Chapter 66

Roseline kept having the uneasy feeling that something was amiss for the next few days. There was more to it than the menacing messages and the ongoing hostility between her and Ronaldo. Every time he looked at her or asked a pointed question, a feeling of dread had taken hold of her chest and tightened.

His silence was more oppressive, and his eyes appeared colder than normal. She knew him too well to think he was unaware of the minor shifts in her conduct. The fact that he hadn't spoken outright, however, alarmed her more. Rather, he observed her with that eerie, cunning gaze of his, as though attempting to predict when she would finally give way under the pressure of her secrets.

Late one night, Roseline's suspicions became even more intense. She was in the kitchen making dinner in an attempt to divert her attention, but her thoughts kept returning to that evening with Sam. She felt alive for the first time in years when she recalled his touch and the way he held her. Although the freedom was brief, the repercussions were now very real.

She fainted once more, more abruptly than before. For a moment, dizziness overcame her and her vision became blurry. She steadied herself by holding onto the counter. She had experienced this feeling previously in the previous few days. The sensation subsided each time, but it was getting more difficult to ignore. Something inside her was begging for attention, and her body felt weaker.

Nausea came back with a vengeance the following morning as Roseline braced herself for yet another stressful day. Her hand rested lightly on her stomach as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror. Now there was no doubting it. A possibility, a thought, hovered like a shadow in the recesses of her mind. 

Is she expecting?

She felt a wave of panic at the thought. Of course, she knew it was possible. There was always the risk, even though the night with Sam had been intense. That possibility seemed impossible to ignore now, but her logical mind had pushed it aside. Though she had always been cautious, she was increasingly convinced that her body was deceiving her. 

Roseline was sitting in a tiny, sterile clinic lavatory a few hours later, gazing at the tiny plastic stick she was holding. Desperate for some sort of confirmation, she had gone to the pharmacy in the middle of the night. She held it in trembling hands while she awaited the outcome. 

Hours passed in the blink of an eye, and the weight of her thoughts filled the small room's silence. The outcome finally showed up. She didn't get the response she was hoping for. 

Good.

The words she hadn't wanted to hear slammed into her head, making her heart skip a beat. She was expecting a child.

In an attempt to make sense of the flurry of emotions rushing through her, her mind raced. A newborn. Her child. She was unsure of how to feel. Joy? Fear? A feeling of impending disaster? It was all a blur, a mixture of fear and excitement. She saw a flash of Sam's face. He would be a father, judging by the tenderness in his eyes and the warmth of his embrace. Could they possibly have a future together, though?

Then Ronaldo came along. The worry about his actions and his response to this realisation. Telling him seemed like an impossible dream. For so long, he had dominated every part of her life. How could she ever be honest with him? 

She pictured his expression when he learned. The betrayal, the anger. She would never be forgiven by him. Then there was Vincent, the shadow that had been hovering around her, always on guard. The situation would only get worse if he found out. It would be impossible to go back.

Roseline's anxiety was choking her as she struggled to control her breathing. Not only was she carrying a child, but she was also carrying an uncertain future. How could she introduce this new life into a world where she felt confined and choked by her spouse? How could she shield her child from Ronaldo's anger and the life he would attempt to force upon them?

She snapped out of her reverie when her phone buzzed on the counter. Sam sent the text message:

Are you all right? I can't stop thinking about you. We must speak. 

A beat skipped through her heart. Time was of the essence. She couldn't continue to keep this from him. The pregnancy, the danger she was in, and the future they would never have if she didn't take a stand were all the things she had to tell him.

However, a second message arrived before she could respond, this time from an unidentified number:

Roseline, I am aware of what you did. You cannot hide indefinitely.

She felt cold. The meaning was obvious despite the message's briefness. Someone was aware. 

The full impact of her predicament made her breath catch in her throat. This message was sent by whom? Was it Vincent, observing her from his position? Or was it Ronaldo, who somehow knew she'd been with Sam that night?

She was unable to remain in this state of uncertainty for very long. She needed to decide quickly. She would have to take action if she wanted to keep the baby and herself safe. She couldn't continue to avoid the consequences and the truth. How could she get Sam to talk to her? She didn't even know where the danger was coming from, so how could she tell him everything?

Roseline got to her feet, a wave of determination passing over her. She was at breaking point. She had to face this directly. 

However, she heard heavy, purposeful footsteps echoing down the hallway as she approached the door. She stopped. 

Someone was on their way. 

Roseline quickly looked at her phone, her heart thumping in her chest. The screen flashed again, but neither Sam nor the unidentified number was sending the message. It came from Ronaldo. 

I have been aware of your location since last night. Don't force me to return home too soon.

Roseline's heart froze.