Chapter 9

Mrs. Green wouldn’t let it go. She demanded I go to the hospital, and though I initially resisted, I knew how she could be. She’d hound me until I gave in, so, reluctantly, I changed into something decent and headed out.

By the time I arrived, Anne was being wheeled out of the operating room. As soon as her eyes landed on me, tears welled up in them, and her whole body shook with helplessness.

Mrs. Green, already furious, turned red with rage and rushed at me, cursing under her breath. But Lennox stepped in without a word, positioning himself between us and blocking her path.

“She killed your only child, and you’re still defending her?!” Mrs. Green screamed, her voice a mixture of disbelief and anger. “How could you forget everything your brother did for you? How good he was to you?”

“Mom, this has nothing to do with her,” Lennox interrupted, his voice low but firm, trying to calm her down.

“No!” Anne snapped, cutting him off. Her voice trembled with righteous fury. “It’s her fault! She hates me for being with Lennox, so she’s trying to hurt me and my baby! You have to stand by me, Mom!”

Her words were so absurd, they made me want to laugh in anger. It was then I realized the woman I’d seen earlier that day was Anne.

My expression remained steady as I turned to her, my voice calm. “Are you really sure this has anything to do with me? If you’re that convinced, I’ll call the cops right now.”

The moment I mentioned the police, Anne’s face drained of color. She opened her mouth but quickly shut it, stammering, “No... I mean... there’s no need to make a big deal out of this. Considering you’re almost part of the Green family, can’t we just forget about it? For Lennox’s sake?”

I raised an eyebrow and scoffed. “Oh, I think it’s necessary. If I don’t call the cops, who’s going to clear my name?”

Before she could argue, I pulled out my phone and started dialing.

Anne panicked, lunging at me to grab my phone, but I wasn’t backing down. “By the way,” I added casually, “I saw you this afternoon. You went into a hotel with some guy. If I call the police, I can tell them everything. The truth will come out soon enough.”

“No! No, you can’t call the cops!” she shrieked, her voice high and desperate.

Ignoring her, I finished the call and reported the incident to the police. Anne’s face went completely pale as her desperate attempt to frame me unraveled before her eyes.

She must’ve thought I didn’t see her earlier and assumed she could get away with it. What she didn’t count on was me being sharp enough to notice everything.

With the situation under control, I started to turn to leave.

But then, just as I was about to walk away, the doctor who performed the abortion came out of the operating room. When she saw me, her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly walked over.

“You haven’t come in for your post-op checkup,” she said with concern. “Why haven’t you been back?”

“Post-op?” I feigned confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“For her abortion,” the doctor said, frowning. “She went home the day after the procedure. I just need to check how she’s recovering. And since you’re here... you really should come in for a follow-up. A girl needs to take care of herself.”

Lennox and Mrs. Green both went ghostly pale at that. Lennox’s eyes locked onto me, his voice shaky as he whispered, “Our child… is gone?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I turned on my heel and followed the doctor down the hallway, keeping my head high.

As I walked, I heard a sudden crash behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, and there was Mrs. Green on the floor, wailing in agony. “My grandson... my poor grandson... he’s gone…”

After the checkup, I stepped out into the hallway to find Lennox waiting for me. His eyes were swollen and red, his face streaked with tears. He looked completely broken, as if every ounce of strength had been drained from him.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?” His voice was barely more than a hoarse whisper.

I shook my head, my voice cold. “There’s nothing left to say. Let’s just part ways.”

“Kelly!” His voice cracked with raw emotion. “I still love you! How can you ask me to just let go? I never thought it would end like this…”

The pain in his voice nearly tore me apart, but I couldn’t let him have me back. I had to move on. “We’re done,” I said, walking away without a second glance.