Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Two weeks later

Myra sauntered past the corridors of her university, walking past the noisy crowds. As usual, Lionel didn’t bother to look at her and neither did his goons. It was like she had offended them, but there was just too much on her mind for her to bother about them.

Time had passed so quickly since the fight between Hart and Jake, but fortunately, Hart’s job was not at stake. Instead, he told her that Jake had delegated Mrs Hoo to take over the collaboration, as if nothing had happened. Neither had he taken any action against Hart for his physical injuries.

From that day onwards, Jake never appeared in the university ever again. While it was a relief for Myra, a question remained unanswered. Why was she feeling empty that Jake was no longer in contact with her? Even when Hart made love to her every night, an unsettled feeling lingered deep inside her.

[No, stop it. Hart is who you need to be with.]

She told herself calmly, ignoring the voice in her heart that was telling her to go with her feelings. Hart was whom she needed to be with. He was her solace, and even had made efforts to rekindle the fire in their relationship. Furthemore, W was gone, and probably would never come back. Hart even blocked her number in front of her.

But now it was time for her to face reality.

As her doctor had advised her earlier, her morning sickness started to actually kick in. Myra often struggled with keeping down food, and fortunately with her friends, they managed to keep her secret hidden from most of the university. Saltine crackers, bland food and ginger cookies were her to-go breakfast most of the time. Yet, this was just the least of her problems.

Had Jake called off the marriage? She hadn’t heard anything from him, and his father had called up saying he had an urgent matter that required him to travel. Myra was glad that the marriage had been postponed, but the very next day, a postman arrived with a stack of red bombs, traditional wedding invitations.

Initially, she presumed they were invitations that Jake had made between him and her, but to her dismay, the names shone brightly on the cover that they were between Jake and Yuna! On the same day, out of the blue, she received a message in the banking account of her father’s hotel, that she had received a one-million dollar transaction. Just what was going on?

But no matter how many times she called Jake’s number, it was switched off. This way, she would never find the answers to her questions. All she could only do was wait until Jake was back.

“I’ve decided to move in.”

Hart surprised her on Thursday night at dinner. By now, it was evident that Hart was often leaving their bed deep at night. She pretended to have not noticed, but it was hard for her to keep up with the pretence. Something fishy was going on, she thought earlier.

It had taken her a lot to keep the secret of her pregnancy from him, and she was sure he would find out sooner or later.

“That’s great!” Sierra clapped and even Teos cheered his good friend.

That’s right, she thought. Now that Hart was living with her permanently, it was likely the end of her worries. With him around, she wouldn’t have to concern herself with the reason why he was often disappearing in the middle of the night.

“I have a gift for you, Myra.”

He took out a small box from his pocket. Immediately, everyone’s instincts kicked in, and they began to clap. Myra looked at him sheepishly.

Hart wasn’t going to propose, was he?

She took a deep breath. After her marriage with Jake didn’t pull through and she knew nothing of its cancellation, it was too much for her to have another marriage date tossed at her. Even if it was with Hart.

“Wait!” Hart stopped everyone as they cheered “Marry him!”

“It’s a misunderstanding! I’m not proposing!”

His words struck sense into her, bringing her to open her eyes again. She was probably dreaming again.

“It’s a promise ring, Myra. We’ve been together for almost half a year.” He stared at her passionately, taking her hands in his. “I want to make a promise that I know I will keep.”

Her heart throbbed with warmth as their eyes connected. It wasn’t love, still, that brought them together. Some things meant way more than love. It was how he managed to get back her trust after betraying it once. She forgave him because he forgave her. Now that she didn’t need Jake’s help any longer and she was pregnant with Hart’s child, she believed that it was time for her to fully commit herself to Hart.

A week ago, she had resumed her father’s position in his office, slowly learning from her father’s senior staff and her new recruits about their economical situation. Hilary, a patient elderly lady, guided her well. She was thankful that since her father’s demise, Hilary had been managing single-handedly the entire office.

And so, she shoved that image in her heart of Jake far into the darkest cracks of her heart. She would never bother him ever again.

“I’ve just been promoted to Operations Manager. And I’m also the project manager of a new project,” Hart explained slowly, with his eyes not leaving Myra’s. “In a few years, it’s time when I will bring happiness to you. This, I promise.”

A few years? Could she wait that long? It wasn’t long before her tummy would start showing, even if it wasn’t visible now. But she completely understood his situation. It took time for him to achieve anything, given how he was a foreigner in a big city. He didn’t want to depend on her.

All this while, she had never questioned his origins. Surely, he followed her to her city because he liked her, didn’t he? Although he had used the alibi of his father’s men after him as an excuse.

“I accept your promise, Hart. And I look forward to being that only person in your heart, be it now or in a few years.”

Her eyes dazzled as she made the statement as convincing as she could. Goodbye, Jake, she whispered silently in her heart. From now on, she and Jake were over.

……………………………………………………………

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Sierra asked as she was changing in front of the mirror of her bedroom. “You’ll let that woman take your rightful position as Jake’s legal wife away from you?”

Myra shrugged. “We were never meant to be. And she’s pregnant with Jake’s child.”

“How can you be sure that’s Jake’s child? And your pregnancy… Basically you don’t know the father yet.”

“Thank you for reminding me that,” Myra glared at her sister. “But I’m sure it has to be Hart’s. Who else could it be?”

“You have a point on that. After all, that night with Jake was just a drunken encounter. On the other hand, you could always turn it back around at him and say it wasn’t consensual.”

“I… I don’t know if I gave him consent in my intoxicated state,” Myra stammered. That’s what he had said angrily that day in the elevator at the megamall. She had never seen him so indignant.

“What is done is done,” Sierra sighed. “Your relationship between him is too close for you to press charges against him. Which you should have done earlier, but I know your heart. You can’t bring yourself to.”

“Wait, how did you…”

“I’m your sister, after all,” Sierra remarked proudly, earning a distasteful look from Myra. “Whatever we can do, we can only wish upon Jake happiness.”

“You’re right.”

She hadn’t hated Jake at all. He should find his happiness with Yuna. He had given her what he wished, but how he left her in the dark was what disappointed her.

“Myra, your dress is stained.”

“Huh?” She looked down at the hem of her mini-dress. Strangely enough, she had been having dark-red splotches on her underwear from time to time. She hadn’t cramped, but searches on the web yielded different results. Some leant towards a threatened abortion, while others suggested it was normal. She had gone with the latter, as she didn’t need unnecessary stress. Then, she had put off her plan to walk into her clinic due to her increasing need to be in the office. Procrastination at its finest.

[It’s fine, Myra. Many women spot in the first trimester. After all, you’ve not been having bad cramps.]

She convinced herself she was fine, even after Sierra’s worried stares.

“Myra, your calmness is scaring me,” Sierra uttered, with a hand on her sister’s arm. “Listen to me this time, go to the clinic. I’ll accompany you.”

“But I have a quiz later!” Myra insisted.

“We’ll make it back in time. Your quiz is at ten, isn’t it?”

Fine. Either way, she was screwed as her brain seemed to be malfunctioning these weeks. Her chances to pass were slim, and probably she would have to repeat an entire semester. Grudgingly she picked up her bag and walked out of the room, following her sister. Sierra walked fast, and in no time, she was left far behind.

Suddenly, her legs felt weak. She hadn’t had her breakfast on time this morning, and she had developed a strange aversion to the smell of coffee. Teos must have brewed that horrid dark roast which she couldn’t stand. Just the smell made her dizzy.

Her fingers trembled as she reached for the handrail to steady herself. To her shock, she found herself tripping before she could grasp her support. She had missed a step.

With a scream, she tumbled headlong down the stairs, calling her sister’s name.

Then, everything turned black as she sensed tremendous pain coursing over her entire body.