Chapter 15
The prenatal vitamins were the same standard formulation used by seniors and osteoporosis patients, the label clearly marked "Calcium + Vitamin D Supplement."
"Must you announce your medication to the world?" Evelyn snapped.
Her cheeks burned crimson, though her voice remained steady.
She fled the scene immediately after speaking.
After locking the pills in her nightstand drawer, she retreated to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face.
This couldn't continue. Every passing day increased the risk of exposure.
All her medical records lay vulnerable in that room. One curious glance from Dominic would unravel everything.
Logically, she knew Dominic could be intense but wasn't deranged enough to rifle through her personal belongings.
Besides, without his initiative, divorce remained impossible.
The Blackwoods' extravagant dowry had shackled her family in golden chains.
Perched on the bed's edge, Evelyn's whirling thoughts made her forget her gnawing hunger.
A gentle knock interrupted her spiraling anxiety.
"Mr. Blackwood has retired to his quarters, Mrs. Blackwood. You should eat something," Mrs. Wilkins' kind voice called through the door.
Evelyn exhaled in relief. Everyone at Mooncrest Manor treated her with kindness - everyone except its master.
Perhaps they pitied her youth.
The dining table groaned under an elaborate spread when she arrived with the housekeeper.
"This is too much for one person, Mrs. Wilkins. Won't you join me?"
The older woman smiled indulgently. "Eat what you can, dear. Household rules prevent me from dining with you."
"I see..." Evelyn hesitated before asking, "Do you have children?"
With Dominic absent, her shoulders relaxed visibly.
"Two at Ravenswood University - about your age. Why do you ask?"
A faint blush colored Evelyn's cheeks. "Just making conversation... They say pregnancy changes your figure permanently, but you look marvelous."
"I had terrible morning sickness. Never weighed more than 110 pounds during pregnancy, so my shape barely changed."
"Was your bump very noticeable then?"
"Hardly! At eight months, people mistook me for five months along. Loose dresses made me look merely plump."
Inspiration struck Evelyn like lightning.
She abandoned her fork after three bites.
Controlling her portions might conceal her condition longer.
"You've barely touched your food," Mrs. Wilkins fretted.
"Not very hungry," Evelyn lied. "Please don't prepare so much for dinner. I'm watching my weight."
"But you're skin and bones!"
"I detest exercise. Portion control's easier."
Back in her room, Evelyn retrieved the latest ultrasound report.
The doctor had circled her next appointment - tomorrow, when she'd be twelve weeks along.
She collapsed onto the bed, hands cradling her still-flat abdomen. No flutter of life answered her touch.
Morning sickness had been merciful, but her changed appetite left her thinner than before.
Dawn found Evelyn at St. Elizabeth Medical Center for her battery of tests.
By noon, she emerged starving, several results pending until afternoon.
A tap on her shoulder startled her mid-step.
Bianca Chamberlain stood there, pristine in a white sheath dress and Chanel blazer, her sleek ponytail swinging.
"Fancy meeting you here. Unwell?" The PR director's smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Routine checkup." Evelyn tried sidestepping, but Bianca blocked her path.
"Let me make amends for last time. My treat for lunch?"
"Not necessary."
Bianca's expression turned wounded. "Just a friendly chat. No ulterior motives."
The performance made refusal seem churlish.
Hunger weakened Evelyn's resolve. Fasting for bloodwork left her dizzy.
They settled at a nearby bistro.
Evelyn ordered steamed vegetables.
Bianca selected two salads before dismissing the waiter. "Carbs after noon? Never."
Then came the interrogation masked as small talk. "Eleanor adores you, doesn't she? Such a shame Dominic can't divorce you."
"Why didn't you volunteer when Eleanor sought brides?" Evelyn countered.
Bianca's laugh sounded brittle. "I was vacationing in Milan. By my return, you'd already said 'I do.'"
"How... unfortunate for you."
Bianca's manicured fingers tightened around her water glass. "Doubt my devotion? I had a hysterectomy for Dominic. Would you?"
Evelyn's fork clattered against her plate.
"I'm incomplete now, but regret nothing." Bianca lifted her chin proudly, awaiting admiration for her sacrifice.
"Dominic's madness manifests in hurting others. Yours makes you self-destruct. Both are equally tragic," Evelyn said quietly.
Bianca's mask slipped. "You know nothing! I'm the only woman he tolerates—"
"There's someone else," Evelyn blurted, then instantly regretted it.
Bianca froze before erupting in shrill laughter. "Liar! He barely endures you!"
"Not me. Another woman." The words tasted bitter.
"Impossible!" Bianca's voice turned shrill. "I've known him a decade, my brother twenty years! No other woman exists!"
Evelyn's certainty wavered.
If Bianca spoke truth... then what had she seen on Dominic's computer that night?