Chapter 32: HIS ATTACK

“This way, Miss Barnard, I think we should talk in my office.” Dr. Mike said as he led the way. I looked at Xender, who has been nothing but helpful all throughout today.

I looked at him with a smile before following Dr. Mike to his office. I was nervous. What is the result going to be?

“Am I having some terrible disease?” I asked him immediately as we both got seated.

“You are not having any disease, Miss Barnard; you are very healthy, but you might want to see this,” he said, handing me the results.

I took it from him as I went through it. Tears clouded my eyes as I saw what was written on these papers. How could this be possible? This can't be. I can't be pregnant, not now.

“How many weeks?” I asked in between my sobs as I tried to control myself.

“About twelve weeks.” 

“Okay, thank you, Mike, for this,” I said as I got up to leave. My legs had gone weak all of a sudden. I stumbled and nearly fell, but Mike was fast enough to hold me.

“I think you need to sit down for now. If you leave in this state, you might end up fainting on the road.”

“I'm fine; I just want to take a walk. This space is beginning to suffocate me,” I told him as I headed for the door.

What on earth am I supposed to do? I don't want to be a single mother. What will I tell my parents? I am in no health or state of mind to have a baby.

I cried out as I felt my heart in terrible pain. Do I really deserve all of this? How on earth will I tell Seth that I am with his child?

How am I supposed to raise this child on my own if Seth decides to abandon us?

“Alda, what's going on?” On hearing Xender's voice, I realised I had already walked out of the hospital. I looked at Xender’s face and understood that he had been chasing after me and maybe even calling out for me.

“Alda, please talk to me.”

Xender’s POV

I saw her walk out of Xender’s office, looking like she had just seen a ghost. She even walked past me without even noticing I was there. 

I rushed into Mike's office to demand answers from him.

“Mike, what is happening? What did you say to her?

“Just go after her, or she might end up getting herself killed in that state.”

“What did you say to her!?” I demanded; I wasn't in the mood for any jokes.

“Relax, she is pregnant; that's what the test result said, but I don't think she really wants to be with a child at the moment. I think….” I didn't wait for Mike to finish what he had to say before I ran after her.

I caught up to her outside the hospital as she was walking out the gate. 

“Alda, what's going on?” I asked her as I walked up to her. She just stared at me without saying a thing.

“Alda, please talk to me,” I pleaded with her, but instead of saying something, she walked towards me and buried her face on my chest as she started crying.

I felt my heart break into a thousand pieces. Her cries filled my ears as I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her to myself.

“It's okay, Alda; whatever it is that is happening, I want you to know you are not alone. Please stop crying.” I wishpered to her as I stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. She was vibrating in my arms as she sobbed.

"Alda, please, this is not good for your health or that of the baby. I know you think it's a hopeless situation, but trust me when I say everything will be fine.” After much time trying to calm her down, I figured out she needed to let go of her pains to feel better.

I just kept stroking her hair as I tried to calm her down. She really deserves better; she doesn't deserve all of this.

Seth's POV 

I have been on the run all morning. Most of my investors who happened to learn about my company going bankrupt are under my neck for a refund. How on earth am I supposed to do that?

Grabbing hold of the beer bottle sitting in front of my table, I tossed it away as it's shattered into pieces. 

What is it that Anna said again—fight and save some certain things? I am not going down like this. I have come so far to let things end like this. I deserve better; I won't go down without a fight. I left the pub and called for a cabdriver. It's high time I paid my in-laws a visit.

Once the cab driver pulled up at Alda's family house, I paid him and dragged my drunk self to the front door. I rang the bell as I waited for Mr. Barnard to open up.

“Look who decided to come see me, but my own fucking problem is that I don't want you near my house, my daughter, or my property. I want you to stay off!” 

He said it in anger, but that made me laugh so hard. Did he just curse at me?

“You know, you should learn how you talk to me with that voice.” I said, my voice coming out commanding and scary.

“And I said I want you out of my property, or I'm calling the police.” He said. He deepened his hand into his pants pocket and took out his phone, but that was a very wrong move to make.

I reached out and took out the gun I had with me all day as I pondered how to use it. On seeing the gun in my hand, I saw fear creep into his eyes.

“Seth, drop that gun right now if you don't want to spend the rest of your life behind bars.” Having him threaten me got me more angry as I laughed out loud.

“Get inside,” I said, pointing the gun at him.

“You don't want to do this, Seth.”

“Oh really? You are not so strong now, are you? What did I ever do to have your family ruin my life? Did you actually think I married your daughter because I wanted to?

I did because that was the only way to get what my father lost. You betrayed him; how could you do such a thing to someone who trusted you!?” I screamed in his face.

“What on earth are you talking about, and who the heck is your father?"

“So now you are going to play dumb with me? Think back to someone you betrayed—someone you left in a state worse than death. Did you know what my family had to go through?”

“Seth, you are drunk. I will suggest you drop the gun. Let's talk.” I let out a laugh. Did he say talk?

“What happened to calling the police on me? You made me lose everything, and now I'm going to make you pay.” 

"Honey, what's going on here?" On hearing Mrs. Barnard’s voice, I directed the gun at her.

“I'm glad you decided to join us,” I said to her as she looked at me in shock.

“Seth, what on earth is going on here? Why are you with a gun, honey?” She asked, looking from her husband to me.

“Are you seriously asking me that? Your husband has ruined my life!!. My company is on the edge of going bankrupt, and you have successfully made Alda divorce me.”

“Drop that gun right now,” Mr. Barnard said, walking close to me.

“Take another step, and your wife gets it!”

“I said drop the gun!” He said that and charged at me as he pushed me down. We started dragging the gun; he was struggling to get the gun away from me, while I was struggling to push him off me.

“Get off me!!!” I screamed out. The sound of gunfire followed my scream. I felt something liquid drenching my clothes; it was blood, but it wasn't mine. Mr. Barnard’s body collapsed on top of me. It was only then that I knew that I had made the worst mistake of my life.