CHAPTER THREE ~ " Feeling Betrayed"
1097 Words
The doctor’s words hung heavy in the air: “You had a threatened abortion, Mrs. Griffin. If you’d waited any longer, you might have lost the baby.”
Beth’s worry was palpable as she asked, “Is my baby okay now, Doc?”
“Yes,” the doctor reassured her, “but time was critical. Your life, the baby’s, or both was at risk. You have a condition that requires close monitoring. Be mindful of what you do, eat, and how you handle emotions. Stress or triggers could affect you.” The Doctor advised
Bethany whispered to herself, “I wish it were easy to keep my emotions in check.”
Did you say something Mrs. Griffin, trying to understand the words she mumble to herself.
No…no… i was just thinking out loudly Beth responded
The doctor continued, “I’ll keep you under observation tonight to ensure both you and the baby are okay. Will Mr. Griffin be coming to see you?”
Beth hesitated, uncertainty in her eyes. “Um… yes, I should call him soon.”
“Alright, great” Dr. Murray said gently, closing the door to the VIP room where Bethany sat.
Dr. Murray, the Griffin family physician, had been incredibly helpful to them. Bethany felt grateful to have found her; she couldn’t imagine a better person to assist her in that situation.
Hours later, Bethany woke up to the rhythmic clicking of the blood pressure machine, each count echoing her loneliness.
There was no one to see her yet, she reached for her phone, checking for messages or missed calls from family who could have been wondering why silence, but her eyes were fixed on any sign of a message from Greg.
Seeing how late it was now getting, he should be worried about where I could be, she remarked with concern.
‘‘Maybe I should let him know I am here’ she said to herself
Her trembling hands moved all over the keyboard, her fingers were stuck trying to type out a message.
What were the right words to send to him, the cursor blinked in a way that seemed to mock her indecision. She began to type, then hesitated, erasing each attempt made. The silence that pressed in was suffocating.
Finally, she surrendered. With a trembling resolve, she dialed his number. The phone rang, and her heart raced.
“You just don’t give up, don’t you,” a familiar voice greeted her when the call connected.
Beth’s heart sank. “Hi, Michelle. Is Greg around? I need to speak with him urgently.”
Michelle’s voice was nonchalant. “He’s in the shower. We’ve been reconnecting,” she added with a hint of boast.
Beth felt a sting at the mention of them reconnecting, but before she could respond, Michelle cut in. “You know, Beth, I maintain what I said earlier you were just a stand-in for me. You were never his first choice. He settled for you when I left. But he couldn’t shake me off, and now he’s back with me, exactly where he belongs with me and his baby that is growing inside of me.”
It was as if she was hit with physical blow to her face, she opened her mouth to object, but Michelle was relentless.
“He’s always loved me. You were just convenient. Sorry to break it to you,” Michelle said coldly, and then the line went dead.
Beth stood frozen, the phone was still pressed to her ear, as Michelle’s words echoed in her mind. The pain of rejection was sharp, and the reality of her situation began to sink in. She had lost Greg, perhaps long before she even realized it and now, Michelle was pregnant.
After Michelle hung up the phone, she swiftly erased any trace of her conversation with Beth.
Greg, catching the distant look in her eyes, asked, “Were you talking to someone? I heard your voice from the kitchen.”
Michelle hesitated, then replied, “It was just my mom, checking on how I’m doing.” Her body language communicated a level of unease that was hidden to Greg’s perception.
‘’I should take my leave now,’’ Greg said as he grabbed his phone from the chair where he left it, ‘’I need to get back to work.’’
‘’So, soon. I was hoping you would stay the night,’’ she said while reaching out for his moustache
‘’I have to leave Mich’’, he said as he stood up.
“Michelle stood before Greg, her movements were carefully choreographed, and she feigned a limp in a pathetic attempt to gain sympathy and attention from him.
When they got home, she changed in an attire that was strategically revealing, exposing all her curves and angles in a way she knew would arouse Greg.
Greg, however, remained unmoved. As Michelle leaned in for a kiss, he instinctively turned his head, shunning her lips.
"Not today, Mich," he muttered, the tone of his voice was filled with both sadness and resolve.
The previous day when Beth walked up on them, Michelle had seen her walking into the building, she carefully planned the scene that Beth had seen.
As Beth approached the office, Greg was trying to stop Michelle from kissing him, his hands inadvertently landed on her waist to create distance.
"I still love you, Greg," Michelle finally spoke out, her voice trembled in between the words, hanging on the edge of desperation and heartbreak.
Her eyes were a pool of raw emotion, ‘please hear me out Greg,’ she pleaded with him as he turned the door knob to leave.
"I want us to try again," she continued, her voice was cracking after so many years. "Despite all the time we've lost... she started continued
But after everything you did," Greg’s voice rose, laced with bitterness and betrayal, "why should I trust you?"
"You left me when I needed you Mich, so why should I trust you now?’’ he said with his voice cracking with emotions. The pain of her betrayal was evident in his eyes; it was unspoken pain that he had buried all these years.
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Greg's response was cutting, his voice laced with hurt and skepticism. “Answer me, why should I trust you again?" he demanded, his eyes searching hers for sincerity.
"I've changed, Greg," she declared, her words carried a weight of determination. "We used to dream of building the Griffin Empire together. Now, I'm here to take on the world by your side."
- Writer
