Chapter 12

*JANELLE* I never had a boyfriend before. All I did was work and keep to myself. My mom asked with a trembling voice, "Elle, what's wrong with you?" I stiffened, and my hands clenched on the edge of the sink. There was no need hiding it from her anymore. Since I had decided to have this baby, she would definitely know of it sooner. I turned around, looked at my mother, and plucked up my courage. "Mom, I'm pregnant." My mom couldn't stand firm and took a step back. She was in total shock. “How? What's going on?" My mom asked. She seemed to think of something, "That money, the funeral cost, it wasn’t covered by your boss, was it?” The hospital bill and funeral had cost a lot of money and I had told her that my boss felt sorry for me and decided to help out. I also gave her some pocket money and told her it was courtesy of my boss too. I knew my mom was too grief-stricken at that time to suspect anything. But now, it’d all make sense. My boss had been a very selfish man and would definitely not give me that much money. I felt bad for lying to my mom and so, I didn’t say anything but my silence clearly meant that I admitted everything. How else would I get such amount of money? My mom looked disappointed but still in disbelief. "You, did you prostitute yourself…” She burst into tears and grabbed my hands. "You can't give birth to this child. Come with me to the hospital right now!" "Why?" I tried to pull away from her. "If you give birth to the baby, you will ruin your life. That baby will always remind you of what you did! You’re married now, if people find out about this, your life will be over!” “Mom, please let me have this baby." I pleaded with tears. No matter hard I begged, my mom would not let me go, and she was very resolute. ******** On the same day, she force me to the hospital. She told me that if I didn’t go with her, she’d kill herself. She kept saying she was the reason why I had prostituted myself, she kept saying that she failed to give me a good life. I had to go with her. But I needed to have a medical check-up before the abortion. When my mom went to get the test result, I sat alone on the bench in the corridor, with my hands covering my belly. My tears kept falling. I felt sad and helpless. ******************* *DONOVAN* “Ovan, I'm fine. Don't be so nervous. It's just a little burn." Laura smiled, slightly. She was wearing a tight black dress, which made her figure look very curvy. She wore my suit jacket on her shoulder. I stared at her, worriedly. “If it's not handled properly, it will leave a scar." Laura leaned into my arms. "If I have a scar, will you still like me?" "Of course.” Laura giggled and said.”I know you’ll always like me.” I smiled at her and as I looked forward, I frowned taking notice of someone. She lifted up her head and stared back at me. She had tears on her cheeks. Janelle. What was she doing here? “Next patient." The door of an operation room opened, and a nurse stood at the door. Behind her was a young woman, who covered her abdomen and walked out. She was grumbling, "It's called painless abortion, why is it fucking painful?" My frown deepened, my eyes fixed on Janelle. She had shown how much she cared about the baby in front of me. How could she change her mind so quickly and come to have an abortion? I scoffed. Laura looked in the same direction as me and asked, "Do you know her?" “I don't.” I retorted, abruptly. That woman was too scheming and I needed to maintain a safe distance away from her. First, she got married to me while carrying another man’s child. She looked protective of her belly while we argued this morning as if she had already decided to keep it. And now, she was having an abortion? What was going on in that head of hers? She was one cunning woman. "Have you thought about it carefully?" The nurse asked her. I could see Janelle avoiding my gaze. "I have thought it through." “Then come in with me." She lowered her head and did not look at me. She followed the nurse into the operating room. The door of the operating room closed, isolating everything outside. I shook my head. Well, it was none of my business. She can do whatever she wanted with her life as far as she doesn’t disturb mine. Laura held my hand and called, softly.”Ovan.” “Let’s just go.”I breathed and started to walk away. “Your mood went sour the moment you saw that girl. Who is she?” “She’s a nobody, don't worry about her.” Even if Laura didn’t look convince, I didn’t want to talk about Janelle right now. I was glad I didn’t hold a wedding ceremony. It would be disgraceful for people to know that I was married to someone like her.