hapter 92
ROSALIE
The silence that followed my words was suffocating. Every single person in the room froze. Even Damien, who had been radiating anger just moments ago, turned to look at me, his face blank with shock.
Charlotte was the first to break the silence, her sharp laugh slicing through the thick tension. “That’s a lie,” she said, shaking her head, her voice filled with disbelief. “You’re lying, Rosalie. You’re not pregnant.”
I turned to face her, my stomach twisting in disgust. Even after everything, after the humiliation, the betrayal–she still wouldn’t stop.
“Of course, you’d say that,” I snapped, my voice laced with anger. “You’d say anything to make sure I’m out of the picture, wouldn’t you?”
Charlotte scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I just know for a fact you’re lying. You’re not pregnant, Rosalie. You’re just desperate, and it’s pathetic.”
“Enough, Charlotte,” Damien warned, his voice low and firm, but she wasn’t listening.
She took a step forward, her eyes burning with fury. “You really expect us to believe this nonsense? You weren’t pregnant yesterday, and now suddenly, out of nowhere, you are?” She let out a cold laugh, shaking her head. “What, did you magically conceive overnight? Do you even hear yourself?”
Damien’s uncle Jacob cleared his throat, his expression unreadable. “Rosalie, is this true?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice steady, unwavering. “It’s true.”
I felt Damien’s eyes on me, searching, questioning, but I didn’t dare look at him yet. Instead, I lifted my hand and placed it on my stomach, letting my fingers rest there gently. Then, I turned to him, forcing a warm, soft smile.
His gaze locked onto mine, and I saw it–the hesitation, the uncertainty, the storm of emotions warring inside him. But then, something shifted. His jaw relaxed, and his entire body seemed to let go of the tension that had been holding him captive.
And then he spoke.
“My wife is pregnant,” Damien said, his voice steady, certain. He turned his glare toward his mother, his uncles, and finally, Charlotte. “And I won’t be divorcing her. Not now, not ever.”
Relief flooded through me so fast I almost felt lightheaded.
Charlotte, however, looked like she had just been slapped across the face. Her lips parted in disbelief before she let out another dry laugh, but this one sounded far more unhinged.
“No. No, this is not happening,” she said, shaking her head violently. “Damien, you can’t be this stupid. She’s lying. Can’t you
see that?”
Damien didn’t even blink. “She’s my wife, and I believe her.”
Charlotte let out a breathless chuckle, her frustration reaching its peak. “Oh my God. You’re actually buying this? She says one ridiculous lie, and just like that, you believe her?” She turned to the rest of the family, her arms flailing in exasperation. “Are we all just supposed to pretend like this makes sense? That this isn’t completely insane?”
“Charlotte,” Richard called out, his tone warm, but she was past the point of listening.
She turned back to me, her hands clenched into fists. “How far are you willing to go, Rosalie? Huh? How desperate can you get? You’re actually willing to fake a pregnancy just to keep him?”
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Chapter 99
I clenched my jaw, refusing to let her words get to me, but she wasn’t done.
“You’re disgusting,” she spat. “Absolutely pathetic. You don’t love Damien. You never have. You hate this marriage—you’ve said it yourself a hundred times. But the second you realize you might actually lose the comfort of being his wife, suddenly you’re clinging to him like your life depends on it? Suddenly, you’re having his baby?” She laughed bitterly. “Please. You think anyone with a brain would believe that?”
My hands trembled in my lap, but I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t.
Charlotte took my silence as an opportunity to push further.
“I know you, Rosalie,” she continued, her voice dripping with venom. “You don’t want to be here. You never did. You spent years running from this, years trying to get away from him, from this family. And now, all of a sudden, you’re this devoted wife carrying his child? You think slapping a fake pregnancy on the table will change anything?”
She let out a breath, her chest heaving with anger.
“Damien,” she said, turning to him, her tone desperate now. “You’re smarter than this. You know she’s lying. You know there’s no way she’s pregnant. She’s never wanted this marriage–she’s never wanted you.”
Damien exhaled sharply, but he didn’t say a word. His fingers curled into his palm, but his expression didn’t waver.
Charlotte turned back to me, her eyes burning with rage. “You’re nothing but a selfish, manipulative liar. You will say anything to keep your place here, won’t you?” She took a step closer, her voice lowering to a bitter whisper. “But it won’t work. I won’t let it.”
A shiver ran down my spine, but I didn’t react. I refused to.
Charlotte took a deep breath, straightening herself. “Fine. If you’re so pregnant, prove it.”
I felt my stomach twist.
“Take a test,” she demanded, her voice sharp and unwavering. “Right now.”
My throat dried up instantly.
Charlotte folded her arms across her chest, her gaze locked onto mine like a predator watching its prey. “Go on, Rosalie. You say you’re pregnant? Then show us.”
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
I had nothing to say.
Just then, Damien’s voice sliced through the room like a blade.
“What the hell do you mean by that?” he snapped, his furious eyes locked onto Charlotte. “How dare you call my wife a liar?” Charlotte flinched, but she quickly recovered, lifting her chin in defiance. “Because she is!” she shot back. “Damien, open your eyes! She’s lying to you–can’t you see that? She’s playing you, manipulating you”
“Shut up, Charlotte,” he growled, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “I’m done listening to your bullshit.”
Eleanor sighed, as if Damien was the one being unreasonable. “Damien,” she said smoothly, “there’s an easy way to settle this. If Rosalie is truly pregnant, then she should take a test right now.”
Damien’s glare snapped to his mother. “You think I need a test to believe my own wife?”
“It’s not about what you believe,” Eleanor replied, folding her arms. “It’s about the truth. And the truth can be proven, can’t
it?”
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Chapter 92
“Exactly!” Charlotte jumped in. “If she’s really pregnant, she should have no problem taking a test. Unless, of course, she’s lying.”
I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms. I wanted to scream at her, to slap that smug expression right off
her face.
Eleanor turned back to Damien, her voice calm but firm. “Even if she is pregnant, it’s barely noticeable,” she said. “Which means you can still marry Charlotte, and Rosalie can give birth to the baby in secret. It doesn’t change anything”
My entire body stiffened.
I could handle a lot. I had endured the humiliation, the insults, the betrayal.
But this?
This was where I drew the line.
I spun to face Eleanor, my vision red with fury. “You’re a woman,” I seethed. “A woman like me. Tell me, how would you feel if another woman–your own sister–tried to take your place in your marriage?” My voice cracked, but I didn’t care. “How would you feel, Eleanor? Tell me!”
Eleanor’s expression didn’t waver. “This isn’t about feelings, Rosalic. It’s about-
“Of course, it’s not about feelings to you!” I cut her off, my voice shaking. “Because you don’t have any! You don’t care who you hurt, who you break, as long as you get what you want!”
I turned my rage to Charlotte, my breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts. “You selfish bitch,” I spat, my hands trembling. “I should have known from the beginning what kind of person you were. I should have known you were capable of this.”
Charlotte’s face twisted with anger. “Watch your mouth, Rosalie-
”
“Or what?” I laughed bitterly, my chest heaving. “You’ve already done everything to destroy my life. What more can you do?”
“That’s enough!” Jacob’s voice boomed through the room as he raised his hands in a calming gesture. “Everyone needs to calm down.”
Timothy nodded. “The easiest way to solve this is for Rosalie to take a test.”
Eleanor nodded in agreement. “I’ll call the family doctor,” she said, already reaching for her phone.
“No,” Damien said, his voice final.
Eleanor paused, her fingers hovering over the screen.
xcuse me?”
“You’re not calling anyone,” he said coldly. “My wife doesn’t need to prove anything to you.”
Charlotte let out a dry laugh. “Are you kidding me, Damien? You’d gi
actually going to let her get away with this-”
Damien didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, he reached for my hand, his grip warm, firm, safe.
“Rosalie will take the pregnancy test when she wants to take the pregnancy test,” he said, his tone leaving no room for
argument.
Eleanor opened her mouth, but Damien had already made his decision.
Without another word, he pulled me up from my chair and led me toward the exit.
No one dared to stop him.
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