“Let’s get a divorce. She has stomach cancer and has only six months left to live.”
After their in**mate encounter, Julian Croft sat up and said in a detached voice.
Elara Vance, still breathing hard from the encounter, turned to him slowly, a wild look of disbelief in her eyes.
They had been married for a year. What did he mean by suddenly saying he wanted a divorce?
“Her final wish is to be my wife,” Julian added, almost offhandedly.
He said, lighting a ci**rette. The sm**e rose in slow spirals around his face.
Elara gawked at him, stunned. Silence spread across the room like mist.
The bedside lamp glowed faintly, casting long shadows across the wall, making them seem farther apart than they were.
Julian glanced at her and gave a faint frown.
“It’s only to comfort her,” he explained. “We’ll remarry after six months. She won’t be here long, Elara.”
His voice was steady, almost detached, like someone passing along a message that didn’t concern him.
Elara watched Julian wordlessly, her eyes fixed on his profile.
He spoke like his words were instructions, not suggestions.
Their relationship had always been one-sided. She had chased it from the start, drawn in by youthful affection.
She had stayed by his side for years, moving through each rough season without letting go.
Elara still remembered that day, under the heavy rain that soaked them both, Julian had stood between her and her stepfather, gripping a cracked stick, and said with fire in his voice, “Touch Elara again, and you’ll regret it.”
That moment had etched itself into her heart. Even when she was weak and bl**ding, she saw him–unmoving, protective, fierce.
From that point on, she was his.
She loved him without pause, met his requests with everything she had, carrying them out more flawlessly than anyone else ever could.
He would always pat her head, light and warm, and say in a low voice, “You did so well, Elara.”
But Julian’s praises never lasted, his ki**es barely stayed, and whatever affection they shared always felt just out of reach. But Elara told herself it was just how he was.
Even when others called her naive, she stayed–devoted and trusting.
She had given seven years of her life to him.
A year earlier, Julian’s grandmother, Beatrice Croft, had fallen into poor health. The family, hoping to lift her spirits, decided Julian should marry.
Perhaps the joy of a wedding would give the old woman something to hold on to.
So Julian went on to marry Elara.
She thought it was finally their moment. But after the vows, something changed. He began to pull away. Sometimes, he looked at her like she was a stranger.
“Elara, are you listening?” Julian scowled as he caught the far-off look in Elara’s eyes.
“Does it have to be like this?” she asked softly.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he said, “She’s going through so much, Elara.”
Elara’s ch**t tightened. “And what about me?”
Julian didn’t answer right away. His eyes, dark and steady, flickered with a trace of impatience.
Then, after about three seconds, he said, “Elara, she’s dying. Maybe you don’t know, but she’s in love with me. Because we were married, and she didn’t want to hurt you, she never let things go too far between us. Even when I tried to make it up to her, she never let me. She’s a good person. Please, let her have this. Don’t make me think you’re being heartless.”
His words, spoken so calmly, pierced her more than if he had shouted.
So in Julian’s eyes, a woman in love with a married man, who promised to hold back but never really let go, was a saint.
And a wife who simply wanted to keep her husband to herself was heartless.
Elara stared at his face. The same face she had fallen for–intense eyes, prominent nose, beautiful lips.
When had things started to crumble?
Maybe it was the day the woman showed up.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Elara asked, steadying herself.
Julian said nothing, pursing his lips.
Finally, he opened his mouth to respond. “Yes, you–”
“Alright.” Elara cut him off before he could finish.
Julian looked up, clearly surprised. He frowned, studying her closely.
“Elara, you’re getting clever,” he said, a flicker of irritation in his voice. “You know I need your consent to go through with it. Are you thinking of using it to get under my skin?”
Elara didn’t answer. She just stared at the white wall, watching how their shadows stretched.
Julian put out his ci**rette andsaid no more, pulling on his clothes quickly and storming out.
He didn’t stop to consider how she felt. Nor did he pause to acknowledge how humiliating or painful his request was.
He knew she couldn’t leave him.
He was utterly sure about that.
The door slammed shut behind him.
And just like that, Elara was alone.
She sat motionless by the bed, staring at the door as if it might open again.
Her phone buzzed beside her.
A message lit up the screen.
She picked up the phone.
It was from a familiar number. “He came to see me again.”
The text came with a photo. Julian’s face was captured in the reflection of a glass door, a soft smile playing on his lips, eyes warm in a way Elara had never seen.
She froze. Then, slowly, she scrolled upward through the previous messages. “He said he has feelings for me.”
“Rainy nights aren’t lonely for me because he’s here with me. What about you?”
“The one who isn’t loved is truly the other woman. Elara, you were never his first choice; you were just the one he settled for. He sees beauty the way I do, shares my taste in things, and he loves me.”
The messages continued that way, proving Julian’s betrayal.
The man who had always treated her with distance these past seven years had apparently mastered tenderness for someone else.
Elara kept scrolling until she reached the very first message. “You should know who I am. Do you like the flowers in your living room today? I sent them. He said they were beautiful.”
Of course, Elara knew who it was.
Seraphina Rivers, the famous floral designer known for filling her wealthy clients’ grand villas and lavish parties with carefully and beautifully arranged blooms.
Elara had shown Julian the messages before. He’d brushed them off and said there was no proof they were from Seraphina.
He had even said maybe Elara sent them herself just to stir trouble. Most of the messages didn’t have pictures, and the few that did were vague–taken from afar, hard to pin down.
But not today’s. Today’s was clear.
Elara thought about showing him the photo. Then her eyes drifted toward the bedside drawer. She reached down and pulled it open.
There it was. The pr**nancy test result she’d gotten earlier that day.
She was pr**nant with Julian’s child. At the worst possible moment.
Her tears fell, soaking the paper and smudging the ink.
But what did it matter anymore? Julian’s heart had been gone for a long time.
Elara wiped her face dry and picked up the lighter he’d left behind. Flames flickered as she held the test result to the fire.
Julian had no idea that saying yes to the divorce would be the final thing she’d ever do for him.
She had given him back what she owed–not in money, but in seven full years of her life.
She would never love him again.
Chapter 2: Terminate The Pregnancy
The next day, parked just outside the courthouse, Julian sat in his Maybach, quietly tapping the steering wheel with his left hand.
“Julian, you and Elara have been married for a year now. Don’t you think it’s time to start planning for a baby?” An elderly voice drifted from the phone’s speaker.
Julian’s face softened, a trace of frustration flickering through, but his patience didn’t waver.
“Grandma, we’re still young. There’s no need to rush. You should focus on staying healthy.”
“What do you mean by ‘There’s no need to rush’?” The elderly voice of his grandmother, Beatrice Croft, rose in annoyance.
“Your condition might have improved, but we’re not getting any younger. We don’t know how much time we’ve got left.”
“Grandma…”
“Don’t give me that! I’ve heard things, Julian. Whatever’s going on, be good to Elara.”
Silence fell over the line for a few seconds.
“Julian, did you hear me?” the elder asked.
Julian rubbed his forehead in frustration. “I understand, Grandma.”
They exchanged a few more words before he ended the call.
Julian resumed tapping the steering wheel with his fingers, this time slower, more distracted. He stared through the windshield toward the courthouse.
He clenched his jaw. Then, he opened the messaging app on his phone.
His thumb hovered over a familiar profile picture–a simple floral image, tagged “My Love.” He skipped past it and opened the thread with Elara.
The last message he’d sent her simply reminded her of the time and place to meet for the divorce.
She still hadn’t shown up.
With a scowl, Julian sent a new message. “Where are you?”
A knock on the window followed almost instantly. He turned to see Elara standing outside, her face a little pale.
She opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat, giving him a blank look.
He hadn’t changed out of yesterday’s clothes–the same ones she had picked out for him.
Through the years, it had always been her–choosing his ties, picking his cologne, arranging every detail down to the fit of his tailored shirts and suits.
“Why are you late?” Julian asked.
Elara looked away.
“I’m not late,” she said quietly.
She was simply no longer the girl who would always arrive early and wait for him without thinking.
Julian’s fingers stilled against the wheel. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her.
Elara looked a little pale, maybe from a sleepless night after he mentioned the divorce last night.
Still, she looked fine.
“My grandma called earlier,” Julian muttered, looking away. “Don’t tell them about the divorce. They’re too old to handle something like that.”
Elara didn’t respond right away. Instead, she asked, “What did your grandma say?”
“She wants us to have a baby,” Julian said flatly, a flicker of irritation slipping into his voice.
Silence settled in the car.
After a while, Elara let out a small soft laugh.
Julian curled his hand into a fist and turned his face to the window.
There were moments when he used to imagine what their child might look like.
He remembered holding her from behind, pressing a hand gently over her belly, whispering, “Elara, when will you give me a baby?”
But it hadn’t happened.
Anyway, they could always remarry in six months and start planning for a baby. There would still be enough time.
Seraphina, however, only had six months left.
Outside, passers-by came and went.
Then Elara spoke up. “Just once more, Julian. Are you completely sure you want to go through with the divorce?”
“Having second thoughts?” Julian barked, looking genuinely upset.
Seraphina was still waiting for him at the studio.
After confirming once more, Elara didn’t say another word. She reached into her bag, pulled out a document, and handed it to Julian.
He took it with a frown, flipping through the pages. It was a property division agreement.
“If we’re getting divorced,” she said, “we should make everything clear. I’ll only take what I’m entitled to from the Croft family. And from this moment on, anything either of us earns belongs to us individually.”
Then Elara pulled out a pen and placed it beside him.
“If that’s okay with you, just sign it.”
Julian’s eyes stayed on the document, but his frown deepened as he read.
The agreement was too simple. She really wasn’t asking for much. And her signature was already there.
He didn’t get it.
What was she trying to do? It was basically just a fake divorce.
Seraphina only had six months left. He planned to spend those months by her side. After that, he’d return to Elara–no one else needed to know the divorce ever happened.
To him, Elara had always seemed blindly loyal.
Julian had never thought of her as someone with pride or boundaries.
There was a time he’d grown bored of her, pushing her into things that chipped away at her pride on purpose.
But Elara never declined.
She’d still return with a soft smile, holding out the results like a trophy. “Julian, look–I did it. Isn’t it great?”
She was a good wife. Meek. Obedient. For seven years, he’d seen it play out over and over.
If it weren’t for Seraphina, their marriage probably would have gone on like that.
But…
A flash of memory–Seraphina, weak and coughing bl**d, still trying to smile–stabbed at his ch**t. The pain was raw and unshakable.
Julian looked outside the car window again.
Elara’s reflection stared back at him–blank, expressionless.
Was this her way of threatening him?
After all, she had once faked messages to frame Seraphina.
She hated Seraphina.
Chuckling dryly, Julian picked up the pen and signed his name.
No one could force his hand. Not even her.
There were two copies of the agreement.
Elara calmly took her copy after he signed both.
They both stepped out of the car and headed into the courthouse. Together, they filed for divorce.
Next time they came back here, they would finalize everything and collect the official decree.
Once all the formalities were done, the two of them stepped out of the courthouse together.
The sun was already blazing, and the warmth settled on Elara’s skin.
Julian scanned the people moving about.
It wasn’t hard to tell the couples getting married from those getting divorced. Some people chose to have their weddings at the courthouse.
A couple walked by, hand in hand.
The woman’s smile triggered something in Julian. He remembered that same look on Elara’s face a year ago, when they first got married.
Julian glanced over at Elara, but her face was blank.
“I’ll keep transferring money to your account during the next six months,” he said. “And don’t say anything to my grandparents.”
He didn’t wait for a reply. Just turned and walked off.
Elara stood there quietly, watching his car disappear around the corner.
Her cab arrived not long after.
And then, the two cars went opposite directions.
One turned toward Seraphina Floral Design.
The other headed for Crobert Hospital.
Julian walked into Seraphina’s studio, where she greeted him with a gentle smile.
He told her, “It’s done. She didn’t make a scene.”
Meanwhile, Elara stepped into the ob-gyn wing and quietly sat opposite the doctor.
The doctor reached over and pulled the curtain
“Elara… are you sure you want to terminate the pr**nancy?” Her best friend and doctor, Maya Khan, looked at her with concern.
“You were so determined to have a baby. You even worked so hard to get yourself ready for co**eption…”
Elara reached into her bag and placed the divorce filing receipt on the side table.
“Yes,” she replied calmly. “Let’s terminate it. I don’t want it anymore.”
Chapter 3 Signs Of Miscarriage
Maya stared at the filing receipt, surprised.
She and Elara had been close friends for more than ten years, and in all that time, Maya had seen just how hard Elara loved Julian.
There was a time Elara could have died for him, and nobody would have questioned it.
They got married a year ago. Maya had smiled at the wedding, even though something about their pairing felt off.
But still, Elara had gotten what she wanted. That had been enough for Maya.
Now this…
What had happened?
“I don’t love him anymore,” Elara said, before Maya could ask.
She looked over and gave a small, calm smile.
In that smile, Maya caught a glimpse of the old Elara–the one from before everything collapsed, before grief carved deep lines into her, before her father’s death and the fall of the Vance family changed her.
It brought Maya a strange sense of calm.
“Julian doesn’t know I’m pr**nant,” Elara said calmly. “And before the divorce becomes final, I don’t want to take any risks. It’s better if he doesn’t know.”
If either party changed their mind before the divorce was finalized, they could take back the application, and the procedure would no longer go through.
And that was when Maya knew that Elara wasn’t playing around about divorcing Julian.
After taking it all in, Maya did what needed to be done: she booked Elara’s medical tests and then advised carefully, “Wait a few days before the surgery.”
Elara frowned in confusion. “Why?”
“You know your bl**d type–Rh-negative. It’s rare. We need time to prepare bl**d, just in case. I’ve already contacted the bl**d bank. They said it might take a week.”
Elara went quiet. The sadness in her eyes was unmistakable.
She had gotten that bl**d type from her father. And now she missed him all over again.
If he were still here…
“Okay.” Elara nodded slowly. A smile tugged at her lips, but her eyes turned red.
“You also have early signs of mi**arriage. You need to be careful these next few days,” Maya added, her voice full of concern.
They’d grown up together, and Maya knew Elara’s sadness too well.
She held Elara’s hand. “Wait for me. My shift’s almost over. I’ll go home with you.”
Elara nodded, and then went to wait in the hallway.
She looked down at her stomach.
Early signs of mi**arriage.
Did the baby know what she’d decided and want to leave first?
Pursing her lips, Elara walked toward the lab for the tests.
Her phone buzzed. It was a bank notification.
She had opened a new account–one that Julian wouldn’t know about. She was keeping her money cleanly separate before the divorce was finalized.
Every cent she earned from now on would live in that account.
A second message followed. “Payment for composition and lyrics has been completed. Finance has sent the transfer. Kindly confirm.”
Before she married Julian, Elara had worked quietly as an anonymous songwriter.
Music had always been her first love. Back when her father was alive, life had been generous, and she lacked nothing.
As the Vance family’s only daughter, she had the freedom and the means to grow her gift.
The turns her life had taken had taught her things she hadn’t known she needed to learn.
Maybe her father never thought that the pastime he once encouraged would one day be the very thing keeping her afloat.
Elara paused, and then typed back, “Money received. Thank you.”
The reply came quickly from Marcus Thorne, a legendary music producer and a friend of her late father. “It’s what you deserve. You’ve written a lot of hits over the years. Why don’t you return? There’s a new show coming up. It fits you perfectly. I’ve sent details to your email. Reserved a contestant slot just for you.”
Elara opened her email. A new message sat at the top, inviting her to join a music competition show.
The format was familiar, like others she had seen before, but this one wanted something original.
She typed out a quick reply. “I’ll think about it.”
Then she set her phone down. A light cramp curled in her lower belly.
She thought of her father again.
The second time today.
…
Meanwhile, the Internet was buzzing with updates.
#SeraphinaRiversStomachCancer
#FloristSeraphinaRiversCountdown
#LastSixMonths
The most trending post was a video featuring a reporter summarizing the news about Seraphina.
“Sources confirm that the well-known floral designer, Seraphina Rivers, has been diagnosed with stomach cancer. She’s been given six months to live. But instead of retreating, she’s choosing to document her remaining time–she wants to share her life with the world as it winds down.”
The video cut to Seraphina. She looked at the camera with a sad smile.
“In these last six months, I’ll be posting updates about my life. I’m not doing it for attention. I just want to offer some comfort to others going through the same thing. I hope you all stay strong.”
Then the reporter came back on screen.
“There have long been whispers about Miss Rivers and Mr. Julian Croft, CEO of Croft Group. But Mr. Croft is married. It remains to be seen if he’ll reconnect with Miss Rivers during her final months.”
In the background, Seraphina seemed to have heard that part. She stepped forward, stopped beside the reporter, and gently cut in.
She faced the camera.
“I’m not ashamed to say I like Julian. He’s an incredible man,” she said. “I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way. But I want to make it clear–I’m not going to break up someone’s marriage. That’s not who I am.”
Having said that, she walked off, leaving the reporter behind.
She wove through the small crowd with a smile, and climbed into a waiting car.
The foreign caregiver from Flaville passed her a glass of water, hand paused in midair, unsure.
“You look like you want to say something,” Seraphina said, her voice cold. “Go ahead. The driver’s one of ours.”
The caregiver leaned in and lowered their voice. “Miss Rivers, your diagnosis… it’s a stomach ulcer. Having our facility change that into cancer is already risky. But now you’re sharing it with the public online?”
Seraphina gave a sharp laugh, startling the caregiver.
“Your facility–is it a licensed medical facility?” she asked.
The caregiver nodded.
“And does it manage my medical record privately?”
The caregiver gave another nod.
“Is that what my medical record says–that I have six months left because of terminal stomach cancer?”
The caregiver hesitated before nodding again.
“Exactly!” Seraphina leaned back with a smile. “It’s official, then. No one can question it.”
“But you don’t actually have stomach cancer. What happens later…”
“There are two ways out,” Seraphina said, cutting in. Her voice was sharper now, her eyes harder. “One: I make a miraculous recovery during treatment at your facility or somewhere else, maybe because of all the love I’ve received. Two: your facility gets blamed for a diagnostic error and months of wrong treatment.”
She turned her face fully to the caregiver, looking more intimidating. “Which option do you prefer?”
The caregiver looked panicked but forced out the words. “I’m sorry, Miss Rivers. I understand. You’ve already thought everything through.”
Seraphina gave a short, cold smile.
“Where should we go next, Miss Rivers?” the caregiver asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Seraphina glanced at her phone. “Crobert Hospital.”
The caregiver stiffened. “But–”
“Relax. I’m only going in for pain relief with my medical record,” Seraphina said, and then reached for her phone and sent Julian a message, telling him to meet her at the hospital later.
Almost instantly, he replied, “Sure.”
Meanwhile, Elara stood in the hospital restroom, a steady ache pulling at her lower stomach. In her hand was a tissue, the smear of bl**d clear against the white.
It was an early sign of a mi**arriage.
Chapter 4 She Would Have No Ties With Julian
As Seraphina made her way to Crobert Hospital, the Internet was filled with comments about her diagnosis. Her name appeared across countless threads.
“To be honest, I think Seraphina’s brave. She’s clear about her feelings as well as boundaries. Quite impressive, actually.”
“Exactly. A lot of people like Julian. As long as she’s not wrecking his marriage, her feelings are her own business.”
“Her older videos and that livestream from Crest Villa gave me a glimpse into rich people’s lives. It’s sad she won’t be around much longer.”
“Who’s Julian’s wife, though? She should just let him be with Seraphina. The girl has only six months left.”
“I know her. It’s Elara Vance, a musician. She stopped working after she got married and became a full-time housewife.”
…
At Crobert Hospital, Elara’s phone kept buzzing. Calls and messages came one after another.
Some people acted concerned. Others wanted information. A few tried to mock her. All of it was about Seraphina and Julian.
Elara had read just enough of the headlines to understand what was going on with Seraphina’s illness.
She didn’t click on anything else.
It didn’t matter anymore.
Once the divorce was finalized, Julian would no longer be a part of her life.
She checked the time. When she looked up, she saw Maya walking toward her.
“How are you feeling?” Maya asked, concerned. “Any pain?” She saw the strain on Elara’s face and, without needing to be asked, reached out to help her rise.
Elara gave a small smile and shook her head.
She had made up her mind. Some things simply had to be faced.
Maya understood, but she just sighed and helped Elara up. They took the elevator.
The elevator doors soon opened at the ground floor.
The hospital was packed. Even more than usual. Elara noticed a few reporters scattered in the crowd.
“So many people today. Probably another celebrity here for a check-up,” Maya said.
“They always bring this kind of attention…” She stopped at once, her face changing. She had seen something and quickly tried to lead Elara in the other direction.
But there was no point. Elara had already spotted them.
Julian stood tall, striking in a way that drew attention without effort.
The noise and movement around him didn’t touch him–his hair perfectly in place, his suit smooth and sharp, like the chaos didn’t dare come close.
Seraphina stood beside him. She looked small and weak, her face pale, which made her seem even more fragile.
She lost her balance slightly. Julian stepped in to catch her, shielding her from the cameras and the crowd.
“Don’t look,” Maya said quickly, stepping in front of Elara, her tone sharp with anger.
“Maya, let’s go,” Elara said, her voice calm. She had made up her mind; Julian didn’t need to know she was there, and she had no interest in crossing paths with him now.
“Why should we go?” Maya snapped, growing more furious. “You’re not divorced yet. He’s still your husband. And he’s here holding another woman like it’s nothing. It’s shameless.”
Husband…
Elara looked away, sighing.
There was a time she had secretly smiled just thinking about Julian being her husband.
But not anymore.
“I don’t feel well, Maya. Let’s just go,” Elara said, changing the topic.
Maya gave her full attention now and stopped looking in Julian and Seraphina’s direction.
They left. Across the lobby, Seraphina glanced over. A flicker of pride passed through her face.
“I’m sorry, Julian. I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess,” she said, a tinge of remorse in her voice. “I know you hate being in the spotlight…”
“It’s fine,” Julian replied. “Let’s go see the doctor first.” His face stayed calm, but something stirred in his thoughts–something brief, hard to name.
They stepped into the consultation room.
Seraphina handed over her medical record to the doctor.
The doctor read through it, slowly, and frowned.
“This looks serious,” he said.
Seraphina gave a faint smile. “I know,” she said quietly. Then she took a slow breath. “Please prescribe something strong for the pain.”
“In your current condition, I suggest you stay in the hospital and begin treatment,” the doctor said. “You should try. There’s still a chance we can extend your life.”
“What’s the point?” Seraphina gave a sad smile.
She brushed away the tears building in her eyes, and then said quietly, “I don’t want treatment.”
Julian’s fingers curled tighter around hers.
She gave a small shake of her head.
“Doctor, I just want to spend the last phase of my life with some dignity,” she said. “So, please prescribe some strong painkillers.”
The doctor sighed deeply but finally nodded in understanding.
Outside, reporters were taking photos and recording videos without pause before posting them online.
People watching were emotional.
“Good heavens, this is a real person whose life is ending.”
“I cry when I’m in mild pain. I can’t imagine what late-stage cancer feels like. But she still manages to smile. She’s really strong.”
“I couldn’t hold back tears when she said she wouldn’t go through treatment. Only people who’ve faced serious illness understand this feeling.”
Public sympathy for Seraphina reached its highest point.
…
Seraphina soon got her medicine, and as she and Julian walked out of the hospital, Elara was sitting on a bench nearby. She was waiting for Maya, who had gone to get the car.
Before Elara could respond to what was happening, paparazzi noticed her and rushed over.
The camera flashes came all at once.
Julian saw her too. He frowned and asked, “What are you doing here?”
Elara stood up, glanced at Julian, and then at Seraphina’s hand resting on his arm.
She didn’t speak yet. The crowd didn’t give her the chance.
“Mrs. Croft, did you come because of what’s online? Are you trying to catch them together?”
“What do you think of your husband being out in public with someone else?”
“Mrs. Croft, what are you planning to do about Seraphina?”
People quickly decided that Elara had shown up on purpose–to face Seraphina directly, to start something.
Even Julian thought the same.
He looked annoyed.
“Seraphina is sick. Didn’t you know?” he barked.
Julian’s voice was brimming with menace.
Elara felt like laughing.
So that was what he believed–that she was picking a fight on purpose with someone who was ill.
Julian really didn’t know her.
Seeing Elara didn’t answer, the reporters turned to Seraphina, asking questions about breaking up someone’s marriage.
Julian looked at Elara again. “Elara!” he called. He wanted her to defend Seraphina.
Like always, he expected her to do what he wanted.
But the will to please him was gone.
She was walking away from him–there was no reason left to obey.
Elara placed her right hand over her stomach. The dull ache was still there.
“I came to visit a friend,” she said finally.
She didn’t want to say more. Her pr**nancy wasn’t something she wanted to share–not before the divorce was finalized, not with all eyes on her.
Her reply to his question earlier was simple.
Having answered Julian, Elara turned to leave.
But the reporters didn’t back off. They crowded in around her.
“Mrs. Croft, people online are asking you to step aside and let Mr. Croft be with Seraphina. What do you say to that?”
“Seraphina doesn’t have long. Are you still going to fight her?”
“Mrs. Croft–”
Elara didn’t bother responding; she just wanted to get away.
The crowd, thrilled to see the three of them in the same place at last, had no intention of letting it end.
Julian stood still, saying nothing, and that silence gave someone the boldness to shove Elara with force.
She staggered, her arms moving at once to shield her stomach.
About the Author
