't you want our child? "You know I've dreamed of having a real family. "I even set up the nursery, bought a crib weeks ago, so it could air out. Lucy, you know all this." His lips were pale, his whole body trembling. "Ken, I used to imagine that one day we'd have a baby. You'd cradle those tiny feet and kiss them over and over, and I'd sing lullabies to put them to sleep..." He jerked his head up, tears glistening in his eyes. "But Ken," I paused, forcing the words out, "I don't want our child to grow up in a home where their parents don't love each other." C Kenneth had told me before-his own parents' marriage fell apart when he was just a teenager. His father insisted on divorcing to marry Nicole's mother. Years of chaos followed before Kenneth's birth mother finally gave up and left. But just a few years after the divorce, she fell seriously ill and passed away. He said he used to hate Nicole and her mother with a passion. If they hadn't come into his life, his teenage years wouldn't have been so dark. He also resented his father, who so easily broke his promises, leaving one woman to suffer a lifetime of heartbreak. 0.0 % 12:03 Chapter 5 That's why, when Kenneth proposed, he made a solemn vow in front of my parents. He promised to give me a safe, happy home and that nothing would ever come between us. But in the end, he became the very man he despised most. Kenneth's voice broke as he choked back tears. "I didn't, Lucy, I never stopped loving you." I turned my head away, unwilling to let him see the tears streaming down my face. I had no idea how long Kenneth stayed by my side. Somewhere between sleep and waking, I heard him arguing with Nicole outside the door. "I just asked you to pick up your things. Who told you to take down my wedding photos and change my password? This is my home with Lucy, do you get that?" "What, you don't like that picture of us? I can swap it out, pick one you'll love." "Nikki! Don't you understand? There's nothing between us. I've only ever loved Lucille Crawford." "Oh, really? Can you guarantee she'll always love you back?" Nicole's voice paused, then grew cold. "What if she saw that video..." Kenneth's voice rose, furious. "Nicole, I'm warning you-don't dig your own grave. My patience with you has limits." When I woke again, Kenneth was sitting nearby, chin propped in his hand, eyes closed in exhaustion. He roused at the sound of me stirring, rubbing his face to wake up. "You're awake? "Try to eat something, okay? I had the housekeeper make your favorite fish. You need to get your strength back." I pushed his hand away, ignoring him. Still, he kept coaxing gently, "Lucy, just one bite. You won't recover if you don't eat. "Don't be too sad. Our baby will come back to us someday." With a flick of my wrist, the carefully prepared meal crashed to the floor. 51.8 % 12:03 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!