Ten Years of Regret Chapter 03
I walked into the hospital lobby with my mud-soaked wedding gown.
A nurse asked if I needed help.
I looked her in the eye and said I was there for an abortion.
She paused, then her face filled with sympathy. She led me to the third floor.
Lying on the operating table, listening to the strong heartbeat on the ultrasound, I called Chase one more time.
Ivy answered, crying and apologizing.
Then Chase grabbed the phone. “You’re too late, Cora. Ivy suffered because of you. Unless you crawl over here and kneel for her forgiveness, I won’t forgive you.”
I swallowed whatever I was going to say. Looked at the doctor. “Please begin.”
“The baby’s healthy,” the doctor said. “Are you sure you don’t want to discuss this with the father?”
“No.”
…
When I got home, nothing had changed.
Guess Chase had been staying with Ivy all this time.
I opened Ivy’s social media.
She’d posted a lot.
The high and mighty Mr. Montgomery, cooking out of love for her. Everyone fawned over it.
I saved every single post. Then turned off my screen.
Threw a few things in a bag and checked into hotel.
A hot bath finally warmed up my frozen body.
I took a few days off work. When I felt better, I went back to work.
My mom kept calling, asking if I’d made up with Chase yet.
I told her I wasn’t getting back together with him.
She wailed so much it drove me crazy, so I stopped answering.
The moment I walked into the office, everyone looked at me weird.
My coworker Leah pulled me aside to my desk, and that’s when I saw that every news feed had exploded.
She grabbed my hand, shocked and jealous. “I can’t believe a rich girl was sitting next to me the whole time! I always thought Ivy Dawson was Mrs. Montgomery, but it turns out it’s you.”
I smiled awkwardly and skimmed the posts.
Someone had filmed the wedding scene and posted it online.
They’d written it up like some trashy “wealthy family’s mistress scandal” story.
Because of Chase’s insane behavior at the altar, even Montgomery Group was taking a hit.
Before, I would’ve rushed to fix the PR disaster for him. But I’d already decided on the divorce, so I didn’t care anymore.
At quitting time, for once, Chase was waiting at the company entrance.
I tried to duck away.
He caught up in two steps and shoved me into his car.
“Still mad? You can’t tell the difference between a wedding and a life?”
“You’re a grown woman. Divorce? Running away? Don’t you think that’s childish?”
“Fine. You’ve been wanting to go to that rooftop stargazing restaurant north of town. I’m taking you now.”
He pulled a gift box from the glove compartment and tossed it at me.
A diamond ring rolled out.
Looked way more expensive than the one from the wedding.
He gave me that “satisfied now?” look.
“Ivy’s heart is weak. She already has the other ring, so let her keep it. This one costs a lot more. Stop making a fuss.”
I played with the ring. The price tag, $999,999, was still on it.
Probably bought it in a hurry from some jewelry store.
In the past, when I was upset, he’d cook for me. He’d watch movies with me, comfort me, walk me through it.
He’d spend a whole day shopping to pick the perfect gift.
Now? He was just like his family, putting a price tag on my feelings and expecting me to thank him for it.
I put the ring back in the glove compartment and shook my head. “This is too expensive. Give it to Ivy.”
“And I’m not throwing a tantrum. You and Ivy can’t let go of each other. I’ll step aside and let her be Mrs. Montgomery. Find a time to get the divorce papers signed.”
We’d already gotten the marriage license before the wedding.
Breaking up meant going through the courts.
Earlier, I’d overheard him with Ivy and his friends. Someone asked why would a Montgomery settle for someone ordinary like me?
He’d fed a peeled grape into Ivy’s mouth and shrugged.
“Can’t say I love her. But Cora stuck around ten years, and now she’s pregnant. Kind of pathetic not to marry her. It’s just a title, so I give it to her.”
To him, our marriage was charity. Pity.
To me, it was ten years of love and real feelings.
Now that I didn’t love him anymore, I didn’t want the title either.
I thought he’d be happy if I just stepped aside and let him have Ivy.
Instead, his eyes went red with anger and he slammed his hand on the steering wheel.
“Don’t play games, Cora! You spent years brown-nosing my parents like a dog, and you schemed to get pregnant. All to be Mrs. Montgomery. Now you’re saying ‘step aside’? What a joke.”
“Fine, the wedding was a mess. I’ll throw you another one. Happy?”
“And who’s to blame anyway? I agreed to marry you. All I did was propose to Ivy for five minutes. You had to go crazy like some drama queen.”
He always said I schemed to get pregnant.
But he was the one who said he wanted his parents to accept me, wanted a baby of our own.
Then Ivy came back, he changed his mind, and blamed me for everything.
His honking was sharp and loud.
In the past, if he got this angry, I’d already be crying, apologizing, explaining.
Now I didn’t have a single word to argue.
I turned my head and looked out the window.
After a long while, it seemed like he was waiting for me to grovel and say sorry. When I didn’t, he turned his head and said my name. “Cora.”
I closed my eyes and didn’t answer.
The GPS kept chiming in with traffic updates.
When we were about a tenth of a mile from the restaurant, his phone suddenly rang.
Ivy was crying on the other end, saying her heart felt bad again, asking if she was about to die.
Honestly, she’d said that so many times I was tired of hearing it.
Ever since she came back, her heart “acted up” on every single meaningful holiday.
Anyone with eyes could see she was faking. But Chase couldn’t.
I spoke first. “Drop me off at the next intersection.”
He stared at me in disbelief. “You’re not mad? Not begging to come with me?”
I shook my head.
I used to hate them being alone together, so I’d offer to help take care of her.
He’d jump down my throat, call me dirty-minded and petty, tell me to learn to be innocent and kind like Ivy.
His lips pressed into a thin line. His phone kept vibrating.
We reached the intersection.
I grabbed my bag and was about to get out, but he caught my wrist and gave me this complicated look.
“I’ll go check on her. I’ll come back later and take you to dinner. Don’t worry. You’re still Mrs. Montgomery. I promise. Just don’t be mad.”
I said, “Yeah, I’m not mad,” and halfheartedly tried to push him away.
He held tighter. “Cora, you’re different. Why aren’t you…”
“Jealous? Why would I be? She’s like a little sister to you. Of course she’d call you first. Go ahead.”
I smiled, pried his fingers off, and got out.
Took a cab back to the hotel, ate the buffet, and passed out.
Half asleep, Chase called again, said Ivy couldn’t be left alone, so no dinner, don’t wait up.
I just said, “I already ate.”
He went quiet, then ground out, “Is that how you’re going to be?”
“Mm-hmm.” I hung up and went back to sleep.
Woke up to a text from him: [Don’t play with fire.]