Chapter 7 Never
Roger's brows furrowed, and his fingers shook as he flipped through the papers, one after the other. His eyes darkened even more, and his emotions were scattered.
He was accustomed to being the one to reject, never expecting the tables to turn. However, why did he feel there was more to this? Although he never loved Karen, he never treated her harshly after marriage, providing for all her needs.
The main issue was attraction. Karen appeared so small, smaller than his kid sister, so he never imagined anything romantic between them. But why was it so difficult to let her go?
"This is fake. You went behind my back to get an abortion, didn't you?" His voice was sharp, but Karen had had enough.
"You never believed me when I said nothing happened between us, and now that there is proof, you are still doubting me?" Dismay laced her voice, her eyes turning moist.
With her hair tied in a messy bun and an innocent look, she appeared much younger than her actual age of nineteen. She realized that revealing the suspect wouldn't solve her problem.
He hadn't believed her then and wouldn't believe her now. Roger's jaws clenched, and Karen didn't get the reaction she had hoped for. She hinted,
"I'm not pregnant. Even if I had an abortion today, the pregnancy test would still show positive due to my hormones. Let's go to any hospital you choose."
Despite the pain, she was prepared to move on and start rebuilding her life. Love was no longer a priority; she planned to focus on things that truly mattered, like her appearance and future.
Roger's heart ached at her newfound happiness, and a feeling of regret washed over him. He reached out to hold her hand, but she stepped back, avoiding his touch as if it would scorch her.
Roger swallowed hard, gazing down at the petite woman before him, at a loss for words.
When he received her message asking to meet, he had planned to cook for her and check on the progress of the pregnancy. He never expected to hear that it was all a misunderstanding.
The only reason he brought Hector along was to train him about the stock market.
The moment he saw Karen at the hospital, he accepted the fact that he was going to be a father and had already informed his parents. How could he go back and tell them it wasn't so?
The only thing he kept from them was the marriage because of his previous intention to request a divorce after the child was born, but this twist left him dumbfounded.
"Isn't this what you wanted? For us to get married? Why do you want a divorce now?" Karen's lips twitched into a mocking smirk.
Was he even asking her that question? If she hadn't overheard their conversation a while ago, she would have been certain that he was beginning to like her, but no.
Actors have no idea when to stop, even when they aren't on set anymore. The difference is that professional actors do it in front of the camera, whereas the born ones do it in secret.
All the emotions dulling his eyes never moved her. "You already know the answer to that. Can we start the divorce process tomorrow?"
Lesson learned. Next time she encounters a guy she likes, the best course of action would be to avoid him. For now, she found solace in imagining herself in her parents' comforting arms.
Things would go back to normal but Roger was at a loss for words, unable to comprehend the reasons behind Karen's persistent prodding.
"Tonia is still single, Roger. We've only been married for a month and have yet to consummate our marriage. Please don't make this difficult."
She had fallen for him the moment she set eyes on him, but some relationships were not meant to be. Because of him, she had lost everything, and now it was time to reclaim it.
A glint appeared in Roger's eyes at the mention of Tonia. He couldn't deny that he had fallen in love with her at first sight when he saw her through one of his hotel cameras.
Roger had dabbled in every lucrative business venture imaginable, and they all flourished as if he possessed the Midas touch.
His only failure, in his eyes, was his inability to win the heart of the woman he loved, even after orchestrating a fake attack to coerce the Fletchers into hiring a bodyguard for Tonia.
The request was sent to Roger's father's best friend, Hank, and after monitoring it all this time, Roger insisted on taking on the job himself.
Despite leaving his businesses to act as a bodyguard, he still didn't achieve what he desired. "I will think about it," he said subtly, his gaze filled with emotions.
His fingers tightly gripped the test results, crumpling them in the process, but Karen intervened.
"It's not your decision to make, Roger. You married me because of the pregnancy, and now that it's no longer a factor, I no longer want this marriage."
Her words seemed to resonate with Roger as he turned to her, speaking earnestly.
"If the pregnancy is no longer a factor, then we can make things right, but divorce is not an option."
Karen paled as she watched him throw the test results in the bin. Her heart stopped as she saw him saunter to the kitchen.
The suave, ruggedly handsome man she had fallen in love with had turned into a nightmare haunting her. Divorce was out of the question? Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice she had heard earlier.
“You must be Karen.” It was Hector, and his voice startled her. His height was almost like Roger's. Hector was good-looking, and though casually dressed, he looked dashing with his neatly cut charcoal black hair.
No one would even know he was in the kitchen. Yet, Roger still stood out in every way and looked more mature than him.
“And you are?” Karen wiped a tear, pretending not to know him. “I'm Hector. Look, I'm sorry for..." he wanted to apologize on behalf of Roger, but Karen assumed it was about the canceled marriage arrangement and interjected.
"No, no, it's fine." If she hadn't overheard their conversation, she would have been pleasantly surprised because Hector didn't fit the stereotype of the typical spoiled rich college kid.
He exuded sophistication and a sense of responsibility, much like Roger.
"What I'm trying to say is, I overheard your conversation with Roger, and I want us to..."
"Never," Roger's voice cut in abruptly. Confusion clouded both Hector and Karen's faces, but Roger sounded enraged, and what he said next was truly shocking.