Chapter 201
Chaos erupted in the grand hall the moment the words left Angelo’s mouth.
Jairus’s grip tightened around Angelo’s throat. His knuckles turned white as he shoved him back against the marble column. Gasps and horrified whispers spread like wildfire across the crowd. Guests scrambled to back away from the scene unfolding before them.
“You lying bastard!” Jairus roared with his voice thick with fury and betrayal. “Say that again. Say it again!“}
Angelo coughed as he struggled against the hold. “I–I’m… the father… of K–Katie’s baby!“}]
Jairus let out an animalistic growl before throwing a punch. His fist slammed into Angelo’s face with a sickening crack. Angelo stumbled and clutched his jaw. But before he could recover, Jairus was on him again, landing another brutal blow to his stomach, which sent him crashing to the floor.
Katie screamed. “Jairus, stop! You’re making a scene!”
Jairus turned to her with his eyes blazing with raw betrayal. “Making a scene? Are you insane?! You tricked me into marrying you, into believing that the baby was mine! And you want me to calm down?!“}
Katie’s lower lip trembled. Her carefully crafted mask of arrogance instantly crumbled under the weight of the truth. “I–I just… I needed security, Jairus. I needed-”
“You needed my money!” he spat with his voice dripping with disgust. “That’s all this ever was to you, wasn’t it?”
Before Katie could muster a response, Angelo lunged at Jairus with his fists swinging wildly. The crowd shrieked as the two men collided, fists flying, sending chairs crashing and guests scattering in panic. The wedding had officially descended into a battleground.
I sighed and pulled out my phone. “Time to end this mess.“}]
Jared, who had been watching the entire fiasco unfold with mild amusement, raised an eyebrow. “Calling the cavalry?“}]
I smirked. “Oh, absolutely. Let them deal with this circus.”
Minutes later, the wail of sirens filled the air. The police stormed in and pulled the two raging men apart, forcing them into restraints as Katie sobbed hysterically in the background. The guests, now whispering amongst themselves, watched as their perfect high–society wedding ended in a disaster they wouldn’t forget anytime soon.
I turned on my heel. My job here was done. “Come on, Jared. We’ve got better places to be.“}
***
The next morning, I did something even I hadn’t anticipated. I bailed Jairus out.
He sat in the holding cell with his battered face. There was a cut above his eyebrow and a bruise forming along his jaw. He looked up as the officer unlocked the door. His confusion was evident when he saw me standing there.}]
“Vanessa? Why the hell are you here?“}
I shrugged. “Figured I’d do something nice. After all, you’re going to need all the help you can get.“@
Jairus scoffed as he stood, wincing slightly at the movement. “Don’t tell me you’re here out of pity.”
I smirked. “Not quite. Come with me. There’s something you need to do.”
Still confused, he followed me outside to Jared’s car. He hesitated when he saw who was behind the wheel but said nothing as I directed him to get in.}
We drove in silence until we reached the hospital.
Jairus frowned. “What are we doing here?“}
I met his gaze. “You need to get checked.“}]
He let out a humorless laugh. “What? Are you suddenly my doctor now? I got a little roughed up, Vanessa. I’m not dying.“”
“This isn’t about the fight,” I said evenly. “It’s about something more important. Just do it.“@
Jairus studied my face. It was as if he was trying to gauge what I wasn’t saying. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he nodded. “Fine.“}
An hour later, he emerged from the doctor’s office looking pale as he gripped the results of his medical examination. His hands shook slightly as he reread the paper.
He turned to me with almost teary eyes. “T–This says… I c–can’t…“}
I nodded. “You’re infertile, Jairus. You always were. The child Katie claimed was yours never could have been. But you never questioned it, did you? You were so busy blaming me for everything that you never once considered looking at yourself.“}
He swallowed hard as reality crashed down on him. “All these years…”
I inhaled deeply as I straightened my posture. “It doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done.“}}
He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, still unable to fully process the weight of the truth. His voice was almost a whisper when he asked, “Why did you bring me here? Why do this?”
A slow smile spread across my lips. “Because I wanted to be the one to tell you first. Before you heard it from someone else. I wanted you to know that I’m pregnant.“}
His head snapped up. His eyes were wide in shock. “What?”
I tilted my chin up. “Jared and I are getting married. And we’re having a baby.“@
The words hit him like a freight train. His mouth opened, then closed, as if he couldn’t quite form a response. Regret, pain, and the realization of everything he had lost flashed across his face in a matter of seconds.
He had spent years believing I was the problem, believing that I was the one who had failed him. And now, standing before me, he
12:32 PM N
He had spent years believing I was the problem, believing that I was the one who had failed him. And now, standing before me, he
understood the cruel irony of it all.”
Jairus let out a shaky breath. “So I really was the fool, wasn’t I?”
I gave him one last look. “Yes. You were.“>
Then, without another word, I turned and walked away, stepping into the life I had built for myself. The life I deserved.
The End.
