Chapter 4 How Did You Get Pregnant?
"What on earth is going on with the baby? How did you get pregnant?"
Cameron cut into Jennifer's thoughts.
Jennifer looked up, her eyes red and filled with tears.
"How can you even ask me that? You were so rough that night." Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, no matter how much she tried to wipe them away.
Her quiet, restrained sobs were heart-wrenching.
Cameron frowned, trying to remember.
That night, he had just regained consciousness and couldn't recall the past few years. The only thing he remembered was Jennifer.
He happened to see Jennifer that evening, and maybe because of his excitement, he had a few too many drinks.
When he sobered up, Jennifer was lying naked in his arms.
What had happened was obvious.
The next day.
Olivia woke up from another nightmare, unable to sleep well through the night.
Ever since Cameron left, her sleep had been plagued by dreams of Cameron's loving and hateful gazes.
Maybe she should have let it all go a long time ago.
Olivia numbly picked out a dress for the party and left on time, though she was delayed by traffic.
"Mr. Hayes' date is fashionably late!"
"Unbelievable! She's stunning!"
As she pushed open the door to the private room, applause mixed with playful whistles greeted her. She looked up and met Cameron's gaze.
He was wearing a black linen shirt with two buttons undone, his hair slicked back, revealing his handsome, aloof face. He leaned lazily against the chair, exuding the mature charm of a man.
He said nothing, but his fingers tapped impatiently on the table, his deep eyes emotionlessly fixed on Olivia.
"Sorry."
Knowing she was in the wrong for being late, Olivia offered a brief explanation and took the empty seat next to Cameron.
Looking around, she recognized several familiar faces.
There were at least three people she had seen before. They were Cameron's old friends, and it was only natural for him to reconnect with them after regaining his memory.
Being around familiar faces made it even harder to relax.
Olivia felt uneasy sitting next to Cameron. As the conversation at the table grew more lively, she remained out of place.
Cameron ignored her, treating her like she was invisible.
Olivia rarely attended such events. She sipped some water, unsure of what to do.
Did Cameron bring her here just to sit as decoration? She doubted he would be so kind.
"Why so quiet? We're all thinking about you, the most dazzling girl here. Have a drink!"
A man in a cream-colored polo shirt approached, smiling mischievously.
His glass was nearly overflowing.
Once she started, she wouldn't be able to refuse any drinks that followed.
Who knew how much she'd be forced to drink?
Olivia's hand on her stomach tightened, warmth spreading to her cold palm. She blurted out, "I-I'm not feeling well."
The man's face darkened.
A soft clink of a glass hitting the table spilled some wine onto Cameron's hand. He glanced at Olivia and finally spoke his first words to her that night, with a cold sneer.
"You're here as a hostess, and you still think you're some rich girl?"
Olivia wondered how much more humiliation she had to endure from Cameron. She was almost numb, but the harsh words still filled her with powerless anger.
Her nose stung as she forced a smile and took the glass. "You're right. Let's make sure everyone has a good time tonight."
As she brought the glass to her lips, Olivia regretted it instantly. But thinking of Justin still in the detention center, she tore away her last shred of dignity.
"Don't force it!"
She barely tasted the bitterness before the glass was snatched away by the man sitting on her other side.
She recognized him—Cameron's childhood friend, Jared Foster.
Jared smiled and downed the drink in one gulp, showing the empty glass to the man who had offered it. The man laughed awkwardly, praising Jared's generosity.
"Quite the move, huh? Even Mr. Foster gets charmed by you and drinks in your place," Jared's date, clinging to his arm, teased in a sugary voice.
Cameron's face darkened, his brow furrowing in warning. "Olivia, whose date are you? Know your place."
The host's anger silenced the table, the atmosphere turning icy. Jared quickly tried to smooth things over with a laugh.
"She doesn't seem to handle her drinks well. Let Lily keep you company and have a good time. Come on, Olivia, sit over here with me. Is that okay, Cameron?"
Though he asked, Jared was already pulling his date over to Cameron's side.
Lily Moon didn't mind. The more influential people she could meet, the better.
She immediately leaned into Cameron, wrapping her arms around his slim waist and raising her glass to drink with him.
Cameron, usually so reserved, didn't refuse, surprising his friends.
Lily's forehead nearly touched his, as if they were about to kiss.
The intimate gesture made Olivia's heart ache, but what right did she have to interfere? Cameron kept pushing her limits.
Seeing her pale face, Jared called a waiter and ordered a glass of milk for Olivia.
"Thanks," Olivia said sincerely.
"No problem. You should take care of yourself." Jared smiled, resting his chin on his hand. "I heard you're going to be single again?"
Olivia was startled.
Seeing her silence, Jared laughed. "Don't worry. We all know Cameron's getting a divorce."
"I see." Olivia forced a smile.
It made sense. It was a major life event. They probably also knew about Cameron's plans to reconcile with Jennifer.
Not wanting to think about it, Olivia picked up the milk. But the usually rich flavor tasted overwhelmingly foul, making her gag and nearly drop the glass.
She covered her mouth, retching several times before calming down.
Cameron, hearing her faint retching, straightened up and glanced at her. Seeing she was okay, he relaxed again, giving her a disdainful look. "What are you doing? Don't you want to save Justin?"
Olivia remained silent.
Jared, ever the diplomat, tried to lighten the mood, but Cameron wasn't interested, his face cold.
"Mr. Hayes is right." Olivia filled her glass, smiled at Jared, and downed it in one go. "I'm just here to drink."
The alcohol quickly flushed her pale cheeks, her eyes glistening with tears, but her gaze was defiant.
Cameron's expression darkened further.
Olivia refilled her glass and raised it to Cameron.
But Cameron suddenly slammed the glass down, pushed Lily off him, and grabbed Olivia's wrist, dragging her out.
Olivia stumbled after him, the alcohol making her dizzy.
The cold night air hit her, and she leaned against a pillar, vomiting.
"You're really disgusting." Cameron stopped, mocking her. "Can't handle your drinks but still force yourself. How many more do you want?"
But he still held onto her, letting her lean on him.
Olivia vomited until she was exhausted, her trembling hand covering her mouth with a handkerchief. She wondered if this was the end.
"Justin, he..."
"You'll see him when you get home."
Cameron cut her off impatiently.
Olivia closed her eyes, trying to calm her stomach. Tears of pain leaked from the corners of her eyes. At least the suffering wasn't too much.
Jared had said everyone knew Cameron was getting a divorce.
"So when are you planning to..."
Her weak question was interrupted by a ringtone.
Though it wasn't on speaker, the night was quiet enough for Olivia to hear Jennifer's excited voice.
"Cameron, I was just shopping. Do you think we should get blue or pink baby clothes?"
Olivia watched as Cameron's sharp features softened, a rare tenderness in his eyes. Her heart sank, the alcohol's effects vanishing.
Jennifer's child was really Cameron's.