Chapter 3
Conner couldn’t shake the feeling that something about Noelle felt off today. Usually, she’d spiritlessly drift through days with that hollow, detached look in her eyes. But today, there was a strange sharpness
to her.
Still, he didn’t have time to dwell on it. All that mattered was keeping the baby in Sabrina’s womb safe. After all, if they could save the baby, then he could return to Noelle’s side and put an end to this ridiculous
farce!
“I admit that I wasn’t careful, Noelle. But now isn’t the time for blame.
“Please, I’m begging you to get Dr. Brown here. I’m sure the Spencers can do it!”
A bitter smile hung on Noelle’s lips.
Throughout their three years of marriage, she’d never been able to conceive, and they’d tried every
treatment they could find.
Back then, she’d thought about seeking Dalton out too, but favors were the hardest debts to repay. The Spencers had struggled for years and already owed too many favors.
Ever mindful of her parents‘ burdens, Noelle had never sought their help even when she’d longed for a baby with Conner. That was why they hadn’t approached Dalton for help in the first place.
Conner knew everything, and she’d always assumed that his silence was out of care and love. However, she understood then that it had all been nothing but her wishful thinking.
Now, here he was, pushing her into a corner for the sake of the baby in Sabrina’s womb.
When Noelle didn’t answer, Conner obviously panicked. “Ms. Spencer, if you can save this baby, I promise
that the Ashfords will get the best lawyer for your dad.”
Now, the forced smile on Noelle’s face widened, and a deep bitterness welled up in her throat.
She’d begged Conner before to help her dad, Patrick Spencer, more than once, but the Ashfords had brushed her off time and again. Yet now, Conner was pulling every string of his without hesitation–just for Sabrina’s baby.
Noelle was nearly forcing the words through gritted teeth when she spat, “Fine!”
When she finally called Mary, Mary agreed immediately–and that broke Noelle a little more.
Even when the Spencers were having a hard time themselves, Mary still worried that Noelle would be
mistreated under the Ashford family roof and agreed without a second thought.
She even tried to sound cheerful and comforted Noelle, saying, “If you ever need something, just speak
- up. You don’t have to worry about troubling us! We’re your mom and dad!”
Noelle swallowed the ache in her throat and feared that Mary might pick up on the abnormality in her
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voice.
As expected, Mary indeed caught something off when they were saying goodbye.
“Noelle, what’s wrong? Are you alright?” she asked in concern.
Forcing a smile, Noelle replied, “I’m fine, Mom. I’m just having cramps from my period.”
With that, she quickly hung up.
It wasn’t a lie. The stabbing period cramps in her stomach had her crouching on the floor and hugging her
knees to make it bearable. When Noelle finally got back up, people all around her gave her odd stares.
She’d worn pale blue jeans that day, and dark blood stains were now stamped in the worst place possible.
As Noelle gritted her teeth, she propped herself up against the wall and made her way to the women’s
restroom.
Then, she called Conner and said, “Could you bring me some tampons and a change of pants? I’m in the
women’s restroom on the ER floor.”
But Conner’s voice carried no concern for her. He was only concerned about whether or not Dalton had
agreed to see Sabrina. He urgently said, “Sabrina isn’t feeling well right now. What did Dr. Brown say? Did he agree?”
Noelle was seconds away from passing out from the pain. She braced herself against the wall, her lips
nearly bloodless now.
“He agreed. Now, can you bring them?” Her voice sounded so weak that anyone could tell she was going through immense pain.
Just then, in the background came Sabrina’s dramatic cry, “Ouch! It hurts, Caleb! What if we lose our baby? If our baby dies, I’ll just die too!”
With that, Conner frantically hung up. However, just before he did, he said, “Sabrina’s upset, so don’t
cause me trouble with all these little things. Figure it out yourself.”
Noelle stared at the phone in her hand and let out a snort. It seemed like Sabrina’s single, dramatic threat about not wanting to live anymore made everything that was happening to Noelle now insignificant.
But the truth was that people who truly wanted to die would never announce it so openly.
When Noelle had first learned of Conner’s “death“, she’d barely spoken for a month, let alone made a
scene.
At that moment, the days of when she’d first met Conner surfaced in her mind. She had sensitive skin and would have rash reactions to most tampon brands. So every month, Conner would go from store to store,
hunting down the one brand she could use.
Now, Noelle weakly sat on the toilet seat, barely able to straighten up. Still, her gaze was steady as she called Mary again.
“Mom, set the date for my wedding. The sooner, the better.”
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Chapter 4
