Chapter 2': The Manipulator

Louisa:

In that second, the entire world blurred. Everything came crumbling down, the walls falling and falling till it crushed me, trapping me underneath.

This is a joke. An expensive joke. This can't be happening, not when I'm finally pregnant.

Jenna just sat quietly, watching us both with a satisfied smirk on her pretty face.

"Alex, I'm pregnant. I can't become a single mother!" I screamed at him, crying. My heart was heavy with pain

"No you're not, you're infertile." He said coldly. "You can NEVER give birth." He laughed mockingly.

The words stung deeply. It was as if a knife was shoved into my heart, slicing it and ripping it apart.

"Baby, please I never cheated on you! This is a misunderstanding, please!" I sniffled, wiping my eyes painfully. "Please!"

I can't let Jenna destroy everything for me. She can't get away with her wickedness.

I grasped his arm, desperation creeping into my voice. "Please, baby, listen to me. I'm telling you the truth. I never cheated on you. It's all a misunderstanding. That never happened! I went with her.. but I never... Listen, I'm pregnant. Some good news huh? The reports.. I left it in the cab.. we can go to the doctor together.." I stammered but he just glared at me quietly.

His eyes, once full of love and warmth, now seemed cold and unforgiving. It was clawing at my heart, breaking it into pieces. My husband hates me now. I knew it just as I knew I'd be kicked out.

God! Please don't let this happen to me!

He shook off my grip, his jaw clenched. "Don't lie to me, Louisa. I saw the pictures. I know what I saw." Alex's eyes were flashing with utter hatred.

"Sign the divorce papers! Sign it!" He glared angrily at me, making me shift backwards.

Tears streamed down my face as I tried to reason with him. "Those pictures are not what they seem. I have never met that man in my life before. I wouldn't do this. Babe, this child in me is yours. You wanted to be a father and I a mother right?"

His ruthless expression didn't waver. He took a step back, his voice dripping with disgust. "You're disgusting. How could you do this to me? To us? Nevermind that, here's some good news. Jenna here is pregnant and I'm keeping her baby."

I felt like I would collapse any moment from now. This was too much to bear. He's keeping an outsider's baby over his own fúcking wife? How did it get to this?

I felt a panic rising up inside me. I never suspected the affair. Sure, they were friends but that was all. How could I be so blind. I noticed how close they were, too close for my liking but I didn't do anything about it because I trusted my husband.

Now.. she's been feeding him with a sorts of lies and even screwing him

I felt a sting from his betrayal, but I couldn't give up. I would forgive him for sleeping with Jenna but he shouldn't leave me. I tried to touch him, my lips trembling. " I love you. I would never hurt you like that. Please, just listen..."

In a flash of anger, he slapped my hand away, his palm connecting with my cheek. The sound echoed through the room, leaving me stunned and reeling. My lips bursted with blood trickling out.

Alex has never raised his hand at me before. He fúcking slapped me! What was happening? It's over.

"What are you waiting for Louisa? What part of this do you not understand? What makes you think in that fucked up brain of yours that I'll ever accept you back? You are a slut! You betrayed me and now, you can get the fuck out of my life. Jenna and I"- he entwined their fingers together-" are a thing now."

"She's lying to you! She's manipulating you with her looks Alex! She's framing is trying to ruin our lives!" I sobbed.

"Sign the divorce papers now!" he thrusted the divorce papers at me but I bluntly backed away in pain.

There's no way in hell am I signing this. He's the man I loved. The father of my unborn baby. I'll never leave him. We belong together. I was a poor orphan before I married him. He's technically the only man I have in my life. The only human. I won't let her come in the way!

"No!" I spat defiantly.

His eyes widened in anger.

This is the first time I'm going against him. The first time I'm refusing his orders. I've always been subservient and obedient but not today. I squeezed the papers, ready to tear it with teary eyes when he grabbed my neck.

"Sign it, filthy bitch!" He glared, his grip tightening around my neck.

"Alex..." I gasped, crying painfully.

"I said, sign it!!" He hollered and I nodded slowly, struggling for air.

His hands loosened around my neck as I hesitantly signed it, shaking with fright. I saw the repulsion in his eyes.

Finally , I was yanked out of her room and tossed outside like trash. I sat on the floor, my body feeling lifeless and too exhausted to get up.

After sitting outside for what felt like hours and praying he'll charge his mind, the door opened and my face darkened when I glimpsed who came out.

Jenna. The disgusting manipulator. She was dressed.

It breaks my heart that Alex was still in the room – her room.

"I hope you're happy." I fumed in anger but she walked past me, reaching the stairs.

Before she could get down, I pulled her back roughly but she flung me off impatiently. "Don't touch me! And yes, I am happy because I finally got what was meant to be mine!"

"Are you crazy? Sleeping with your best friend's husband?" I gasped in disbelief.

"Sweet little dumb Louisa. The poor helpless orphan. You weren't meant to marry a rich man!" She snarled, folding her arms

"And you were?" My voice was scathing.

"Yes! We both met him at the party, didn't we? You were dressed like a nun with round ugly looking glasses. I wore a stylish designer dress that I was practically naked in and yet he chose you! He went out on dates with you when it should've been me. So I've finally reclaimed what's mine!" Jenna said selfishly.

"Are you nuts..."

"And the worst part is that you're so desperate that you immediately made up the fact that you're pregnant to trap him! But it's obviously not going to work. You should've thought of something convincing. A girl diagnosed to be infertile suddenly pregnant? Give me a break, bitch." she laughed.

"I am pregnant!" I huffed, my breath quickening.

"Yeah; right." She laughed harder still.

"After everything I did for you Jenna. You chose to betray me. I thought you were my friend.."

"Why would I be friends with a simple silly girl like you?"

I was aghast. She was my childhood friend. So, all this while, she never liked me. I knew I wasn't really liked because I wasn't rich but when I married, I finally felt loved at least by Alex

From below, I saw Yolanda and my mother-in-law, sipping drinks. Jenna smirked and leaned closer. "It's best you leave, no one likes you here. Watch this!"

Before I could even process what was happening, Jenna let out a loud shriek and staged a fall, tumbling down the stairs. I was shocked, my eyes wide with horror as I realized what she was doing.

"No, Jenna, stop!" I cried out, but it was too late. She landed with a thud at the base of the stairs, wailing and crying as if she was seriously hurt.