Chapter 2
Chapter 2
The car quickly pulled up to New York–Presbyterian Hospital, the most prestigious medical center in
Manhattan.
A swarm of reporters and onlookers had gathered outside. The moment I stepped out of the car, the swarm descended.
Kurt and Ian positioned themselves in front of me, but two men couldn’t hold back the mob. Within
seconds, Kurt went down in the crowd.
And then–flashbulbs. Microphones. Questions like bullets.
“Mrs. Cohen, mind telling us were you targeted on your birthday because your outfit was too
revealing?”
“Mrs. Cohen, your husband claims the kidnappers didn’t sexually assault you, but those marks on your body tell a different story. Was he just trying to protect your dignity with a white lie?”
“Mrs. Cohen, do you think what you went through will affect your marriage?”
“Mrs. Cohen, if Mr. Cohen still loves you after this–wouldn’t you owe him for the rest of your life?
You agree, right?”
Their questionscut like a blade to my heart.
I watched Ian desperately trying to shield me from the reporters. But I’d heard him in the car, and hot tears streamed down my face..
The man I trusted with my entire life… was the same one who orchestrated the worst thing that ever happened to me.
How fucking ironic.
I curled up in the crowd like a stray dog nobody wanted, letting those reporters step all over my clothes and body.
“Kurt Delapore, what the hell are you doing?!”
Chamo
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With Ian’s furious shout, Kurt finally managed to get back on his feet.
What a perfectly coordinated act…
I’d accompanied lan to deal with these reporters countless times, so I knew exactly how this worked. The journalists had already gotten the shots they wanted.
It didn’t matter that I hadn’t said a word–their stories would say exactly what Ian wanted them to
say.
The unfaithful socialite wife and the devoted billionaire husband. That narrative sold papers every
time.
The reporters knew better than to truly piss off Ian, so after his angry outburst, they gradually
dispersed.
Ian immediately helped me up from the ground, brushing dirt off me while whispering comfort.
“Babe, don’t take their words seriously, okay? What happened doesn’t change anything. If anything, I love you even more.”
Then he turned and kicked Kurt hard.
“I told you in the car to protect her! One fucking job! One more slip–up and you’re fired–get your ass back to wherever you came from! Useless piece of shit!”
Oscar–worthy performance.
The hospital specialists were already waiting. The moment I arrived, they swept me off for a barrage of tests.
Hours later, they kept Ian alone in the room. While Kurt was away paying the bill, I stood by the door and overheard the doctor’s words.
“Her uterus is irreparably damaged. Your wife was actually pregnant, I’m afraid. Unfortunately, she’ll never be able to have children again…”
“Your wife’s showing severe psychological trauma. She talks to herself and fears contact with strangers. Beyond PTSD. You’ll need to manage public exposure very carefully to avoid retraumatization. But for the Cohen family, that shouldn’t be hard, right?”
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Chapter 2
I couldn’t hear the rest of what the doctor said.
I had been pregnant when this happened…
I touched my flat stomach. So Ian hadn’t just destroyed me–he’d murdered our child too.
I stumbled down the hospital corridor and collapsed against the wall.
Minutes later, I heard Kurt’s familiar voice in the hallway.
“Just like you wanted, Ian. She can’t have kids anymore. But… she already was pregnant. That’s another life on our hands. This is… this is too far.”
Ian didn’t respond.
After a moment of silence, Kurt stuttered, “So… the media. You still want them to run the story?”
“Yes.”
Then they both walked away.
When I’d calmed down, I took out my phone and accepted a job offer from a London art studio that had contacted me six months ago.
Within minutes, I received a confirmation email. And I booked myself a flight for two days later.
A love cage without love is just a prison. There was no reason to stay any longer.
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