Her tone turned sharp. “His death was inauspicious. What if it brings misfortune to Thalia’s baby? As my daughter-in-law, you should understand these things, shouldn’t you?”
Suddenly, my body froze.
I turned my head to look at Thalia, who was standing quietly at the edge of the crowd, her gaze lowered in submission.
She gently rested a hand on her belly. A fragile yet triumphant smile appeared on her lips.
“Saylor,” she said softly, “I’m already three months pregnant. Don’t be too sad. Cortland says from now on, we’ll be a real family.”
Three months…
Oh, that’s why. That’s why Cortland hit me as soon as I got pregnant.
He’d been waiting for her pregnancy to stabilize. Once it had, my child became disposable.
Cortland’s expression remained unreadable. He said flatly, “It’s done. The child’s been dealt with. You lost the baby and your health has suffered. The doctor said you won’t be able to carry a second one.”
He glanced at Thalia. “Her child will be the Dorances’s only heir.”
“Saylor,” he added, lips curling into a sneer, “you’d better get a grip on reality. Don’t make a fuss. If you still want to be ‘Mrs. Dorance,’ you’ll behave and take care of Thalia. Stop acting jealous for no reason.”