The Proposal

37 - Surrogate

○●○

Nicholas did not as much as spare me a glance when he finished talking. He just walked away from the living and went up the stairs.

My heart broke into a million pieces, and I stood there dumbfounded.

I looked at everyone in the room. All eyes were on me, holding judgement. They were silent, but I was pretty sure they said things in their mind. They judged me internally. It was only Alma who actually looked at me with pity in her eyes and another look that said that she didn't believe what Nicholas had just announced.

But I couldn't stand there and inquire whether anyone believed me or not, I was too ashamed and embarrassed already, plus heartbroken. It was all too much for me.

So I ran up the stairs as well and went back to my room. I locked myself in and slid down to the floor behind the door. Fresh tears started streaming down my face.

Who would have thought the new year would start with so many bad things happening?  My life was falling apart. My future was blurring out into nothing and fading away so quickly. I couldn't see a clear path anymore, and I had no idea what to do.

Except cry.

I heard the door handle being turned, followed by Ruby's voice, but I ignored her. I just wanted to be alone, I needed some time to myself. I wanted to cry alone and in peace.

"Crystal, please open the door, you cannot be alone right now," she said, but I didn't answer, I just sobbed silently on the floor.

After about ten minutes, Ruby was still at the door, letting me know that she was there for me. I saw that she wouldn't give up, so I stood up and opened the door for her to come in.

She immediately wrapped her arms around me in a tight, comforting hug.

"Everything will be fine Crystal, this can't be the end," she said in an attempt to assure me, but I knew it was the end. I believed it. There was nothing that could happen now.

I had no way of proving to Nicholas that I was innocent, I didn't even know if Brent had sex with me when I was passed out. How was I supposed to convince Nicholas when I was just as clueless?

"It is, Ruby. It's over, " I said in despair.

"I won't let it be over, I promise." she pulled away and said, whilst looking straight into my eyes. She had so much sincerity in her eyes, but I didn't know if it was foolish for me to have hope.

After some more minutes of trying to console me, we started packing our bags as instructed. Once we finished packing, we made our way down the stairs and out of the palace without anyone even saying a word to us.

I looked back at the palace, feeling my chest tighten, as I said my goodbyes to it. I never thought I would be saying goodbye to my new home, but I guess life was unfair like that.

Ruby and I got a cab and proceeded to lodge in a hotel. We did that because Nicholas had instructed the doctor to carry out a paternity test, so I wasn't allowed to go back to my home town just yet.

The fact that he doubted the pregnancy was what hurt me the most. My heart was bleeding at the fact that he believed I would lie to him about something like that. It hurt me to my soul.