The Divine Temptation (18+) (Forbidden Priest Romance)

42. Heartbreak

'Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.'

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

♱

Evangeline

♱

"I told you, you don't need to spend all day here,", Grams says as I sit by her bed, already having spent the majority of the morning here.

"Tough luck. You're stuck with me. Besides, Gabriel has some boring meetings about fixing some rusting pipes, so I'd rather spend time having you scold me than listen to the benefits of a copper pipe and its connections."

"Fine, but the nurse will be in soon with my lunch; how about you go grab yourself something from the cafeteria and bring it? We can eat together."

She tries to slide me her purse from her handbag, but I quickly slide it back in when she's not looking.

"Okay, I'll be back in a second."

I walk out of her room, and head down the corridor I came from. It was a relatively large hospital, and was located in between Pinevale and Reinfield, providing efficient health care for both locations.

I slip into another corridor, walking up and down before they all start melding into one, at one point I end up in Oral surgery, and now I'm in maternity. I look around for signs before pushing another door open and looking for someone to help.

"Oh, well look who it is" I hear a voice call behind me, my eyes almost instantly roll to the back of my head when I recognise the tone.

"Bethany", I turn my body towards her, "are you finally being checked into the psych ward?" I ask a mocking sweetly smile on my face.

"Ha, ha, someone likes to be funny, but quite the opposite, I'm here for a scan" She moves her hands to her stomach. I remember my location in the maternity ward, and based on the much rounder shape of her stomach, she was announcing her pregnancy to me.

"Oh wow, pregnancy before marriage, but supposedly I'm the whore" I remark. And in my honesty, I'm not one for commenting on how a lady plans her life, but for hypocritical bitches like Bethany, the comment was necessary. it's evident she doesn't take to kindly to my comment as her mouth twists into a sour expression.

 She holds the motion for a brief minute before quite literally turning her frown upside down, and into a much broader smile.

"Yeah, well, we live in - I guess, more modern times."

"Hmm," I simply reply.

"Right,", I announce, getting ready to turn around because there is absolutely no reason to entertain another second of Bethany's presence. Just as I go to turn around before I hear a cackling audio of Gabriel and Bethany. I slowly turn back around and see that she's holding up a phone, a recording playing loudly out of her speakers, of a conversation.

"I-I'm pregnant," Bethany says

"Is it mine?" Gabriel follows suit; the moment his voice echoes through the hospital halls, my ears start ringing.

There's some weird static on the audio, as if the phone was hidden in her pocket it then picks up again as Gabriel continues talking.

"there's no one else that I would rather be with, and what Evangeline and I have was just a ploy to make you jealous. Oh, Bethany, forgive me" The room starts spinning, and I feel like I'm going to throw up. As bile rises up my throat, and chest begins to burn.

There's no way Gabriel would do something like this, none of it would make sense. Has Gabriel been with Bethany while he was with me? Was everything some weird, elaborate lie? My head, along with the room, now starts spinning faster, and I feel close to passing out.

Bethany is now looking down at her phone, typing and pressing buttons. I try not to give her even an inkling of the shame and embarrassment I'm feeling. Instead, I clench my teeth down and keep my arms crossed and hands tucked away in fists.

"Hope you still have the same number from high school, I sent you a copy, anyway I must get going, baby's hungry" She smiles, rubbing her stomach before walking in the opposite direction, the sound of her heels drifting through the halls, as I stand and watch her walk away.

As she passes through a set of doors, my knees nearly collapse under the heavy weight falling on my shoulders as another set of tears prick my eyes. There is no way Gabriel is the father of her baby, and he couldn't have possibly said those things. But he did. And she had proof.

I pat my eyes, not wanting Gram's to see me cry again; before walking the way I got here, I push her hospital room door back open as she sits up in her bed eating a sandwich.

"Couldn't find the cafeteria, sweetheart? Gabriel said it was a maze trying to find me the day they brought me in" I nod my head before sitting back down on the visitors chair, she looks at me warily.

"Is everything alright?" She asks, siping her juice and a bite from her sandwich.

"Uh, yeah, I just feel a migraine coming on, I didn't sleep well last night, that's all", I try to cover my uneasiness with a smile.

"Go on home, sweetie, I'm in the best place I can be, You're making yourself unwell; you and Gabriel can go have a nice evening in. Please, I can't get better if I'm worried about you now, can I?" I sigh in response, as she knows how to get what she wants.

"Okay, but I'll come up first thing in the morning," I promise. I grab my bag from the side before kissing her goodbye and heading outside to the front of the hospital. It takes everything in me not to break down then and there as I call for a taxi.

I pull out my phone dialling the number of the only person I can think can help me in this situation.

"Hey, uh- if it's not a bother, do you think I could come by?" I ask, a small crack in my voice threatening to crack the dam of my tears at any moment.

"Oh is everything okay, of course, come and I'll make up some tea, I'll text you over my address.

"Okay, thank you. I'll see you in a bit.

I jump in the taxi and give the driver the address before driving off.

♱ ♱ ♱

"there's no one else I would rather be with, and what Evangeline and I have was just a ploy to make you jealous. Oh Bethany, forgive me," I playback the audio.

I sit in Jonathan's house, knees up to my chest on his couch as I play the audio Bethany's just sent me.

"Oh wow, Evangeline, I'm so sorry" Jonathan leans over and takes me in his arms, as I let it all out on his shoulder. Jonathan's partner brings us over some cups of tea before leaving Jonathan and I together.

"You know what! Screw him, priests are never as holy as they present" I cover his t-shirt in tears before he moves us so my head is now resting on my thigh, and he's stroking my hair.

"I just don't believe it; it doesn't make any sense; like was this some sick planned joke? I'm just so confused; we were literally discussing our future together yesterday. I'm not even sure of what the time frame is, or when he got her pregnant."

My tears burn like acid on my cheeks as my heart shatters into a thousand irreparable pieces. And for the first time in several years, I let it out, I let out the pain of the past five years down to the last twenty four hours. I sob until my throat feels like sandpaper, and my chest aches with the pain of betrayal.

I cry until the pain becomes too much, and the tears end, until the pain claws at my insides, and it leaves me hollow and desolate.

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