Spring, 1999
Morris’s head snapped instantly and his blood went cold. “Pregnant? What did you just say?” He chuckled loudly, he was sure he heard the wrong thing.
Judith glared at him “I said I am pregnant Morris. I can’t hide it any longer, our baby is growing inside of me. If you don’t believe me, we can go for a checkup at the hospital.”
Morris froze, staring into the empty space. Patricia would be mortified, he had almost run her company down and was still trying to sort things out and now what? Judith was carrying his baby. What excuse would he give Patricia? He didn’t want to lose control over her company just yet. He still wanted to grow Imperial Hub Limited to the highest level so he could show Patricia’s parents and everyone around him who had treated him like ‘dirt’ that he was capable of great things too.
But at the same time, he couldn’t tell Judith to abort the baby. He had always wanted to have a child with the woman he loved, Judith. Not Patricia. Morris sighed…. What was he going to do? He was torn. He actually wanted Judith close to him, living in the villa with him everyday. Staying with Patricia every single day had been hell for him, especially when he remembered the way her parents treated him in the past.
He had not forgotten all of that and he had vowed to never forgive them. Not her parents. Not Patricia. He really didn’t care if he was hurting Patricia by cheating on her, this would be his first payback to her for all the nasty things he had to take from her family. The first payback of many…
“Why are you so quiet?” Judith yelled, her voice shaking from fear. Would he get rid of her now? He dare not! “Say something, how long do you plan to keep this away from Patricia?”
Morris sighed again “I don’t know yet?” His gaze rested on her small belly “How far gone are you?”
“Eight weeks” Judith muttered, rubbing her belly gently “You have to find a way to convince her. Look at the house I live in, why should I stay here when I can have a better place?”
Morris peered at her, frowning. “This is a comfortable house for one person. Beyond this, I send lots of money to you every month Judith. Is that not enough?”
“No, it’s not. I deserve more. I have stayed here for over five years, waiting for you to fulfill the promise you made to me?” Judith voiced out in anger. “You said you will marry me after taking me away from here. You said I will live in the villa with you as your wife after you have gotten rid of Patricia and George. What happened to your promise, Morris? Are you already sick of me?
Morris stood and walked up to her. He hugged her and rubbed her back gently, wondering what to say. “It’s alright, okay? I’ll find a way to convince her. Give me a few weeks and I’ll see how things go from there. We are going to be together and raise our child together no matter what”
~~~~~*~~~~~
“What on earth did you just say, Morris?!!” Patricia snapped at him, shocked to her bones. She quickly held on to a table as she felt her legs grow weak. “You had an affair with another woman?”
Morris nodded slowly “Yes. It was a mistake Patricia. I’m so sor-”
“How could you do this to me? How could you cheat on me?” Patricia screamed, her nerves were a mess and she felt a bit faint.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t know what came over me”
“After everything I have done for you? After all I laid down for you?” Patricia screamed more as the tears coursed down her cheeks. What did she do to deserve this? Did she make a mistake by getting married to him? By forcing herself on him? Was it a crime that she loved him?
They stayed in silence for a while, both of them lost in different thoughts. After a while, Patricia whispered “I need a moment to myself”
Morris adjusted on his chair uncomfortably and sighed “But that’s not all…”
“Meaning?” Patricia eyed him, getting disgusted by the minute.
“She’s carrying my baby”
The room became so quiet that if an ant coughed, it would be heard. Patricia stared at him, wide-eyed in shock “What did you just say? Who is carrying your baby?”
Morris shrugged, indifferent about the pain she was feeling. He never wanted Patricia as his wife in the first place, he really didn’t care about how she felt. He had experienced worse in the hands of her parents. “I just got to know she is pregnant with my child”
“Well, what am I supposed to do about that?” Patricia screamed in anger “She better figure out what to do with that child. There is no way I am going to accept that child.”
“But I can’t do that.” Morris whispered calmly “I can’t just live my life everyday knowing that a child of mine is out there, not aware that I am his father an-”
“So what are you trying to say?” Patricia seethed in anger. “You want me to accept that child?”
“No, it’s not just that. A mother needs to be around her child at all times. So if it is possible for her to move in here, into this villa a-”
“WHAT?!!” Patricia screamed forcefully and froze as she felt the blood rush to her brain. Her body stiffened and she fell to the ground.
“Patricia, Patricia” Morris called out, rushing over to her stiff body. He called out for a maid and in no time, Patricia was in the emergency section of Dr Andrew’s hospital. Nurses rushed around quickly to monitor her health and get her back to consciousness.
Patricia regained her consciousness and as time went by, she forced herself to accept the woman Morris had impregnated. She wondered if it was her fault that Morris cheated on her, maybe if she had been a better wife to him, that wouldn’t have happened.
Blinded by her desperate feelings, Patricia accepted the pregnant woman into her villa. The shock on her beautiful face was evident when she saw a familiar face walking through the door. The woman who used to be her own personal maid was pregnant with her husband’s child!!
Despite the huge amount of shock she was dealing with, Patricia kept her feelings hidden, choosing instead to find a way to make her marriage with Morris work properly….
She was naive, she was too desperate to make Morris happy at all costs and in the years to come, she would have to pay for it.