Chapter 10
Sabrina became a public outcast. News outlets endlessly rehashed the scandal, her name trending with hashtags like #PromiscuousSabrina and
#WhoIsTheDaddy. Bianca barely noticed. She felt no pity for Sabrina, no satisfaction from the backlash. Her own world had already frozen over.
That evening, Erick returned home. His footsteps were unusually hesitant, almost reluctant, as he walked into the living room where Bianca sat in silence. His
eyes darted around before he finally crouched in front of her, resting one hand on her
arm.
“Bianca,” he began softly, his tone thick with unease. “Sabrina is pregnant.”
Bianca didn’t respond. She didn’t even blink. Erick seemed to take her silence as permission to continue.
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“People are saying Sabrina’s child has no
father,” he said, rubbing his palms together
anxiously. The online harassment is relentless. Now everyone’s calling her shameless.”
Bianca finally opened her eyes, fixing him with a hollow, unwavering stare. “So?” Her voice was devoid of emotion.
Erick swallowed hard, his gaze falling to the floor. “If no one comes forward,” he muttered, “Sabrina’s life will be destroyed. There’s only one way to salvage this.”
Bianca’s body stiffened. Somewhere deep in her gut, she already knew what was coming, but hearing it aloud felt like a crushing blow. Erick’s next words were barely above a whisper.
“Bianca, could we… get a divorce? Just for a while, I mean. It would give Sabrina’s baby a father, at least on paper. It’s the only way to stop the rumors.”
The room seemed to shrink, suffocating
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her. Bianca’s chest heaved as she tried to process his request. She had prepared herself for many things, but the audacity of this suggestion left her momentarily speechless.
“Erick,” she said at last, her voice trembling with disbelief. “how could you do this to me?”
Her mind flashed with memories of the man Erick had once been–the one who used to surprise her with flowers after long work trips, who held her hand through every storm, who promised her a lifetime of unwavering love. How had that mant become this stranger standing before her, offering divorce as though it were a simple formality?
Seeing the anguish in her eyes, Erick reached out, gripping her hand tightly. His own eyes were wide with desperation. “Bianca, listen to me,” he pleaded. “This is just temporary. Once the public forgets, I’ll divorce Sabrina and remarry you. I swear.”
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Bianca stared at him, her heart twisting with rage and disbelief. “What if I refuse?” she asked coldly.
Before Erick could answer. Sabrina’s voice suddenly broke through the tension. She appeared at the doorway, her face pale but determined. Without hesitation, she dropped to her knees, clasping her hands. in a pitiful display.
“Sis. I’m begging you, please help me,” Sabrina sobbed, tears streaking her face. “I can’t face this alone.”
Bianca didn’t even flinch. Her eyes remained on Erick, silently daring him to justify this betrayal. Erick hesitated, his lips trembling as though he wanted to say more but couldn’t find the words. Finally, he spoke, his voice low.
“Bianca, Sabrina suffered so much before finding her family again…” His words trailed off, heavy with implied guilt.
Bianca let out a bitter laugh, cutting
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through the tense atmosphere like a knife. “So, you think I’m the one who stole her place as the Harper Family’s daughter?” she said, her voice laced with venom.
Erick froze. He didn’t deny it and that was all the confirmation Bianca needed. Her laugh turned hollow, mocking herself for ever believing in him. For ever thinking she owed Sabrina anything.
She thought of the truth Elisa had uncovered–that she wasn’t the Harpers‘ daughter by choice, but by force. That her so–called family had stolen her from her real parents and raised her under a cloud of deceit. Her lips quirked into a bitter smile as she stared at Erick.
‘If you knew the truth, Erick,‘ she thought, ‘would you still defend her? Or would you finally see what I’ve had to endure?‘
“Bianca…” Erick’s voice broke into her thoughts. He reached for her, but she raised her hand, stopping him.
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“I agree,” she said curtly.
The divorce papers were signed and finalized within days. Outside the courthouse, Bianca stood frozen, clutching the certificate tightly in her hands. The reality of her severed marriage felt both liberating and crushing. She was free of Erick’s betrayal, but she was also.
untethered, standing alone at the edge of an uncertain future.
“Bianca.” Erick’s voice called her back. She
turned to see him reaching for her hand, his expression conflicted. But before he could say more, Sabrina’s voice rang out from behind him.
“Erick, hurry up! We need to take our wedding photos!”
Bianca’s lips curled into a faint smirk. Erick hesitated for a moment longer before letting go of her hand and walking toward Sabrina. The other woman shot Bianca a triumphant smile, her eyes gleaming with victory.
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