IMMURE

Chapter Three: 'Decisions Decisions'

Melanie started at the novel in her hands. She was reading but not really registering. She was trying her best to avoid any conversation with Lorenzo.
Ever since he'd got the news of her pregnancy last evening, he was an annoying bubble of joy.
"Angel, here. Eat up."
He placed a breakfast tray before her.
Melanie scowled in confusion.
Why was she being fed so early?
"You need to eat more. After all, you'll be eating for two now."
A bitter chuckle escaped Melanie's lips. Out of fuming rebellion, she threw the tray, making the plates shatter on the floor, food spilled everywhere.

Lorenzo glares at her in anger. He yanked her hair, burning her scalp due to his tight grip. But Melanie didn't flinch. She mustered a brave face, and looked him straight in the eye.
"You ungrateful Bitch!" He hissed in anger.
"Fuck you. And fuck your food!." She gritted her teeth and spat on his face.
Lorenzo chuckled sinisterly, as he pulled away.
He raised his arm and a loud sound resonated thought it the cabin.
Melanie's head swung to the other direction due to the hard impact. A stinging pain throbbed on her right cheek.

She didn't move. Her eyes widened in shock. Not because he hit her. No, he'd done it countless times before. It was because he hit knowing she was pregnant.
"You may be pregnant, but that doesn't mean I'll tolerate your bullshit. Do you understand Mel?" He asked trying to calm himself.
When she didn't reply, or even move, he grabbed her neck in anger and hovered over her frail body.
"I asked you a fuckin question!" He yelled making her flinch. But she still didn't give him the response he wanted.

He sighed and got off her, leaving her a sobbing mess.
He didn't say anything. He quietly picked up the broken crockery and mopped the floor clean. The whole time he did so, Melanie sobbed, both ignored each other's presence, needing time to cool off in their own ways.
After he finished, Lorenzo left the cabin, locking Melanin in. He rushed to his mansion and prepared another tray of food.
"Mr Zurzolo, allow me..." a maid tried to Intervene and take over preparing the tray but he snapped at her making her cry and run off.

He never allowed anyone else to prepare Melanie's tray. Melanie herself didn't know that he did it himself.
He placed the  bowl of chocolate cereal along with a plate of fried eggs and avocado toast. All her favourites, and walked back to her cabin.
He walked in and saw Melanie still sitting on the bed, dried tears stained her cheeks. Her breathing had normalised to its calm pace.
He walked over to her and sat next to her, holding onto the tray.
"Mel....I'm sorry Angel. Please eat something. You need it, the baby needs it. Please don't make our child suffer cuz you're pissed at me." He pled.

Melanie wanted to protest, but deep down she knew he was right. She couldn't take out her anger for him on her innocent child. She glanced at the tray in defeat, pleased to see food she loved and hadn't seen in months.
"Let me feed you." Lorenzo said, and picked up a spoonful of cereal, bringing it to her mouth. She looked at the spoon and then at him.
His earnest blue eyes made her melt. She hated them for having this effect in her. Finally she gave in and opened her mouth, accepting the food.
A moan escaped her lips as she tasted the cereal.
"Is it that good?" Lorenzo chuckled at her cuteness.
She nodded embarrassedly. And slowly opened her mouth for the next bite.

Lorenzo managed to feed her the whole bowl plus half an avocado toast, so he felt relieved. But this didn't last long. Within an hour, Melanie rushed out of bed, puking her guts out.
Lorenzo rushes to her side, holding her hair back and gently rubbing her back as she leaned over the toilet bowl, heaving everything he'd so patiently fed her. He was worried. Really worried.
He was afraid he might lose her in the process of having a child, and that was completely unacceptable to him.

Over the next few days, things didn't change, in fact they got worse. Melanie struggled to keep anything down her throat. She tried her best but failed every time.
Lorenzo shifted Melanie to his bedroom in his mansion, nursing her 24/7. He watched her with guilt, every time she threw up. It was his fault she was too weak to bare a child. He'd done this to her, and he'd have to solve it.

"Melanie! Melanie where are you?" Lorenzo frantically called out for her when he didn't find her name in their bedroom. He rushed outside, only to find Melanie walking at a distance, near the fence of his huge estate.

A sigh of relief left his mouth as he rushed to reach her.
"Mel!" He called her, making her turn towards him. He was panting, both from running and the slight panic he'd felt. But when he saw her face, he could breath again.
"Enzo....I....I just wanted some f-fresh air...." she hesitantly tried to explain herself, Afraid that he may have thought she was trying to escape, which she wasn't for she knew it was pointless.
"It's ok Angel." He interrupted her mid sentence.
"Come. Let's go for a walk together." He offered with a smile, extended his hand for her. She held it, still confused how he's so calm, but shrugged it off as they proceeded with a nice evening stroll.

After a long walk, watching the sunset together, they ate a hearty warm meal and got ready for bed.
Melanie was brushing her teeth in the bathroom, while Lorenzo waited outside. He held onto a syringe, tightly in his palm.
He didn't want to do this. But he had no choice.
He could live without a baby, but he couldn't imagine life without Melanie, and he had visited Kiara this afternoon, and the words she said rung in his head.
"I'm sorry Lorei, but Melanie's body isn't strong enough to bare this child. She's throwing up way too much, due to the sudden increase in diet and morning sickness. Both together, are killing her."
And he knew she was right. He had seen how Melanie looked paler and sicker. Bags had formed under her eyes, her cheeks hollowed, she was miserable.

"You have to let go of this baby. That's the only way. Maybe in the future, when she's healthier, she could have a stronger chance, but right now, it's too risky."
And Lorenzo was definitely not willing to risk anything, not where she's concerned.
"Hey, I'm done. You can go in if you want to." Melanie said stepping out of the bathroom.
She got into bed and Lorenzo tucked her in. He crawled in behind her and snuggled with her, resting his chin on the crook of her neck.
"I love you Melanie." He said earnestly.
Melanie stayed still, shutting her eyes, but suddenly, she felt a stinging pain on her arm.

Before she could react or protest, everything went black.