Chapter 4 Aborting the Child

Watching Madison's car drive away, Alexander swallowed the discomfort in his chest and pulled his arm free.

"Savannah, did you come over today for something?"

His arms now empty, Savannah felt a flash of disappointment in her eyes, but she hid it well.

"I just got back to the country and haven't seen my friends here in ages. I want to hang out more, but asking them out alone feels awkward..." Savannah showed her vulnerable side. "If you're with me, I won't feel nervous!"

Alexander opened his mouth, about to say he was usually busy with work, but he swallowed the words, nodded, and said, "Okay, if I have time."

"Yeah! I knew you were the best, Alexander!"

With her goal achieved, Savannah didn't linger. She made an excuse about going shopping and left.

Unlike that idiot Madison, she knew when to take what she wanted from a man and walk away.

After seeing Savannah off, Alexander suddenly felt exhausted for no reason.

He went back to the bedroom. It looked pretty much the same as before, which puzzled him.

What had she packed in that small suitcase?

Nothing was missing from the vanity. The expensive clothes in the closet seemed all there too.

He frowned, pulled open the drawer with pricey items. The jewelry, accessories, and watches he'd given her through various means were all still there.

She really didn't take anything?

Alexander called his assistant. "Where did Madison go?"

"Mr. Frost, Ms. Cole just drove into Harbor Heights Condos."

"What's that?"

The assistant on the phone went quiet for a moment, surprised that Alexander really knew nothing about it.

"It's where Ms. Cole's best friend, Claire Bennett, lives."

Alexander closed his eyes, put down the phone, and turned to look at the huge bedroom.

It looked no different from usual, but something felt off everywhere. For the first time, the room felt so empty and cold.

This was the first night in three years of marriage that she wasn't sleeping here.

She wasn't coming back.

The thought hit him, and Alexander cursed under his breath. He turned and went downstairs, grabbed his keys, and left.

Meanwhile, at Harbor Heights Condos.

Claire heard the doorbell and opened the door. A soaked, skinny body threw itself into her arms.

"Oh my god, Maddie? What happened to you!"

Madison had rushed in like a drowned rat, and her body felt hot to the touch.

Claire touched her forehead and gasped. "You're burning up, Maddie!"

Madison was already delirious. Driving here had been her limit.

Collapsing into the arms of her only trusted friend, she had no strength left.

She rested her face on Claire's shoulder and mumbled stickily, "Maybe... I got caught in some rain leaving Alexander's place..."

Claire noticed the small suitcase by her side and realized something big had happened, but she didn't have time to ask. She quickly helped her inside.

Claire changed Madison into dry clothes, laid her on the bed, put a cold towel on her forehead, and finally brought a glass of warm water and some cold medicine.

"This is all I have at home. Take it for now. I'll go out and buy more later."

Claire held the medicine to her lips, but Madison pursed her mouth and turned away.

"No medicine..."

Even in her feverish state, Madison remembered one thing: she was pregnant and couldn't take medicine carelessly.

"Hey, come on!"

Claire's voice sounded farther and farther away. Madison couldn't hear clearly.

There was only sharp ringing in her ears. Her body felt heavier and heavier, like sinking into mud, deeper and deeper...

In her daze, she seemed to see a figure from deep in her memories.

Familiar, yet strange.

So close, yet so far.

Lost in confusion, she couldn't help calling out, "...Alexander?"

The person turned around—it was Alexander from high school!

Eighteen years old, in his school uniform. His features still had a touch of youthfulness, but the cold look in his eyes was already much like now.

Madison's nose stung. Was she dreaming?

She was about to speak when everything spun around!

The scene changed to the club private room last night.

Savannah was hugging Alexander intimately, the two cuddled together.

She looked at Madison provocatively, her eyes full of triumph. "Madison, after all these years, you're just my stand-in. Time to go!"

No, don't!

Madison couldn't stop herself and stumbled forward two steps, collapsing weakly in front of Alexander. Her small hand gripped his knee.

He spread his legs, leaned back, and looked down at her coldly.

"...Don't leave me. I-I'm pregnant."

"Yes, I'm pregnant!"

Like a drowning person grasping the last straw, Madison said in a panic, "I'm carrying your child!"

Hearing that, Alexander finally reacted.

He leaned close, pinched her chin to force her to face him, and smirked. "Pregnant?"

"Yeah!" Madison nodded frantically. "I have your baby in my belly."

"Hah!" Alexander laughed coldly, roughly pulled her up by the body, and said, "Come with me to the hospital."

"Go... to the hospital for what?"

Madison hesitated. He didn't look happy.

"What else?" Alexander squatted down again, frowning. "To get rid of it, of course. You're just Savannah's stand-in. You don't deserve to have my child!"

Get rid of the child?!

No, absolutely not! It was her first baby!

Madison struggled wildly, begging from her mouth. "Alexander, please don't, don't..."

"Maddie!"

In the blur, a voice got closer to her ear.

"Maddie!" The voice grew clearer.

Madison's eyes snapped open. Her head throbbed, her vision spun, and it took a while to make out that she was in Claire's bedroom.

Had she... been dreaming?

That worried call just now—had it been Alexander's voice?

"Maddie?"

The voice called again, confirming it wasn't a hallucination.

Madison slowly turned her head and saw Alexander sitting by the bed.

He was frowning slightly, and it overlapped with the cold, disgusted image from her dream, filling her with terror.

Alexander knew Madison had only one close friend, Claire. With no place else to go after leaving the Frost family, she'd come here.

And sure enough, she had.

Claire didn't dare stop him and let him in.

As soon as he entered, he saw her caught in a nightmare. Now her expression looked off, so he frowned deeper, pulled back the blanket, and reached to pick her up.

"Come on, we're going to the hospital."

Hearing "hospital," Madison panicked and struggled wildly!

"No, I don't want to go to the hospital! Get away!"

Alexander instinctively held her down, but his actions made her even more scared. She fought with all her strength.

Her flailing hand slapped him across the face!

Smack!

The slap silenced the whole bedroom.