Page 155 of Scandalous Contract

This hospital was where Lanissa received her prenatal care. It was where she planned to deliver. I’d taken her to appointments. The nurses knew about the adoption. I was listed as Lanissa's emergency contact.

And they expected me to take the baby home since that had been the arrangement all along. I wanted no part of it. Everyone was treating me like I was the mother of the child she was delivering, talking with me about the baby’s condition and asking if I wanted to hold the baby. They asked me about payment arrangements for the baby’s delivery.

All of which I no longer wanted a part of. Then Archie's family arrived, blaming me for his death because I’d been a useless wife who’d forced him to run off during a storm with another woman. While I’d been hurting, they’d insisted the child was my responsibility.

When I refused to go through with the adoption, they threatened me, claiming they’d make sure the world knew that I was stepping away from the child I’d adopted. Even the adoption agency refused to help me, saying that I’d have to take it to court.

Lanissa survived the surgery, and when I went to the room to talk to her, she revealed the truth, not even feeling ashamed or regretful. She told me Archie had loved her, not me. She accused me of causing the accident, vowed to tell the police that she’d seen my car behind them.

She said she wanted me to pay for what I’d done and that she would find a new home for the child, because she couldn’t raise it without Archie. But she was going to make sure I didn’t get the baby or anything from Archie.

Overwhelmed, I found myself in her hospital room, contemplating silencing her forever. I’d already killed Archie. I knew I was capable of murder. And she deserved it for what she’d done. There was no way I was going to let her ruin my life after everything she and Archie had put me through.

I decided that I had to silence her forever. Before I could, her machines started beeping, and I was forced out of the room as she slipped into unconsciousness. Apparently, she was bleeding out.

It was hours before I was allowed to go back into her room. They’d stopped the bleeding, but Lanissa was still unconscious. But I knew she’d wake up. And when she did, she’d reveal what I’d done.

I stood at the foot of Lanissa's hospital bed, the rhythmic beeping of the monitors the only sound in the room. Her face was pale, her lips slightly parted as her chest rose and fell with each shallow breath.

Everything began to weigh me down. Not only did I have to deal with her and the baby, I had to deal with the funeral home since Archie’s family expected me to handle his funeral arrangements. Everything was on my young shoulders, and there was no one to help me.

I clenched my fists as my hatred for her grew with each moment that passed. Their betrayal, lies, and manipulation had led to this moment. This was on them, not me. They should’ve known that even a cornered rabbit would bite if it had nowhere to run.

And she had me trapped in a corner with no way out. I had to fight to get my life back. I took a step closer, my hand trembling as I reached out, towering over her. The thought of silencing her, of ending this nightmare, flickered in my mind. But before I could act, the door to the room opened.

"Don't do it," a nurse said from the doorway.

Lowering my hand, I faced her. She was tall, slim, and older than I was. All I could think was that she was going to report me. I was going to prison.

"If you smother her, the doctors and other nurses will know. The cause of death will be evident, and you'll spend the rest of your life in prison," she warned.

I swallowed hard, the reality of her words sinking in. But the rage inside me was still burning. Would they find out that I’d killed Archie also when they did the autopsy? If so, then I was already going to prison. I may as well go for killing them both.

"I don't care," I whispered. "They'll find out I smothered my husband while he was dying in that car wreck. I could've let him bleed out, but I wanted to watch him die. I wanted to kill him myself," I admitted, no longer caring about the consequences.

The nurse stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. She approached me slowly, her gaze unwavering.

“First of all, never admit that again, young lady,” she told me.

“But...”

"I heard what happened," she said. "Everyone in the hospital is talking about it. Members of the baby's family have been very vocal about their thoughts on you, your deceased spouse, and this young woman here. They are spreading your business to whoever is willing to listen."

I looked away, shame creeping in.

"They lied to you to get you to agree to the adoption, didn't they?" she asked gently.

I nodded. "I can't have kids, and he wanted them. He told me his friend knew someone who was putting her baby up for adoption. She was a Black woman, like me, and her ex-boyfriend was white. He said it was a Godsend, and I believed him."

"Do you want the baby?"

I hesitated, staring at Lanissa. "Because of what's happened, I don'twantto raise this child. But in my heart, I already love her like she’s mine. I've been waiting for this baby. I already have a name picked out, and her room is ready. In my heart, she’s already mine. But this is wrong. What they did to me was wrong! I’m the victim, so why am I the only one hurting? Why am I planning a funeral for the man who hurt me? Why am I expected to be here for the woman who lied to me? Why am I the only one suffering?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, and the nurse released a heavy sigh.

“Fuck them,” she told me. “If you love this child in your heart, and if you know you can raise her with love and care, then raise her as your own," she said. "Trust me, I know what it's like to have to raise a child that's not yours. The child will be a constant reminder of what the person you loved did to you. But the child didn't do it. And once you get past that, you’ll realize that you could be the blessing that child needs to grow up and live a happy life."

I wiped my eyes, her words settling over me. "But I already have to deal with his family. I don't want this woman in and out of me and that child's life forever. I’ve suffered enough. I don’t want to suffer more because of these people."