Chapter 13. Desire for a son
"no one was to blame for what happened" Anthony stated. "It was just one of those things"
"Regardless," her father scoffed. "Put a boy in the brat, then end the conversation. Afterwards, you're more than welcome to get your divorce and live happily ever after with that Allison woman of yours. Surely the task shouldn't be too difficult for a strapping young man like you. The Press once referred to her as "The Love of Your Life," am I correct?"
Elizabeth wasn't sure which to consider more: the fact that this entire marriage had been about using her as a breeder for whatever heinous purpose they had in mind, or the revelation that Anthony had been or is in love with another woman. Elizabeth felt as though she had been physically assaulted as a result of both pieces of information. She had always believed that Anthony's desire for a son was driven by his male ego—the need to spread his seed and all that. Even though she had despised the way he could never touch her without that ultimate goal in mind, she had always believed that it was something he wanted; a son to carry on his name and an heir to inherit his fortune. Instead, he would have only ever used the child as a means of obtaining his freedom and continuing his relationship with Allison.
She had never doubted that if Anthony wanted a son, he would love the child, but what was supposed to happen to her and the baby once he had lived up to his end of the bargain? Would he just leave and forget about them? Anthony seemed to hate her so much that she wasn't even sure of that anymore. She now understood that, despite the fact that any child they had would bear his name, Anthony would ultimately treat the child badly, just as she had been treated by her own. That was something she couldn't let happen. She became even more adamant about not getting pregnant as a result.
There was no mystery as to her father's motivation in all of this; he had always lamented the lack of male heirs to carry on his line and his business. Elizabeth had never been deserving enough to inherit; he had always been very clear about that. However, she had no idea how much he would sacrifice to ensure a male heir. All of it was so outdated. She was lost in her distress for a while, and it took her some time to notice the low buzzing in her ear and realize that the two men had ended their call. She placed the receiver back in its cradle very carefully, as if it were the most delicate object in the world, and sat motionless for a while before suddenly bursting into action and rushing to the en suite bathroom, where she violently threw up the meager portion she had eaten for breakfast.
She then rinsed her mouth, went back to the bedroom, and climbed into the middle of the big bed, sitting there with her knees drawn up to her chest and her face buried in her hands. She was in so much pain that she couldn't even cry, and she was trembling so violently that her teeth were chattering. She was clueless about what to do or where to go. She needed to escape this predicament and get as far away from them both as she could. In her traumatized mind, scenarios and possible answers kept marching through, but nothing workable ever materialized. Anthony's threat to harm Danielle's business was still an issue, and she also didn't have any real money of her own. She was also aware that her father and husband would find her before she got very far thanks to their extensive resources.
When a gentle knock on the bedroom door was heard, she was still considering it. Before she could respond, it swung open, revealing her large, handsome husband standing in the doorway. She was sitting in the middle of the bed, her knees still drawn up to her chest, and her arms around her folded legs. His eyes swept over her petite, disheveled form.
He said quietly, "You've been in here for almost three hours, Theresa."
It sounded like the voice one would use to talk with an unbroken, tense horse. Theresa hadn't realized it had been three hours, and when she moved, her muscles tensed up in protest. In actuality, she had been seated still for almost that long. She gingerly stretched her arms and legs while making a clear effort to restrain her agonizing pain as her blood began to flow more freely.
As she pushed her long hair out of her eyes, she muttered, "I didn't realize, I plan to visit Danielle"
"Why?" He questioned sharply and she merely shrugged.
She replied sarcastically, "Something to do.".
"I was hoping…" Anthony hesitated which surprised Elizabeth. It was so out of character for her incredibly confident husband.
" we could share lunch, go somewhere nice, we haven't done that recently"
" how about never" she half-laughed incredulously.