Chapter 605 As It Should Be
"But it's his kid!" Zachary's voice shook with anger. "How could he..."
"Michael was drunk; he didn't even know I was pregnant," Celeste said with a bitter smile. "And he's always been all about Emma. Even if he knew, he'd just see it as a hassle."
Zachary looked at her, his heart aching. "So what are you gonna do?"
"Act like it never happened." Celeste closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. "This baby shouldn't have come in the first place."
Michael sat in his office, the contract in front of him untouched for half an hour. His pen hovered over the signature line, ink dripping and spreading into a black stain.
"Mr. Russell?" His assistant knocked cautiously. "We need your approval on this merger..."
"Leave it." He didn't look up, his voice cold as ice.
The assistant quickly placed the documents down and retreated. Everyone at Auris Group knew something was off with Michael lately.
Michael stared at the words on the contract, the business terms twisting and morphing until they became Celeste's pale face. Her huddled figure in the office corner, her trembling as she clutched her stomach, her final look of despair.
He threw the pen violently against the wall, ink splattering everywhere. He yanked off his tie and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The city lights at 4 AM reflected in the glass, showing his bloodshot eyes.
Why did she leave with Zachary?
Did she really hate being with him that much?
Was her professed love so cheap?
These questions gnawed at Michael's sanity like venomous snakes. He pulled out his phone, found Celeste's number, but his finger hovered over the call button before he angrily locked the screen.
"Find out where Celeste is right now," he rasped into the intercom. "I want an answer in ten minutes."
The hospital corridor was lit with harsh white lights as dawn broke.
Michael strode down the hallway, his footsteps echoing like a death knell. The nurse on duty tried to stop him but retreated at his glare.
"Which room is Celeste in?"
"Ms. Phillips has already been discharged."
"I asked which room!"
The nurse flinched. "3-308."
He turned and walked away, hearing the nurse mutter, "Why are family members like this? The patient just had a miscarriage and..."
Miscarriage?
Michael froze, his blood turning to ice. He slowly turned back, his voice dangerously soft. "What did you say?"
The nurse paled. "Ms. Phillips had a D&C procedure last night."
The world went silent.
Michael stood there, ears ringing. He remembered her fearful eyes, Zachary's urgency to take her away.
She had been rushing to get an abortion.
"Mr. Russell?" His assistant caught up, panting. "We found her. Ms. Phillips is still in the hospital, just moved to the VIP..."
Michael was already running.
He burst into room 308, finding Celeste struggling to sit up. She looked up at the noise, their eyes meeting, and Michael saw the color drain from her face.
"You..." She instinctively backed away, the IV line tugging.
Michael stood at the door, his chest heaving. He saw the bruises on her wrist, her pale lips, her flat stomach under the hospital gown.
Blood-stained gauze lay on the floor.
"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice shook uncontrollably.
Celeste turned her face away, tears falling onto the white sheets. "Tell you what? That I was pregnant with your child, or that..."
She choked, unable to continue.
Michael felt like he'd been struck by lightning. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you?" Zachary, who had been by her side, suddenly laughed, a sound more painful than crying. "Michael, all these years, have you seen anyone but Emma?"
Michael's fists clenched, his heart feeling like it was being torn apart.
Emma, always Emma.
George had tormented her, yet she willingly bore his child. But Celeste, whom he had cared for all these years, had secretly aborted their child?
Was he, Michael, really inferior to George in every way?
"Michael, calm down." Zachary stood protectively in front of the bed, his gaze cold. "She needs to rest."
"Get out." Michael's voice was a low growl, filled with suppressed rage. "This is between me and her."
"You're in no state to discuss anything." Zachary didn't budge. "Leave."
"I said get out!" Michael grabbed Zachary by the collar, his eyes bloodshot. "Who do you think you are? This is none of your business!"
"Michael!" Celeste's voice came from the bed, weak but firm. "Let him go."
Michael's fingers twitched, slowly releasing Zachary. He turned to look at her.
Celeste's face was almost translucent, her lips devoid of color, but her eyes were still clear as they looked at him. She tried to sit up, but the pain made her wince, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly.
Michael instinctively moved to help her but stopped himself.
"Zachary, please leave." Celeste said softly. "I need to talk to him alone."
Zachary frowned. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." She nodded, her gaze steady. "It's okay."
Zachary hesitated for a moment, then shot Michael a look of disdain before leaving the room.
The door closed, and the room fell into an eerie silence.
Michael stood there, his chest heaving, his eyes fixed on Celeste.
"Why?" He asked, his voice hoarse. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Celeste's fingers curled slightly. "Tell you, and then what?"
"And then?" Michael let out a bitter laugh. "Then I would have made you keep the child!"
"Keep it?" Celeste looked at him, her eyes filled with bitterness. "And then what? Would you love me because of the child? Or would you stay with me just because of it?"
Michael's breath caught.
"Michael, I'm not Emma." Celeste's voice was soft but cut deep. "I won't use a child to bind you, nor will I make things difficult for you."
"Difficult?" Michael laughed, a sound filled with self-mockery. "Celeste, you're so selfish."
Celeste stiffened.
"Selfish?" She repeated, her eyes instantly red. "You think I'm selfish for not wanting to bring a child into this mess? For not wanting to trap you with a baby you never wanted?"
Michael's face twisted with pain. "I never said I didn't want it."
"But you never said you did," Celeste shot back, her voice breaking. "You never gave me a reason to believe you wanted anything with me, let alone a child."
Michael took a step closer, his voice desperate. "I didn't know, Celeste. I didn't know you felt this way."
"How could you?" Celeste whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You were too busy with Emma to notice anything else."
Michael's heart shattered at her words. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely audible. "I'm so sorry."
Celeste looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain and resignation. "It's too late for apologies, Michael. What's done is done."
Michael fell to his knees beside her bed, his head bowed. "Please, Celeste. Give me a chance to make it right."
Celeste's hand reached out, trembling, to touch his hair. "I don't know if we can ever make this right," she said softly. "But maybe we can try to find a way forward."
Michael looked up, hope flickering in his eyes. "I'll do anything, Celeste. Anything."
Celeste nodded, her own hope mingling with the pain. "Then let's start by being honest with each other. No more secrets."
Michael took her hand, holding it tightly. "No more secrets," he promised. "We'll face this together."
As they sat there, holding onto each other, the first rays of dawn began to filter through the window, casting a new light on their broken but hopeful hearts.
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