Sophia's POV

"Do you ever love me?" I asked in a low tone. As much as I wanted to shout, I still felt my heart heavy with pain.

"That's not the important thing here." He responded, looking away.

"No it is. Have you even thought about the baby?"

"If it's about the baby I'd give you a million dollars."

Donald said without emotion and my chest tightened. I couldn't believe he wasn't affected by any of this. Why was I the only one experiencing this ton of emotions?

"It's not about the money, damnit!" I yelled and I saw him flinch slightly. He seemed shocked by my reaction but he quickly covered it with a frown.

"The choice is yours. Either you have the money or not, I'm not doing this with you anymore!" he said sharply, the anger in his voice was evident.

I still can't believe he would be willing to leave his baby. Our baby! He had been a little more caring when he got to know I would be having his child. But now, here he was, totally indifferent like it didn't mean anything to him. Even if I didn't matter to him, he should have considered the baby.

"Donald," I called him softly, looking straight at his eyes. "You want to throw everything we built just because of her?"

That seemed to infuriate him even more as his eyes stared daggers at me. I didn't quite understand the look I saw on his face, anger or was it something much worse - was that disgust I saw in his eyes?

"Did you say just because?" He scoffed, "you know very well how much I've loved Laura. If I have had the slightest idea she was coming back from England," he paused then took a deep breath, "I wouldn't have had this farce of a marriage, I would have waited."

I felt a tear drop at the corner of my eye and I quickly wiped it off. Did Donald just call our marriage a farce? Was that what this meant to him? Even after all these years.

"Look, I know how you must be feeling right now, but I don't love you, Sophia," he said gently but even with his soft tone I feel my heart constricting "At least I've tried to over the years but I still can't."

"I only married you to make my mum happy." He said flatly, "At least to give her the last happiness before cancer took her away."

"But I gave you everything, Donald." I sobbed bitterly, "I even disregarded my parents warning not to marry-"

"I didn't ask you to, I never asked for any of this!" He slammed his fists on the table. "I've absorbed myself deep in work. You think I like overworking myself?"

He asked but when he saw I wasn't giving him any reply he continued.

"It was all because I can't bear the thought of being with you all day, I just can't."

"You can cry all you want but that doesn't change anything."

I cleaned my eyes then asked the very question that I'd been wanting to ask him, "why then do you still make love to me? Those moments mean nothing to you?"

He gave a soft laugh, then his face turned serious. "You are dumber than I thought, Sophia. People hop into bed all the time darling. So how's that so important?"

His words opened a fresh wound in my mind. No wonder, he was always in a haste to get it done. I understand now how he always acted, as if a gun was pointed to his head whenever we made love. I had thought the baby would change things between us, but even that had changed nothing.

Despite the fact that he wanted a divorce, I still haven't fully come to terms with it. Laura had been Donald's teenage love. She had left the country in a rush after a family scandal. I never for once knew she would come back to the country. I thought she was gone and would never appear but now she has. But I wouldn't allow her to take my place just like that, would I? At least I have to try because of my baby. Why didn't Donald see that?

"Did your dad agree with this?" I asked, desperately searching his eyes. "How will your late mum feel about this?" I added and this time, he turned and looked at me with cold eyes.

"Don't you dare bring my mum up again!" He threatened and I suddenly recoiled. "We both know how you played your tricks, how you worked your charms on her, so you could get to marry me. Isn't that it? You fucking GOLD DIGGER!" His words hit me like a rain of bullets but he wasn't done. "You think you can bring up my parents to push me, huh?"

I was dumbfounded for a moment. His words had hit me in the most vital places. Another tear slipped across my face as his words kept reverberating in my head. He had got it all wrong and I'm going to clarify things. I was never a gold digger and never will I become one. I was only with him because of how much I love him.

I was going to explain myself when his phone rang and he picked it up immediately. A smile was on his lips as he spoke softly to HER. I tried to listen but he only said a few incoherent words before dropping the call. The cold look was back on his face as he stared at me.

"I have to leave now. I need to get Laura to the hospital. She's down with a serious fever."

He didn't wait for my response as he rushed out. I quickly went to my room and threw a proper shirt on. After that, I dashed straight outside to see Donald already in his car. He was already driving away so I ran straight after his car. I didn't even know what I was thinking as my head seemed to be a blur of any thoughts.

I was still running after him when I heard a sharp honk, then came a screech of tire before I tumbled on the ground. The cold from the snowy ground pelt hard on my skin.

I feel the strength draining out of my body even as I fight to keep my eyes open. I saw the blood flowing out of my body, and I remembered why I was there.

"Donald, please, help me," I muttered the last thing in my head as I finally slipped into unconsciousness.

Sophia's POV

I woke up to the faint beeping sound of the machine. The pungent smell of disinfectant and drugs invaded my nostrils as I jerked up from the bed, fully awake.

I looked around slowly to notice the wall was painted white. Just beside me was a small table, and not far from that, a couch. Fresh air hit my face and I looked at my right to see a small window. I looked around further, and the gown I was wearing confirmed I was in a hospital.

I felt a sharp pain in my forehead and I involuntarily cried out in discomfort.

"Ahh!"

I heard a shuffling of feet outside and the door suddenly pushed open. Donald was staring right at me as he walked closer, I couldn't place the look in his eyes. Was it irritation I saw on his face or what was that?

"What happened to me? Why am I here?" I asked but instead he was still staring at me, the irritation in his eyes was now back.

I was about to say another word when the door opened. A man in white robe walked in. He nodded towards Donald, maybe as a form of greeting. He then stopped in front of me, his professional smile not leaving his face even for once.

"Mrs. Briggs, how are you feeling now?" He asked, adjusting the IVs connected to my wrist.

"I don't know," I answered honestly, "I feel like my body weighs a ton."

"That's understandable," the doctor smiled lightly, "it's just your body adjusting to the situation. I'm sorry about your loss."

Loss? What loss was the doctor talking about? I didn't understand, so I cleared my throat, interrupting the doctor who was still offering soothing words.

"What loss are you talking about?"

The doctor looked confused, almost flustered. Then he went from looking between Donald and I, to fixing his gaze back on me.

"Err... I thought Mr. Briggs must have told you." The doctor paused, but seeing the curious look in my eyes, he continued. "I'm sorry, you lost the baby."

"No!"

I cried out in a high-pitched voice before breaking into continuous sobs. The doctor tried to comfort me before stepping out, but even that didn't do justice to the pain I was feeling. Why is my life suddenly turning upside down? First, it was the divorce. And now my baby is gone. Is the universe punishing me for a crime I committed?

Or was it because my parents had warned me and I hadn't listened to them? Even at that, this was too much punishment for my crime - that's if loving someone can be called a crime.

My eyes fell on Donald. He still hasn't said anything to me since he stepped into the room. His eyes were dark as I looked into them. It looked as if he abhorred all the hatred in the world for just one person - ME!

"Donald?"

"Don't," he raised his hands at me. "Don't you dare call my name. How could you even call my name, huh?"

"Please..."

"No, listen and listen good," he drew closer to me, his hot breath hitting my face. "You lost our baby! You lost the only good thing," he paused to catch his breath. "The only thing to come out of this sham of a marriage. Now it's gone. Because of your foolishness, it's gone!"

My chest tightened hard as his voice hit me like a tornado. How could he even think of putting all this on me? Does he think I'm happy for losing my baby - OUR BABY? All I ever did was love him. Why didn't he seem to understand that?

"Thinking about it now, it's all for the greater good."

Donald said and I looked at him sharply. What greater good can come from losing my baby!

"We have nothing binding us together anymore. All thanks to you." He smiled as he said this. "Nothing stops us from going our separate ways!"

I couldn't believe my ears. He didn't even have any sympathy that I just lost my baby. He was still all about himself and getting back with Laura.

"No, you can't do that Donald," I pleaded desperately.

"I can, and that's exactly what will happen. Now if you will excuse me, I'm done here."

He didn't look back for once as I kept calling his name. The sudden realization that he had finally left me hit me, a cloud of tears welled up on my face. This time, I didn't stop the tears as I allowed it to flow freely. I knew Donald to be cold but I didn't imagine him to be this cruel.

I was still trying to console myself when the door opened. I quickly try to hide the tears in my eyes, not wanting Donald to see me in that state. But it wasn't Donald that walked into the room. It was someone I had seen before but I couldn't remember where.

"Who are you?"

I asked the middle-aged man, thinking he might have probably missed his way. He didn't reply to me, he only observed me and I suddenly became conscious of myself. I quickly wiped away my tears as I stared back at the man. He was in a well tailored navy-blue suit that hugged his athletic frame perfectly. The color of his eyes was a sea blue, and despite the lines that were beginning to form on his forehead, I could tell he was a charmer in his younger days. His black shoes were all sparkling and classy. And even his gold wristwatch screamed expensive.

"Are you okay?" He asked, stopping in front of me.

I was about to answer when the door pushed open. The doctor that attended to me earlier walked in with a file in hand.

"Mr. Lance, here's the result of the test," the doctor said, handing the file to the man. "It matched yours, Sir."

The man nodded at the doctor, "I told you, I can never be wrong." Mr. Lance said with a smile.

"I'm surprised, I thought it was just a coincidence," the doctor said, then turned to me. "It turns out you were right afterall. Indeed, blood is thicker than water."

"What's going on here doctor?" I didn't understand what they were talking about so I called out to them. Both men turned to face me, now suddenly quiet.

"Dr. Philips?" I said once again, this time I called his name from the tag on his chest.

"Mr. Lance here was the one who mistakenly hit you," Dr. Philips explained but when he saw the look of anger that formed on my face, he quickly added. "He was the one that rushed you here also, he's your saviour."

"And so what?" I asked bitterly and the doctor slightly recoiled, "he saved me but I still lost my baby."

I sat up properly and faced Mr. Lance. "If you are really a saviour as he called you, why didn't you save my baby?" I questioned him, and he seemed to flinch. Maybe from my harsh tone, but I don't care, at least not anymore.

All I wanted to do was to make all those involved in my misery pay. Starting from Donald, I swore in my mind, he'd regret it. I don't know how I'd make that happen but I would.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry about your baby." Mr. Lance apologized.

I looked at him, as I tried to dismiss all the vile thoughts that were going through my head. I should forgive him knowing he didn't hit me intentionally. Yet, I can't seem to, even when I tried. The future I had planned to have with my child, it was now gone. I knew I shouldn't totally put the blame on him, since I was the one who had foolishly ran after Donald. If I hadn't run after him, I would still have my baby.

Something had shifted in me, I can't pinpoint it yet. But it had happened, when Donald had turned his back on me. It had happened, when he had left me alone to wallow in my miseries.

"I promise you will never experience pain again, not while I live." Mr. Lance said and I grunted in annoyance.

Who was he to think he can stop me from going through pain? I laughed bitterly then looked him straight in the eye, "And how would you possibly do that?" I sneered, "Or because the doctor called you a saviour earlier, you now think you are some kind of messiah?"

"He is Mark Lance, the richest man in the country."

The doctor announced and recognition dawned on me. I remember why I keep having the feeling of knowing him before. Now I understand I must have seen him in the television or magazine. He was truly the most influential man in the country and also a philanthropist.

"So you think you can be my saviour because of your money?" I asked in a harsh tone. "You think you can throw money around and everything will be fine, huh? Tell me."

"No. I can be a saviour because I'm your father."

I looked sharply at his face for any signs of a joke but he wasn't joking.

Sophia's POV

I looked at the doctor, then at the man who had just called himself my father and I laughed very hard. This must have been a joke but only that none of them had a smile. Their faces were both serious and I thought again within me, maybe we were now on a movie role so I decided to ask.

"Where's the camera?"

Both the doctor and Mr. Lance looked at each other. They did not understand where I was heading to. It was my turn to enjoy the look of confusion on their faces since they all decided to turn this into a movie.

Mr. Lance cleared his throat, "Uhm, what camera are you talking about Sophie?"

"Sophia," I interjected sharply. "The name is Sophia and not Sophie. And since you have both decided to make this a movie, I'm yet to see a camera."

"Mr. Lance, I would need to take my leave now," the doctor turned to leave but I stopped him.

"You can't leave yet, at least we haven't finished the movie you started," I said and he stopped on his tracks, his eyes twitching in confusion. "Anyway, what's my role in this blockbuster we are acting in?"

"Sophia," Mr. Lance called out slowly. "Why do you take this as some joke? Why..."

I couldn't take it anymore so I cut in. "No! You are the one who took my situation as a joke in the first place. First, you waltzed in here claiming to be my saviour, then next you claimed to be my father." I paused to catch my breath, "tell me how delusional can you be? You think I don't recognize my own father? Or that I lost my brain alongside the baby?"

The doctor had a shocked look on his face after my outburst. Obviously, he might think I was a little harsh or rude with the way I just chastised Mr. Lance but in all honesty, I don't care - even if he was the country's richest man. He had it coming when he kept uttering nonsense like someone that just got out of asylum.

"I know it's hard to believe," he began, choosing his words slowly. "I didn't believe it either, but first I saw this," he moved closer pointing to a mark in my forearm, "then finally this, it proved indeed all I said is true."

He completed his statement by handing me a piece of paper. I hesitated for a moment but he urged me to collect the piece of paper.

"What am I to do with this?"

"It confirms everything that seems to confuse you," he explains, "you can also see I have this in my arm."

I didn't notice he had taken off the top of his suit until he called my attention. He was having the same mark I was having on my right arm.

"It's a tradition in our family to give a new child this mark, right after birth."

"And this can't be a mere coincidence?" I asked but he shook his head.

"No, I've thought of that. That was why I asked the doctor for a DNA test. The result is what you are holding in your hand."

My eyes skimmed through the piece of paper in my hands. There was mostly medical jargon that seemed to make no sense to me. But there were also a few words that I understood. Only that I'm still confused and everything still doesn't make sense to me.

"For all I know, this could have been made up," I countered.

"And what do I stand to gain if I made that up? Don't you think about that?" He asked me then nodded at the doctor. I had suddenly forgotten he was still in the room with us. "Dr. Philips here can get another test done. But if you want a totally new hospital, then that can also be arranged."

I looked into his eyes and all I saw was sincerity. Even when I tried to come up with thoughts to refute his claim, most of them looked unreasonable. A lot of questions were ringing in my head that I had no answers to. He had no reason to lie. What does he even stand to gain by lying that someone like me would be his daughter? That would totally make no sense, would it?

I sighed loudly as I found myself believing him. But a new anger had suddenly welled up in me. And with that, I looked up straight at him.

"So you abandoned me all these years, and now you suddenly feel it's time to come claim me, huh? Tell me, am I some kind of a property?"

He flinched as he looked everywhere but me. Dr. Philip wasn't in the room with us anymore. He must have stepped out while I was deep in thoughts.

"I didn't abandon you," his voice was croaky as he faced me. Had he been crying? "Never will I abandon my own child."

"I was away on a business trip when I got the news," he paused, trying to stifle his emotion, then continued. "You were both involved in an accident when she was coming back home from a medical checkup. The car had almost burned beyond recognition. Only..."

"Wait! I don't get it, was I not in the car?"

"No, only your mother and the driver were in the car." He said and handed me a picture. "Her name is Fiona and you are the exact replica of her."

Looking at the picture in my hand confirmed what he just said. I was indeed a carbon copy of the woman in the picture. A tear dropped from my eye as I imagined what it would have been like to meet her.

"It was an attack."

"What?" I asked, not understanding what he just said.

"The accident, it was a planned attack." He said and I watched his fist tighten.

I could see the fury in his eyes as he fought the urge to keep the tears from falling. I could imagine the pain he went through reliving those memories. I shared the same pain with him, afterall, the woman in question was my mother.

We both fell into silence but the shrill sound of my phone brought me out of my thoughts. I looked at the phone to know who was calling and a sudden anger surged within me.

Why was this jerk calling me?