Chapter 7
Eugene had heard the last bit of my conversation with Jessica after getting Cassandra into a car. I realized he hadn’t heard the front, so I fibbed and said, “My friend is going somewhere soon.”
He nodded and stopped questioning me.
…
Four days before my departure, Eugene brought the photos taken during his and Cassandra’s pre-wedding shoot home. He held his phone in one hand as he video called her and showed her the pictures with his other hand. His gaze oozed tenderness.
He said, “Our wedding photos are out, Cassie. Even the staff said they came out really well when I went to pick them up.”
I happened to come out of the room to get a glass of water as he spoke. A hint of awkwardness flickered in his eyes, and he looked at me like he had something to say.
All I did was look at the photos and say, “They do look pretty good.”
Initially, I’d paid a huge sum to hire this particular photographer because I’d wanted him to capture Eugene and me at the peak of our love. I thought I’d feel indescribable bliss upon seeing the pictures.
I had to admit that Eugene was as handsome as I’d imagined him to be in a tuxedo. The only difference was that I wasn’t the bride in the pictures.
It no longer fazed me, though. I’d taken back all my love for Eugene the moment I’d learned about Cassandra’s pregnancy.
Eugene was taken aback by my reaction. He suddenly realized that it had been a long time since I’d last had a proper conversation with him. I hadn’t even texted him during his weeklong trip with Cassandra. He wasn’t used to me being so cold.
Cassandra was still chatting away on the other end of the line. He shook his head to dissipate whatever unease he felt, figuring I was just too tired from wedding preparations.
…
Two days before my departure, I headed to the hospital to get some medication in case of emergencies. Unexpectedly, I bumped into Eugene and Cassandra, who’d just had a prenatal checkup.
A hint of panic flashed in Eugene’s eyes. He parted his lips to speak, but Cassandra beat him to it. She approached me and grabbed my hand, wanting to fall to her knees before me. She choked up, saying, “I know you’ve never agreed to Gene having a child with me, Riss, but I couldn’t wait any longer.
“The doctor said I would only have a year at most, and I really wanted to see my child being born. I swear I’ll stay away from Gene once the baby is born—I promise I won’t come between you two!”
Before I could say anything, Eugene helped her to her feet, his eyes filled with heartache. “Don’t be like this, Cassie. You’re already in poor health.”
He turned to look at me. “I won’t keep this from you anymore since you already know. Don’t worry—this won’t affect our wedding.”
A month ago, I would have been furious, and I would have had a breakdown. I would have been overwhelmed by despair, and I would have spiraled into self-doubt. I would have wondered whether I was such a failure as a girlfriend that Eugene would willingly have a child with another woman.
But now, I knew what the truth was—it wasn’t that I was lacking in anything. It was just that he didn’t love me. That was why he could do something like this without any care for how I felt.
I’d long since known about Cassandra’s pregnancy, and I’d also let go of my feelings for Eugene. So, there was no need for them to act like I was going to break them up.
I glanced at them silently before looking away. “Got it.”
After that, I turned to leave, having already collected my medication. I would be leaving Rogenvale soon, and there were still a few things I needed to pack.
Eugene and Cassandra evidently didn’t expect me to react so calmly, especially Eugene. He watched me leave with mixed feelings.
I’d fussed and argued with him for a whole month because of this, yet I’d barely reacted upon learning that Cassandra was already pregnant. This made him feel uneasy—it was as if something had changed without him realizing it.
I’d just gotten to the stairs when Cassandra caught up with me and grabbed my sleeve. Eugene was far behind her, so she revealed her true colors. “How does it feel to watch your fiancé have a child with someone else, Nerissa?”
I didn’t want to waste time on a pointless argument, so I wanted to shake her off and leave. Unexpectedly, she acted like she was going to topple when I’d barely even used any force. I reflexively grabbed her arm, stopping her from falling.
But before I could let go of her, a furious voice rang out behind me. “What the hell are you doing?”
Eugene had wondered why I’d reacted so calmly, but he now thought he knew what the truth was when he saw me and Cassandra together. He thought I’d only been pretending to be calm—deep inside, I still couldn’t accept this.
Cassandra immediately put on an aggrieved look when she saw him, and she clutched her belly as her eyes reddened. “Gene, I just wanted to thank Nerissa for being so generous and open-minded. I didn’t expect her to…”
Eugene’s expression darkened at her words. “I didn’t think you were capable of this, Nerissa! Apologize to Cassie now!”
