Rebecca’s POV
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Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, confusion clouded her gaze before recognition dawned. She didn’t reach for me or show any desire for physical contact.
“Rebecca,” she said, her voice raspy and weak. As she spoke, she silently withdrew her hand. “I didn’t expect to see you.”
I forced a small smile, trying to hide the pain her words caused. “I came as soon as I heard. Dad told me about your diagnosis.”
She turned her face away, staring at the wall. “He shouldn’t have bothered you. Especially not on your wedding day.”
“You’re my mother,” I said firmly, reaching for her hand despite her attempt to pull away. “You may have given up on me, but I haven’t given up on you.”
Her laugh was bitter, hollow. “Always the dutiful daughter. Even when you know you’re not wanted.”
The words struck like physical blows, but I refused to flinch. “Why?” I asked simply. “Why have you always pushed me away?”
For a long moment, she was silent, and I thought she might refuse to answer. Then she sighed, a sound filled with decades of resentment.
“I never wanted children,” she admitted, her voice flat. “I had dreams, you know. I was going to be a fashion designer. I had scholarship offers from three different schools.”
I sat perfectly still, afraid that any movement might stop her from continuing.
“Then I got pregnant with you,” she continued, her eyes still fixed on the wall. “Your father was thrilled. His family was thrilled. Everyone expected me to be thrilled.” She finally turned to look at me, her eyes hard. “But I wasn’t. I watched my dreams disappear one by one as my stomach grew.”
“You could have-”
“What? Given you up? Gotten an abortion? Your grandparents would have disowned me. I had nowhere to go, no money of my own.” She shook her head. “I had no choice but to marry your father and become a wife and mother instead of the person I wanted to be.”
I felt a strange calm settle over me as the pieces finally clicked into place. All these years, I’d been trying to earn the love of someone who had resented my very existence.
“I understand now,” I said quietly. “It’s not that you don’t have the capacity to love. It’s that you don’t have the capacity to love me.”
Something flickered in her eyes–perhaps surprise at my insight, or perhaps a tiny fragment of regret.
“I’ll make sure you get the best care possible,” I continued, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. “You’ll stay in this private hospital. The best doctors, the best treatments–anything that might help.”
“I don’t need your charity,” she snapped, but the words lacked conviction.
“It’s not charity,” I replied, standing up. “It’s what family does. Whether you want me as a daughter or not, I’m still yours. And I’ll make sure you’re comfortable for whatever time you have left.”
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15:16 Mon, Sep 29
Chapter 218
As I turned to leave, I heard her voice, softer now.
“The baby… is it a boy or a girl?”
I paused at the door, one hand instinctively going to my slightly rounded stomach. “A boy. And he’ll be loved. Completely and unconditionally.”
She nodded once, and I left the room, closing the door quietly behind me.
Dominic stood waiting in the hallway, the antiseptic smell of the hospital burning his sensitive nose. When I emerged, he immediately wrapped an arm around my shoulders, drawing me against him.
“Let’s go home, he murmured, pressing a kiss to my temple.
I nodded, leaning into him as we walked down the corridor. My father approached from the waiting area, his face anxious.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“As well as could be expected,” I replied, my voice remarkably steady. “I’ve arranged for her to stay here. The bills are taken care of.”
Relief and gratitude washed over his features. “Rebecca, I can’t thank you enough—”
“She’s my mother,” I said simply. “And you’re my father. I take care of my family.”
As we said our goodbyes and headed for the exit, Dominic’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He frowned at the unknown number before answering.
“Dominic Sterling.”
I could hear the tension in his voice as he listened to the caller.
“Is she-?” he asked. Then, “And the boy? James?” After another pause, he said, “Good. Keep me updated on her condition,” and ended the
call.
“What is it?” I asked as we reached the car.
Once we were both seated in the back, Dominic turned to me. “That was Raymond. Olivia is in the hospital. She took an overdose of sleeping pills.”
My eyes widened. “Is she going to be alright?”
“They think so. They got to her in time.” He ran a hand through his hair. “James is with his grandparents for now.”
My heart ached at the mention of the child. “That poor little boy. He didn’t ask for any of this.”
Dominic nodded, his expression softening.
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15:16 Mon, Sep 29
Chapter 218
“Olivia’s condition…” I hesitated. “It doesn’t sound like she’s in any state to care for James right now.”
“No,” Dominic agreed.
(91)
I was quiet for a moment, my hand absently stroking my own stomach. “We should help him,” I said finally. “James. He’s just an innocent child caught in the middle of all this.”
Dominic studied my face. “What are you suggesting?”
“I don’t know yet. But something. We can’t just leave him to the system.”
He nodded slowly. “We’ll figure something out. Together.”
As the car pulled away from the hospital, Dominic watched my profile. “Are you alright?” he asked softly. “With your mother, I mean.”
I considered his question as we drove through the night–darkened streets. Was I alright? After finally hearing the truth from my mother’s lips?
“I am,” I said, surprising myself with how much I meant it. “It’s strange, but knowing that she never wanted me… it’s almost a relief. All these years, I thought there was something wrong with me, something that made me unlovable to her.”
Dominic’s arm tightened around me. “There is nothing unlovable about you.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder. “I know that now. It wasn’t about me at all. It was about her, her dreams, her resentments. I can’t change that. I can’t make her love me.” I took a deep breath. “And that’s okay. It just is what it is.”
Dominic pulled me closer, his embrace warm and secure. “She lost out on knowing an incredible daughter,” he said fiercely. “What she couldn’t give you, I will. The love she denied you, I’ll provide tenfold. You are cherished, Rebecca. By me, by our pack, by our child.”
Tears pricked at my eyes as I nestled against him. “Having you by my side makes me feel like the luckiest woman alive.”
He pressed his lips to my forehead, his touch gentle. “Our child will never doubt they are loved,” he promised. “Not for a single moment.”
“No,” I agreed, placing my hand over his where it rested on my stomach. “They will know nothing but love and security.”
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6 days ago
I feel like the story line got lost along the way, simple mistakes like cause of death, where the scene was taking place started taking place. It’s a simple but big mistake
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