Chapter 21

Tara POV
I slowly open my eyes and flash back. The intense pain hits me, and I jerk up with so much pain in my lower core. 
I'm already in the house. I threw the bed cover aside to get a better view of my stomach, but it was smaller than I remembered. 
"My baby!" I looked around the room, but to no avail.
"Where's my baby?" I shouted as I ignored the pain in my stomach and threw away the drip that was connected to my wrist. With all the strength in my body, I went downstairs, and I saw Chad in the living room watching a movie.
Chad saw me. He stood up from his comfort zone and came up beside me.
"Tara, go back to bed; you're steal healing; if you stress yourself and die, come on," he leads me back to the room, and I was too scared to ask.
I sat down on the bed, and my eyes made a well of tears. I was literally shaking and restless, wondering why I didn't see my baby.
"Chad!" I started crying uncontrollably. "Please, where's my baby? Did you leave her in the hospital?" I asked, hoping he would say yes.
"Tara, your baby was born premature and died immediately because he was born at four months old," Chad said rather calmly.
I chuckled because he sounded stupid.
"Stop joking, Chad; I could have sworn I heard my baby cries," I said in a serious tone.
"Tara, that must have been your imagination; your baby's dead," Chad said again.
"Shut up, Chad. I'll take any insult you pass on to me, but I won't let you curse my child. I literally heard my baby cry before I blacked out from the sedative, so don't talk nonsense about my baby," I snapped and stood up furiously.
"I've told you all that it needs to be said, Tara. Accept that the baby is gone; it's just a baby. What's the big deal?" He said it with a shrug, and her heart shuddered.
She remembered how badly Chad treated her during her pregnancy stages, how the doctor constantly warned her to protect the child, and how Sophie kept on talking in riddles. 
Chad was about to leave.
"You caused this!" I pointed at Chad, and he shook a bit and was surprised.
"You killed my baby; you're a murderer!!!" I shouted on top of my lungs. "What did I ever do to you that you had to kill my innocent child in the process?" 
I cried like a little baby as I clenched my empty stomach.
"If you hadn't maltreated me during my pregnancy stages, maybe the child would have survived," he said, looking at me like I'd gone mad.
"You're blaming me for your mistakes, Tara," he said. "My hands are clean, Tara; I didn't do anything; you killed your baby, not me." 
"You monster, you keep on calling it my baby like it's not your flesh and blood!" I was too weak to fight, but what else do I have to lose?
"Like I said, Tara, I didn't do anything; that baby wasn't my responsibility, so I couldn't care less if that baby wasn't delivered or not," he says, leaving the room.
I fell on my knees and hugged my legs as I cried rivers. "I'm sorry," I said, sucking in air. "I'm so sorry, my child," I cried, and I ignored the stomach pains. "Mommy's so...so sorry," I kept on apologising to my innocent baby.
All I wanted to do was love my husband and love my baby, but it seems sharing that love killed one at the end. My innocent baby.
I swear, I will never forgive that man for harming my baby.
After a while, I got myself together when I ran out of tears.
I shouldn't be sad now; I should be strong for my child at least.
I went to the wine room and saw Chad. "Maybe just maybe you treated me and my child a little better; it wouldn't have died at a premature age." 
"Tara, not now; I'm busy," he said, rolling his eyes, and I figured I couldn't leave with this man anymore; he's going to end up killing me just like he killed my baby.
"I want a divorce." 
Immediately, I said that Chad snapped his gaze at me, and I gave him a hateful glare.
"What?-" 
"You heard me right, Mr. Stone," I said to him, and he dropped his cup on the island and walked up to me, but I took a step back.
"I don't ever want you near me, Mr. Stone." I don't even feel a bit of pity for him. 
"You're joking, right?" Chad said it with a smile, and I felt like slapping him a million times. 
"This relationship is of no use; we don't share any sort of mutual feelings, and I lost interest in you just as you have," I said firmly.
"I would prefer if the divorce papers came rather early, Mr. Stone; I don't want to waste anymore of your time." I could hear the pain even in my own voice.
"Comon, Tara, it's just a baby," he said, and I clenched my hands into fists.
"Com on, Chad, it's just a marriage." I retorted and left my room, shutting the door with a loud thud, and I went to the closest store, where I bought different types of baby clothes. 
I saw the baby cradle, and I remembered the rocking chair I ordered recently. 
Chad used to tell me that I was wasting money and space, but I still bought more baby items; I didn't care if it was early. 
But now I'm so sad and disheartened to say he was right.
My face burns, and hot tears burn my eyes as I start crying all over again.