Chapter 4

　　"Everyone, on this auspicious day, I have an important announcement to make,"

　　Oh? The bastard even had to say something?

　　On the raised platform, Edric stood. He looked pathetic with the bandage wrapped around his head, but he was smiling.

　　He looked at the crowd, his eyes landed on me, distressing me. For a second, he faltered. Then, his gaze shifted to the woman beside him.

　　Amie.

　　He shifted to one knee, dropping my impishness.

　　"Amie, you are everything I could possibly desire, my love, my happiness, and will you do me the honor of showing you how much I love you for the rest of our lives?"

　　My chest constricted badly, the future we were supposed to create was purloined from me, brimming tears in my eyes.

　　The pain I was trying to hide through makeup, through lust, through any possible means burst when he offered Amie a ring.

　　"Will you marry me?"

　　"Oh my God, Edric! Yes! Yes!"

　　I stood miserably. Lips quivering, soul being torn apart, strength draining.

　　For how long was he taking advantage of me? For how long was this going on behind my back?

　　How could he do this to me?

　　My steps stumbled, colliding with Zayne's who was behind me all this time, observing my agonizing reaction with amusement.

　　He didn't offer a shoulder to cry on.

　　Instead, he gripped my shoulders firmly, forcing me to stand straight. He leaned down, his eyes boring into mine, cold and calculating.

　　"Don't you dare cry," he hissed, "Look at them. They think they won. Are you going to let them keep thinking that?"

　　"He's marrying her, Mr. Nightwood," My broken tone came, "He is giving her the life he promised me."

　　"Then take it back, Kristine" Zayne said, a wicked smirk playing on his lips, pressing it against my ear.

　　"Or better yet, take everything he owns. Including his dignity."

　　I looked at Edric, who was now kissing Amie, back to the heartless businessman, Zayne Nightwood — the man who hated Edric more than anyone.

　　Growling, I hit his chest, making him chuckle.

　　Indulging in my utter defeat, it infuriated me as I walked away with tears glistening in my eyes, cursing both of them.

　　I was back at the apartment, the black dress shredded on the floor. I wasn't crying anymore. I was pacing, my eyes wild.

　　"Kristine, stop," Rose pleaded, trying to grab my hands, "We can just leave. Move away. Start over."

　　"No," I snapped, "I won't run away. Not this time,"

　　"I wish they die, I wish the worst would happen to them. I wish they never live happily after what they did to me." I growled, throwing the nearby vase in the air, losing my composure and strength before falling on the ground.

　　"Hold yourself, Kristine. You can't lose. You have a child to think about,"

　　"They…"

　　Sniffling, I pulled away a little, wiping my teary eyes roughly, smearing the immaculate eye look, curling my hands in a fist.

　　"They will pay, Rose. Like hell they will get their happy ending after destroying mine."

　　Holding my hands to help me calm down, she asked softly, "But, what are you going to do?"

　　Shifting back, resting my back against the couch, I hugged my knees close to my chest as a fierce fire of revenge bloomed in my empty chest.

　　This won't end easily, I won't let it and for that, I would stoop to any level.

　　Placing my hand over my stomach, no longer in my right state of mind, breaking the boundaries of ethics, I enunciated darkly.

　　"I think I know exactly what to do, Rose. Edric will pay hell for betraying me."  

　　"Kristine Iglesias is pregnant with Zayne Nightwood's child!

　　Yes! She was in love with his rival, Edric Carton, but their breakup led to a twisted one night stand where she is now pregnant with Mr. Nightwood's baby.

　　Is it for revenge or a beginning of a new bond that is yet to find out. We are waiting to hear further from Miss Kristine and Mr. Nightwood.

　　Are they going to keep the child? Stay tuned with us to find more!"

　　The headline glared at me from every digital billboard in the city. Two weeks. That was all it took to drop the bomb of the scandal.

　　We were the new hot topic, a vicious headline plastered across every digital and print tabloid. I knew it was an incredibly low blow, but wrath had blinded me.

　　I sat in Zayne's high-rise office, legs crossed elegantly, watching the news cycle churn, indulging in the rage unfolding.

　　SMASH.

　　The remote shattered against the massive LED screen on the wall. He turned, his blue eyes burning with a cold but terrifying fury.

　　"What the hell is this, Kristine?"

　　"Who told you not to wear a condom?" I shrugged my shoulders.

　　"You are telling me," He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous hiss, "That after one night, you are carrying my child?"

　　"Biology is a funny thing," I smiled coldly.

　　He glared for a long time before regaining his composure and pinching the bridge of his nose, loosening his collarbone before snatching the file from my hand.

　　"Look at the reports yourself, check the date, two weeks after our sweet time,"

　　The reports were a masterpiece. A hefty bribe to my doctor had shifted the gestation date from five weeks to two.

　　On paper, this baby was a Nightwood. In reality, it was that motherfucker's.

　　After confirming, he threw the papers away outrageously, "Shit!"

　　Running his fingers through his silky locks while loosening his tie, looking undeniably heart-throbbing by these gestures as he leaned against the table.

　　We both were staring at each other. He was attempting to decrypt my intention but failed to do so I kept an innocent expression.

　　After a piercing silence, Zayne finally asked in a sigh.

　　"What do you want?" He finally asked, leaning over the desk until he was inches from my face.