"Seraphina, look at yourself. Petty. Vicious. Is this how a Stephens wife behaves? When the Stephens family was at its lowest, Alma took that car accident for me. She has permanent damage in that foot because of me! I owe her my life. What's wrong with letting her lie in your room for half an hour?"
"Behave?" I let out a short laugh. My stomach churned. "William, I'm pregnant. I waited four hours in line. My legs are so swollen I can't even fit into my shoes. You gave my spot to your dear neighbor, and you want to lecture me about how I behave?"
"The hallway out there is plenty wide. You can sit anywhere." William waved his hand dismissively. "A prenatal checkup is just routine. Stop using the baby as leverage against me. I booked you a specialist appointment. I bought you milk. What more do you want?"
I looked at William standing there, so sure he was right about everything, and the last trace of warmth inside me went cold.
This was the man I'd hidden my identity for. The man I'd married and quietly propped up for five years.
He could be tender sometimes. He'd stay up all night holding my hair back when the morning sickness was at its worst.
But the second Alma called, he wouldn't think twice about leaving me alone on a rainy night.
He always said he loved me. But he could never let go of what he called his "debt."
"Fine. Since you think the hallway is so spacious, then you two can wait out there."
I pressed the call button on the wall. My voice gave nothing away.
The head nurse pushed open the door, looked at me, then at William, her expression caught somewhere between a rock and a hard place.
"Mrs. Stephens, this... Mr. Stephens is a VIP guest of our hospital, and Miss Harding is an injured patient..."
I knew what I looked like to them. A bitter housewife lounging around at home, surviving on the allowance William Stephens deigned to give her.
I didn't argue. Didn't make a scene. I just looked at him, steady and silent.
"No need to call security." I turned, nudging the spilled cup of milk aside with my foot. "William, the room is yours. But remember this: what you took from me today, you'll beg me to give back someday. And when that day comes, I won't want it anymore."