Betrayed By My Husband, Claimed By My Enemy.

NOELLE.

“Baby? The pregnancy test strip proved negative again.” The words felt heavy as my lips trembled while I gripped the arm of the sofa he was seated on, but I had to say them anyway to my husband who had a gloomy yet expectant face.

“Again?” His expression sank as he ran a hand through his hair with an angry expression.

“Baby, please listen to me. Please, I just need one more strike. Please.” I begged, tears slipping out of my eyes. My knees hit the floor but all I could see was that first year in the clinic while I was 2 months pregnant as he whispered;

“I don't need a child now. We'll have them when we're ready.” Lies.

Now my marriage was on the verge of falling into different pieces. Carter had warned me. One more negative pregnancy test and we'd be done for good but how could I tell him this was all his fault?

If he hadn't forced me to abort the child we had in our first year of being together, I wouldn't have had a ruptured womb. That day, he killed every child I could've given him.

I hadn't been able to conceive since then. The only reason I had kept trying was due to the words of hope from the doctor that I could get pregnant since it wasn't that chronic.

“That’s what you've been saying for 5 years now, Noelle. I told you, I can't do this for a lifetime. I need an heir and clearly you can't give me that.” Carter declared, massaging his creased brows while tossing me the divorce papers.

“Baby please. You said we could conquer all of this with love, please don't do this to me. This isn't my fault.” I begged, scrambling on the floor as I gathered the divorce papers in my hands.

My fingers shook as I clawed at the papers. It felt like gathering the pieces of a life already shattered.

“Noelle, my love for you has never been in question but right now? I need more than that. By the time I'm back, please let the papers be signed. I beg you.” He declared, standing to his feet and I grabbed his feet.

“No. Carter, please. Carter.” I screamed but he just wriggled his feet out of my grasp and walked out of the house.

I pursed my lips as the tears streamed right down my cheeks.

Why? Why was this happening to me? Carter wouldn't do this. I shook my head in disbelief, with my mouth now half open as I stared at the divorce papers.

My vision was getting hazy, dots appearing in my eyes as I struggled to my feet. My heart felt like it had been strung out of position as tears flowed out of my eyes unhindered.

Five fucking years. Do you know what that does to a woman? To hope, to break and to hope again, only to die a little more each time I was struck with disappointment.

My chest felt tight, my breath crawling out of my lungs in fragments. I needed something, anything, to hold on to. Memories maybe? The past had to mean something right?

I went back to Carter's home office to stare at our photo album from over the years. Only when reminiscing our past happy moments did I feel how much I had failed Carter.

Though deep down, a small voice whispered I wasn't the failure. He was.

I just went through each picture with a half smile on my face when an idea suddenly popped into my head.

If I told Carter about my womb being ruptured, would he take it as one of excuses? Would he think I was just making up shit just to be with him? No, Carter would believe me.

I smiled to myself having figured it out so I hurriedly returned the photo album back to its position but accidentally knocked down some of Carter's office files.

Shit!!

He hated when I messed up his files. I hastily picked them up, trying to figure out just exactly how it was and put them back up.

I had put some back up when my phone suddenly started buzzing in my trembling hand.

For one desperate second, my stupid heart hoped it was Carter calling to say he didn’t mean it.

Please… let it be him.

But it wasn't.

Tasha.

I sniffed, wiping my wet cheek with the back of my hand as my voice still shook when I answered.

“Hey… ugh this really isn’t a good time,” I whispered, trying to hold myself together even though my insides felt like they were tearing apart.

“Trouble in paradise?” She queried back and I rolled my eyes, using my free hands to put back the files I had scattered in place.

“Not really. Just ughh… why… why are you calling?” I went directly to the point and there was a pause at the other end of the line before she continued.

“It's both good news and bad news. Good news, Alistair Vance Sterling is back. Bad news, he contacted me and stressed that he wants to see you.” She informed me and my face scrunched up in disgust.

“No way. Tell him, I politely decline!” I shot back immediately. To me? Alistair coming back and wanting to see me were both bad news.

Considering that both of our families were meant to be allies but turned out to be the worst of enemies was just icing on the cake. Definitely, him wanting to see me was only to stir up trouble.

“I already told him that but he isn't really taking no for an answer.” Tasha, my assistant, stated and I heaved a sigh, still arranging the files when I saw my full name on one of the white files.

“Tell him that I….”

Noelle Valencia Easton.

I trailed off as I stared at it again to be sure it was my name.

My breath caught as the black letters came into focus.

Patient: Noelle Valencia Easton.

Uterine rupture confirmed.

Conception impossible.

I blinked hard, rereading the words. My heartbeat stopped. No. No, this wasn't real. A cold rush spread through my veins as my body trembled while I searched the page for some mistake as I flipped back and forth, hoping it was my eyes playing tricks on me.

But there it was, my name, my date of birth, my husband's signature at the bottom.

Carter knew.

He'd known all along.