CASSIE 31: Done Trying
Isabella stayed with me for several days, barely leaving my side I put on a smile and acted like I was getting better, even though I still felt completely empty inside. Asher kept coming by, asking to talk, but I ignored him every single time.
Until one day, when Isabella had personal matters to attend to, and I could no longer ignore Asher’s constant preserice.
“Asher, there’s no point in you coming here anymore,” I said coldly
He clenched his fists. “I need to take care of you. And the baby”
So that was it he cared because of the baby I figured it was time to cut off whatever hope he was holding on to
“You should invest your time elsewhere, perhaps with other women? Isn’t that more your style? Besides, I added with cruel precision, “you’re not even the father.”
His whole body stiffened, his muscles twitching under his shirt. Although he’s trying to stay composed or deny what he just heard, his expression gives him away. He wanted to brush off what I said like it was nothing, but the uncertainty was already there, messing with him.
“Even if the baby’s not mine,” he said hoarsely, “I still care about you, Cassie…”
1 pressed harder, determined to drive him away. “So, you’re always dying to claim a kid that’s not even yours? Is that your new thing or what?”
Asher turned away, trying to hide how much my words cut into him. But the pain twisted inside him like a knife, and when he couldn’t hold it in anymore, he slammed his fist into the wall.
“Fuck it!” he shouted.
A nurse rushed in, startled. “Is everything alright in here?”
“We’re fine,” I said calmly, my eyes never leaving him.
The nurse hesitated, clearly unconvinced, before reluctantly withdrawing.
I stared at Asher. I told him the truth about the baby, hoping it would make him stop coming, stop pretending like there was still something between us. But maybe fate had other plans.
When he turned back to me, I saw tears streaking down his face. It shocked me because I’d always thought Asher was utterly incapable of feeling anything real for me, like he had no empathy at all.
But there he was, struggling to pull himself together, looking like a kid who couldn’t handle all the emotions crashing over
him.
He sat beside my bed. Our eyes locked, raw and unguarded.
“Does Ronan even know you’re pregnant?” His voice cracked. “He left you. Abandoned you. He doesn’t love you, Cassie.” I shouldn’t be defending Ronan, but it just slipped out from the depths of my heart. “Ronan loves me enough to give me space when I need it. He understands what’s best for my emotional well–being–and that’s what real love is, Asher.” My voice softened, even though I was trying to stay distant. “True love is about putting someone else’s needs above your own wants.”
The thought of Ronan made all these emotions hit me at once, and the tears came without warning, no matter how hard i tried to stop them.
Where was he now? Was he feeling the same pain, or had he already moved on?
Asher’s expression hardened, his eyes full of pain as he watched me break down.
“I–I’ll still marry you. I’ll accept your child because the baby is a part of you, and because I love you, Cassie…*
His composed façade finally shattered completely, giving way to raw, unfiltered sobs.
“I don’t understand… is this some kind of punishment for me? Because it hurts so much. It’s killing me to know you love someone else. It hurts to see you go through this. I wish I could switch places with you; I wish I were the one who got sick instead of you.”
His lips trembled as tears rolled down his face. The pain coming from him was so intense that it felt like I could almost feel it too, like it was pressing down on my own chest.
“I keep asking myself… how did we end up here? We love each other don’t we? So, how is it possible that you’ve come to
love another man?”
Successfully unlocked!
“Asher, I’ve asked myself the same thing for years, i repneu, my voice steady but pained. “I constantly searched for validation that your love was genuine, but the fact that I always have those doubts was the answer in itself… You never
really respected my feelings, or anyone else’s, not mine, not Elena’s…”
He averted his eyes, unable to face the truth reflected in mine.
CASSIE 31 Done Trying
“The love you said you had for me was empty,” I paused, then said firmly, “worthless
His composure completely shattered, he gasped for air. “Cassie, please… forgive me. I’ll accept the baby, everything. It’s all my fault–1 ignored your feelings for so long. Just… give me one more chance,” he said, his voice cracking “I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”
I shook my head, my voice cold. “No, Asher. I’m exhausted–emotionally, completely drained. Please leave.”
I turned my back, settling deeper into the hospital bed, retreating into myself.
All I could hear was Asher’s sobs, his broken heart echoing in the silence. But my on heart was heavy, weighed down by the hurt he had caused. This wasn’t me.
Asher had created a monster inside me… and I hated it.
***
My heart skipped a beat when I saw Mom standing in the doorway of my hospital room, her face showing a mix of shock, worry, and what looked like disappointment.
“Cassie…” she said, her voice trembling.
I forced a smile, trying to reassure her.
“Honey… What happened to you?” she asked, brushing her fingers through my hair. Her eyes lingered on my hollowed cheeks and sharp collarbone.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Drops spilled down her cheeks as she sat on the edge of my bed.
“Because I didn’t want you to worry…” I whispered.
“Your dad asked me to come here. He thought you were just creating excuses to avoid your marriage to the Reids. Asher informed us about your… condition.”
I pulled the quilt away from my body, revealing the gentle swell of my abdomen that housed the child I had carried for months.
“Oh…” Mom gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Her composure crumbled, and she burst into tears. I reached out, pulling her into a comforting hug.
“What’s going to happen to you, Cassie? Why would you get pregnant outside of marriage? You know this brings shame to our family.”
I could feel my jaw tighten, that familiar wave of disappointment washing over me. Even now, dealing with my illness, my mom’s main focus was still on appearances and family reputation.
“Mom, please stop crying. I’m still alive,” I said, unable to keep a hint of bitterness from my voice.
But she couldn’t stop. “I’ll take you back home. You’ll be better taken care of there. I’ll find a specialist who can help you.”
“I’m receiving excellent care in this hospital,” I countered, my hand instinctively moving to protect my belly.
“No, sweetheart,” she insisted. “If they were providing proper treatment, they would have already removed that.. thing inside you, and you would be recovering properly. I know a doctor who can save you.”
Her words hurt me deeply. The way she casually dismissed the life growing inside me, a life I’d come to cherish despite everything, just showed how far apart we really were.
To her, the baby was just a hassle, something that needed to be gotten rid of.
For me, the baby was everything–a miracle. Only Isabella seemed to understand that.
After Mom left, I asked the nurse to follow Mom and find out what she planned to do next. When the nurse returned, my worst fears were confirmed.
“Miss Monroe, I saw her talking to the head nurse in a secluded corner. They were discussing your condition. I hate to say it, but… she wants the baby gone. Immediately.”
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