Chapter 2
No Love
Veronica’s POV
I took a shaky breath
“ A mistake?” my voice was almost inaudible.
“Do you have any idea how long I’ve loved you, Carter? How hard have I tried to make this work?” My voice broke.
“Three years… three years of trying to be someone you could care for and all I’ll ever be to you is a mistake?”
Carter stared at me in silence for about a minute.
“There’s no love between us, Veronica. Never was. Never will,” he casually responded, like I didn’t just pour out my heart to him.
Carter’s words hit me like a punch to the chest.
My lips parted in disbelief, but no words came out. It felt like he had just confirmed every fear I had buried deep in my heart. Yet he didn’t even seem to care.
“If it weren’t for you forcing me into that situation three years ago,” he continued, his tone sharp and accusatory.
“We wouldn’t be in this mess. My grandfather wouldn’t have forced me to marry you”.
“Forcing you?” I finally managed to whisper.
My voice shook, the pain and disbelief laced in every syllable “Carter, you think I forced you?”
Yes, what happened years ago was out of our control but it could have been anyone. His grandfather only approved of me because he genuinely liked me.
Carter scoffed, his gaze cold and distant. “Don’t play innocent. You drugged me that night, didn’t you? You knew Grandpa would never let me marry Meghan. So you trapped me instead”.
I felt the air leave my lungs, like I was brutally punched in my guts.
“How could you even say those cruel words to me like I was some desperate whore? I didn’t… Carter, I would never…..”
“Save it” he snapped, cutting me off.
“I’m tired of pretending. There’s nothing between us, Veronica. So grow the fuck up and stop acting childish!”
I clenched my fists at my sides, trying so hard to stop the tears that were threatening to blur my vision.
“You’ve hated me for so long for something I didn’t do. I loved you, Carter. I still love you. How could you think so little of me?”
He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “Love? If you loved me, you wouldn’t have needed tricks to tie me down”.
My heart shattered, but before I could say anything else, Meghan’s voice broke the tense silence.
“Carter, let it go,” she said softly, placing a delicate hand on his arm.
She looked at me with faux pity. “It’s not worth fighting over. Let’s just go. My wrist is hurting, it needs urgent attention”.
He sighed, his anger dissipating as he turned toward her. “I’m such a fool, how can I forget such an important matter, Let’s go”.
I watched, frozen, as he slipped his arm around her waist and they walked out together.
She glanced back at me with a smirk, her victory written all over her face.
As the door closed behind them, his words replayed over and over in my head, cutting through my heart like a double-edged sword.
I sank into a nearby chair, clutching my chest as the tears spilt over.
……
I got a balm for the burn on my hand and returned home alone later that evening for the family dinner.
As usual, grandfather was super happy to see me.
He had the maids prepare our favorites and even got us some gifts but Carter wasn’t there to witness it.
Everyone was gathered at the table, including Orthon, Carter’s uncle who just returned from the States.
Although I hadn’t seen him in three years, he looked even more ethereal than the last time I saw him, and he was just three years older than Carter.
“Vee, quite lovely to see you again” his polished accent was one of the most attractive things about him.
He kissed my hand gently and those gorgeous sapphire blue eyes flickered to me.
“It’s lovely to see you again, Orthon,” I responded with a wide smile. “When did you get back?” I asked.
“Last night,” he answered. “You look just as beautiful as I remember”.
My cheeks coloured. He was always one to compliment me every time he set his eyes on me.
“You don’t look bad yourself,” I said sincerely.
I didn’t want to indulge myself too much in his looks because it made me feel like I was cheating on Carter, no matter how harmless it was.
“And where is your husband?” Master Grayson, Carter’s Grandfather asked as I joined the table.
“Oh, he might be running late,” I mumbled , feeling several pairs of eyes boring holes into my skin.
“Or maybe he just doesn’t care for it,” Marian Grayson, Carter’s mother sneered. The woman saw me as nothing but a gold digger and never bothered to hide her hatred for me.
“You should watch your words, Marian” Grandfather warned, and she muttered something inaudible under her breath.
Dinner went well, as long as I ignored the jabs and focused on Grandfather and Orthon. And yes, Carter didn’t show up, which was no surprise at all.
He was probably having fun with his mistress.
Later that evening, Orthon found me sitting alone in the garden, my arms wrapped around myself to hold the broken pieces together as my miserable life played out in my head.
“Veronica,” he said gently, sitting beside me. “You look like you’ve been crying. What happened?” He asked worriedly.
I forced a shaky smile, wiping at my eyes. “It’s nothing, Orthon. Just a long day”.
He frowned, his kind eyes filled with concern. “Don’t lie to me. You’ve always been stronger than this, but at times, even the strongest people need someone to lean on”.
His words broke me further, but I held myself together. “Thank you, Orthon,” I whispered. “But I’m fine”.
“Fine then, don’t talk. I’ll make you some hot chocolate, you’ll feel better after that,” he said softly, patting my shoulder before leaving.
It hurt that someone who wasn’t even my husband could care for me this way while my own spouse was aiming over another woman.
…..
The call from the hospital came late that night.
“Mrs. Carter, your grandmother’s condition has worsened. You need to come over immediately”.
I didn’t think twice before rushing to the hospital.
I rushed to her bedside, my heart pounding with fear.
Seeing her frail figure lying in the hospital bed broke something in me.
“Grandma,” I whispered, holding her hand. “Please, stay with me. I need you. You’re all I have left”.
She smiled weakly, cupping my face.
“Don’t worry about me, child. You have suffered enough for my sake already”.
Her fingers trembled as she pressed a small business card into my hand.
“If… things get too hard” she rasped, “find him”.
“Who, Grandma? Who should I find?”
But she didn’t answer.
The monitor beside her emitted a flat line, and the nurses rushed in, pulling me away as I sobbed uncontrollably.
“No! Please, don’t leave me!” I cried, my voice breaking.
But she was gone.
Hours passed and I was still in the hospital lobby, sobbing over my Grandmother.
As I walked down the hall, I saw Carter step out of a ward.
He was surprised to see me but I didn’t even have the strength to be mad at me for skipping our anniversary. I just needed comfort.
“Veronica?” He called in surprise.
My grandmother just passed away, I said, tears threatening to fall. “I just… I need you, Carter. Please”.
Before he could respond, Meghan yelled from inside the ward, “Carter”, she gasped, “I don’t feel well. Something is wrong with the baby”.
“Baby?” My voice rose, stunned. Meghan was pregnant?
I looked at Carter, expecting some form of explanation. There was a glint of guilt in his eyes and my heart shattered instantly.
“Look, Veronica, I…”
“Carter!” She screamed again. “My tummy hurts. Please…”
“I’m sorry, I have to go. I’ll talk to you later,” he said quickly and hurried inside the ward.
And just like that, my heart broke into a million pieces.
