Chapter 7
Time seemed to stop. Gerrald stood frozen, the words “I do” dying in his throat. His ears rang, his vision blurred and his grip on Lydia’s hand slackened.
Annoyed, Lydia tugged on his sleeve. “Gerrald, what’s wrong? The guests are watching! Just say you’re willing.”
But instead of responding, he shoved her away, his breathing ragged.
Turning on his assistant, he grabbed him by the lapels, his entire body trembling. “What the hell are you saying?! How could Jenny know anything? And what do you mean the plane crashed?! She promised me she’d wait at home! Are you insane? If you’re lying, I swear I’ll-”
His assistant flinched but held his ground, forcing himself to continue. “Mr. Raymond, I swear I’m telling the truth. Since you’ve been preoccupied with wedding preparations, I’ve been handling your work emails. Just now, I was booking Madam’s ticket like you requested, when suddenly, an email came in. She sent it herself.”
Hands shaking, the assistant held up his phone. “Inside are all the chat- records between you and Miss Maron. Along with photos… of the children.” His voice wavered. “And… there’s more.”
Gerrald’s bloodshot eyes bore into him. “What more?! Say it!”
The assistant swallowed hard. “An abortion certificate. Madam was two months pregnant. Last night, she terminated the pregnancy.”
Gerrald’s world tilted. He snatched the phone and stared at the screen, his vision swimming.
Lucas stepped onto the stage, dismissing the assistant with a glance before placing a hand on Gerrald’s shoulder. His voice was heavy with regret.
“Gerrald, I checked. Jenny did board a flight a few hours ago. And yes, that flight crashed.”
Gerrald’s breath hitched as he stared at him, wide–eyed. His lips parted, but no sound came out.
“She was pregnant… Why didn’t she tell me?” His voice cracked. “Why did she abort the child behind my back? Why did she leave me?”
Lucas exhaled slowly, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze. “Why do you think?” He shook his head. “She gave you five children, Gerrald. Five innocent lives. And you-” He let out a bitter laugh. “You
I
Chapter 7
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gaze. “Why do you think?” He shook his head. “She gave you five children, Gerrald. Five innocent lives. And you-” He let out a bitter laugh. “You
slaughtered them. You let Lydia take them–turned them into specimens, to be dissected and displayed like lifeless objects.”
Gerrald stumbled back, his grip on the phone loosening. He couldn’t breathe.
Lucas continued, his voice cold. “Those children didn’t even get a chance to have a body to be buried in. And now you wonder why she didn’t want to bring another life into this world?” He scoffed. “Rather than let another innocent child suffer the same fate, she chose to end it herself.”
The air felt suffocating. Gerrald clutched his chest, his heartbeat hammering painfully. His knees nearly buckled beneath him as he choked out a whisper.
“Jenny… No, this isn’t real… She wouldn’t leave me… She promised…” His voice cracked, desperation bleeding into every syllable. “She said she would always wait for me…”
Lucas sighed, his gaze filled with something akin to pity. “She waited, Gerrald. For years, she waited.” He turned away. “But in the end, you never came.”
Chapter 7
