(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

“Yes! You lied to me, Ariana. I trusted you!” the man snapped harshly.

Ariana continued to stare at him in silence, her eyes starting to well up. Not because she was scared, but more because she was holding back her anger. “What do you mean I lied?” she asked, not understanding.

“Everything,” Gerald replied harshly. “Everything!” he repeated, his voice rising. “You said you didn’t go anywhere, but all day long, since I dropped you off at the restaurant, you were never there. You didn’t even step inside. Where did you go? Did you meet another man out there?” he accused roughly. “And some time ago, you went to the mother and child hospital. Why didn’t you tell me you went there? What were you doing there? Were you checking your pregnancy and planning to abort it without my knowledge?” he continued with accusations that sounded unreasonable to Ariana.

Instead of answering his questions, Ariana burst into laughter. “What is this? Are you writing a screenplay?” she asked mockingly.

“I’m not writing a screenplay. I’m asking you based on facts,” Gerald replied coldly.

“Then why didn’t the person who gave you these ‘facts’ tell you where I was all day?” Ariana challenged again. “Why didn’t he tell you that I went to Jody’s house and stayed there all day before coming back home?” she asked with restrained emotion.

Gerald stared at Ariana, unable to provide an answer. But then he grabbed an envelope from the table and threw it onto the table in front of Ariana.

Ariana picked up the envelope and saw pictures of herself inside. Pictures of her entering the hospital area. Pictures of her going into the obstetrician’s room and also when she came out shortly after. Ariana just looked at them in silence. It was indeed her, although it seemed Gerald didn’t know the reason for her presence there.

She then tossed the photos back onto the table. Let him hear what was on Gerald’s mind before she said what was on her mind. “So?” Ariana looked at Gerald with a flat expression.

“You’re pregnant, right?” Gerald asked again. “According to you?” Ariana asked again.

“And you didn’t want to tell me about it? Especially since this morning, the issue was discussed at the breakfast table,” he replied again, this time with fiery intensity.

Ariana nodded, agreeing with his statement. “Yes, your ex-lover brought it up. That’s what I remember,” Ariana replied still in her flat tone.

“And why didn’t you answer that you were pregnant at that time?” Gerald asked with a lower voice. “Or after we were alone together?” he continued hesitantly. “If you thought this was a surprise and you wanted me to be the first to know? Why did you ask about Axel’s adoption issue instead of telling me this good news? Why, Ariana? Why?”

“Why do you think?” Ariana countered.

“Do you want to abort it because you want to go back to your lover?” he challenged. Lover? Ariana repeated the word in her mind. “Are you regretful and realized that you actually love Chris, you want to pursue him but the existence of my child hinders your desire, is that it?”

Ariana wanted to laugh at his words. But she held back. She just looked at Gerald coldly. Was that how Gerald saw her? Was that all the trust he had in her? She wondered in her mind. “If that’s your assumption, I can’t say anything,” she replied coldly.

Gerald stared at Ariana with wide eyes and open mouth. Her answer was so painful to him. It hurt more than when he had broken his bones. Something in his chest squeezed so tight that for a split second he felt his heart stop beating. Was Ariana really planning to do what Shelma suspected?

He couldn’t believe it. But hearing it coming from her own mouth, what else could Gerald say?

“Why?” Gerald asked softly. “Why do you want to do that?” he continued with an expression of disbelief.

“There are many reasons,” Ariana replied nonchalantly. She even shrugged without taking her eyes off Gerald. “First, I’m not ready to be a mother, and you already know that,” Ariana answered casually. She chose to lean back against the sofa’s backrest and stared at Gerald defiantly. “Second, because I’m really not ready to be a mother. And third, maybe you’re right, I realized that Chris means a lot to me, and this time I don’t want to let him go.”

Gerald still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “But that doesn’t mean you can kill it. It’s your flesh and blood! It’s our flesh and blood!” Gerald shouted loudly.

“He is indeed my flesh and blood. Gerald!” Ariana retorted with an equally loud voice. “But this body is mine.”

She hissed. “And I have more rights over this body than this fetus.” Ariana replied again.

Gerald shook his head in disbelief. He slumped weakly on the sofa. His eyes looked at Ariana with sadness. Ariana knew she had hurt Gerald, but she didn’t care. “But that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of it. He’s your flesh and blood! Our flesh and blood!” Gerald pleaded.

“He is my flesh and blood. Gerald!” Ariana replied with the same volume. “But this body is mine.”

She hissed. “And I have more rights over this body than this fetus.” Ariana replied again.

Gerald shook his head in disbelief. He slumped weakly on the sofa. His eyes looked at Ariana with sadness. Ariana knew she had hurt Gerald, but she didn’t care. “But that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of it. He’s your flesh and blood! Our flesh and blood!” Gerald pleaded.

Ariana continued to look at him with her flat expression. “When will the matter of Axel’s adoption be settled?” Ariana asked again. A question that Gerald didn’t expect to come out of Ariana’s mouth at a time like this.

“Why? Why are you asking that? Do you really want all of this to end so we can end this marriage?” Gerald asked, still in disbelief.

“This marriage should never have happened, right?” Ariana countered. “Ana…” Gerald couldn’t say anything anymore.

“Finish the adoption process soon, Gerald. I just want my normal life back. Let’s return everything to the original plan. Get custody of Axel while you’re still my husband, or you can get custody after you divorce me and marry Karenina. Because I can’t wait too long anymore, Gerald,” Ariana stood up from her seat.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Where are you going?” Gerald asked, displeased.

“To where I should be. Call me when social services come and conduct the survey. If there’s no business with it, I hope you won’t bother me. I don’t care if you follow me or not. I’m just tired of staying in this place,” she said as she walked away. But at the door, Ariana stopped in her tracks. “And don’t order anyone to follow me. If you do, your worst nightmare will truly come true. This child will never be born, and you won’t have a chance to see it.”