Chapter 4 – Desperation
Ella
My hands are shaking as I dial Kate’s number. Have I ever been this angry? If I have I certainly can’t remember it now.
“Hello?” Kate answers almost immediately, using a sickly sweet tone that screams of fakeness.
“Kate?” I state bluntly. “Are you with Mike right now?”
There’s a pregnant pause on the other end of the line, before she weakly responds, “What? Of course not.”
“Come off it Kate, do you really think I don’t know about your sh it?” I demand. “I’m not a complete idiot.”
“Ella listen–” She begins, obviously gearing up to give me some sort of excuse.
“No, I don’t even care about your little affair anymore – but I need to talk to him right now.” I declare fiercely.
There’s another pause, and then Kate’s voice drops its innocent tone. “You don’t care?” She repeats, sounding truly shocked. “ You know I’m already pregnant?”
fists, feeling so furious I think I might actually break
man who’s so afraid of responsibility that he’d poison me for years is
he loves me, he
how charming he can be, considering what a bas ta rd he truly is. How do you think he’s going to support you and your child? He doesn’t even have
about it because he didn’t want you to bleed him dry. He’s a stock
I sigh, “Poor, gullible, stu pid Kate. He’s
to me like that! He’s got money, he lavishes
cards he took out in my name!” I shout, losing
“What?” She squeaks.
I were you, I’d check your own credit rating immediately, because I’d be willing to be you’re next.” I
weakly, “you’re wrong, it’s
it. “And frankly I don’t really care what happens to you Kate, but if you’re really pregnant then your baby deserves better
hang up before I start crying, not giving her a chance to respond. Why did I buy his lies about looking for work for so long? He crushed me little
I won’t ever let myself be fooled that
to go to the police and see if I
________________________
area, there’s not much we can do about this.” The police officer breaks this news to me about as gently as he might smash an ant beneath his boot. “I’ll give you the police report to send to the credit card company, but that’s the most help you’re
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!