Chapter 111

Chapter 111
(Warning: This chapter contains details of killing, trauma, and blood and may not be suitable for all readers.)

Valerie's voice trembled as she spoke up, noticing the deadly aura emanating from Trey as he glared down at her with sheer disgust.
"Trey, please, I was forced into doing this," she pleaded, but Trey's expression remained cold and unyielding as he replied,
"Don't worry, no one will be able to force you into doing anything anymore."
With those words, he pointed the muzzle of the gun at Valerie's forehead.
As he was about to pull the trigger, Valerie interrupted frantically,
"No! Trey, please, I'm pregnant with his child. He will come after you if you kill me! He is listening to us as we speak."
Trey's resolve was unshaken as he smirked, and he replied,
"I won't fall for your fucking tricks again. The person in question might have fallen for your tricks, but not me. Let him come; I will be waiting for him."
With that, he released the trigger, and Valerie's lifeless body fell back to the floor, with blood seeping out of the bullet wound on her forehead down her face.
When the gunshot rang out, Martina, who was dazedly watching the interaction between Trey and Valerie, released her grip on the human shield, and it dropped to the floor.
Her gown, which was once white, was now stained with blood, but something about how her eyes were fixed on Valerie's lifeless body on the floor made Antonio, who was standing close to her, feel uneasy.
‘Martina was going to start another fight with Trey because of this,’ he thought.
"She told you she was pregnant, but you killed her...?" Martina uttered dejectedly, her voice choked with guilt.
Trey, who was lost in the depth of his rage, finally snapped back to reality at her voice.
"Jade," he murmured as he closed in on her.
Martina was covered in blood, and scattered around her were the men she had taken down. Upon reaching her, Trey reached out to pull her into his arms, but she avoided his touch and said,
"Don't touch me; you killed a pregnant woman," Martina accused him.
"Jade? Don't tell me you believe her?" Trey said, "You know your cousin is good at manipulation."
Martina opened her mouth to speak, but before a word came out, she lost consciousness, and Trey caught her in his arms.
"I'm sorry, my love. You have to go through this again; I don't know what would have happened to me if you were hurt," he said, taking the gun she was holding and handing it and his own gun to Diego.
He then carried her bridal style and turned to walk out of the warehouse.
"Get Valerie's blood sample and send it to the hospital, then burn everything down!" Trey instructed as he walked away.
\~~~

"How are they?" Trey asked Antonio, who was pacing back and forth in the brightly lit hospital corridor, his face etched with worry lines.
"They're fine. A nurse just took my son into the incubator ward, but they're still working on my wife, so I'm waiting," Antonio told Trey, his voice tinged with anxiety.
Trey placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and said,
"Don't worry too much. Everything will be fine. I'm also sorry your wife was dragged into this mess with Valerie.”
Antonio shook his head, his eyes betraying his inner turmoil, and said,
"I'm glad she was with Martina then. Since I failed to be there. It has been my family's duty to protect the Castillos. I'm glad my wife was with her in my place. Now tell me, how is she? Is she awake?"
"Not yet. My mom and some nurses are changing her, so I excused myself to come and check on you," Trey replied, his eyes reflecting his concern.
After a while, the light of the emergency ward turned off, and Susan was wheeled out shortly after, her expression a mix of exhaustion and relief.
"My love, are you okay?" Antonio murmured as he approached her and gently took her hand, his worry palpable in the air.
"I'm fine," she said with a soft smile, conveying strength amidst her drowsiness. She turned to Trey and asked, "Did you find Lisa? How is she?"
"She's fine. Don't worry about her. Focus on your well-being, okay?" Trey replied.
Susan smiled and nodded, her eyes reflecting gratitude, and she was wheeled away, followed by Antonio, who squeezed Trey's shoulder in silent appreciation before following his wife.
\~~~
When Trey arrived at the ward, he saw Martina was already awake.
However, the moment she saw him, she turned away, facing the opposite side of the room.
Trey, feeling a mix of concern and confusion, questioned his mom.
"Why didn't you call me the moment she woke up?”
"I was planning to, but she specifically told me she didn't want to see you." Mrs. Collins explained, and Trey nodded, trying to process the situation, and approached Martina's bed.
He sat down on the edge behind her and softly pleaded,
"Jade, please look at me."
"Go away, I don't want to see you," Martina muttered, even though she secretly longed to make eye contact with Trey; she wanted him to hold her tight.
Trey, feeling a surge of frustration and desperation, pleaded with her.
"Even if I have proof that Valerie was lying?"
Martina, not wanting to reflect upon the possibility, countered,
"What if you forged the proof just so I won't speak of it?"
Trey was deeply hurt by her doubt and lack of trust.
"What? Is that what you think of me?"
His heart ached with the realization that her doubts cut deeper than he had anticipated.
"Fine, think whatever you want. I know you know I will never lie to you. If you want Valerie to once again come between us even after her death, suit yourself. I'm going home to check on the kids; they must be worried."
With that, he stood up and left the ward.
He has now gained a deep understanding of Martina's mood swings and knows that during times like these, all she needs is some space from him.
After discussing Martina's behavior with a therapist, he suggested that Martina's mood swings and attitude might be related to the separation she experienced from him during her first pregnancy.
This separation may have contributed to her needing occasional time away from him due to the impact of her pregnancy hormones influencing her emotional state.
As soon as Martina heard the door slam shut, tears instantly filled her eyes.
She couldn't believe Trey had left.
‘Why was he angry with her when she was the one supposed to be angry at him? He had killed her pregnant cousin. She had wanted to kill Valerie herself, but she couldn't bring herself to do so when she learned she was pregnant.’
These conflicting emotions overwhelmed her like a whirlwind, and she shed silent tears.
Mrs. Collins noticed Martina's trembling body and approached her and asked,
"Why are you crying, dear?"
"Mom," Martina said, turning to her, "Trey left," she said through sobs.
"But Jade, you wanted him to leave, and you also called him a murderer and a liar," Mrs. Collins said.
"I didn't," Martina said with a quiver in her voice.
"Maybe not directly, but you said it in a different way, and it hurt him. You of all people accused him of something that hurts," Mrs. Collins gently explained.
"I didn't mean to," Martina said, dejectedly.
"I know, and he knows too. Don't worry, he will be back after he checks on the kids at home. The test results showed your cousin wasn’t pregnant; you of all people must know how cunning your cousin was. Now, have some water. Tomorrow is supposed to be your first scan, but since you were in an accident, the doctor has to do it today to see if the baby is fine," Mrs. Collins said, and Martina nodded in response and drank the water.

\~~~

After half an hour had passed, the doctor finally arrived. She greeted the two women, feeling a mixture of awe and an overwhelming sense of their significance as she stood before them.
After the introductions, she carefully started the ultrasound scan.
"Excuse me, madam," she said to Martina, who nodded in response.
The doctor slowly lifted Martina's hospital gown and applied gel to her abdomen. "This will be a little cold," she warned as she carefully spread the gel.
Then, she gently pressed the probe tool into the gel on Martina's skin, her eyes fixed attentively on the monitor screen.
"Take a look at this, Madams," she beckoned Martina and Mrs. Collins, pointing at the screen. "Those are your babies; you are having twins," she announced to Martina, adding, "They are all perfectly healthy. I can't see any problem at all," she said with a bright smile. "Congratulations."
Martina's eyes widened in shock at the doctor's words. She couldn't believe she was having twins again.
"Jade, congratulations, I'm so happy," Mrs. Collins said, snapping Martina back to the present. "Something good came out today after everything that happened," she added.
Martina smiled happily and replied. 
"Yes, it did."