Filed to story: The Billionaire’s Replacement Wife (River & Noah) Novel Online Free
River was momentarily speechless.
If Paige insisted on keeping the child, the baby would be born with AIDS.
It was a disease that would shatter the child’s life, condemning them to endless low self–esteem. But if the child were aborted, Paige and Alex’s future would be veiled in uncertainty. River knew how much 1/2
“You should talk to Alex about this, Paige,” River tried to convince her.
“How?” Paige smiled bitterly. “Tell him I’m infected with AIDS and make him think I’m a tainted woman?”
“He’ll believe in you if he truly loves you!” River asserted. “Moreover, the reason for your infection is suspicious. Have you been in contact with Daniella recently?”
Paige shook her head. “I haven’t met Daniella alone. Even if I did bump into her, we’d only argue. She never got close to me. Or maybe I frequented the bar too much and contracted it at some point. It only surfaced during this check-“
“That’s impossible!” River interrupted. “This has nothing to do with your past visits to the bar, Paige.
Otherwise, why didn’t it show up in previous check–ups?”
“But I genuinely don’t know what happened!” Paige had a nervous breakdown. “I shouldn’t have gone to the bar, drank, or conceived this child! I’ve harmed the child and maybe even Alex!”
After that, Paige grabbed River’s hand and pleaded with the latter, “I’m begging you, River. Please don’t tell Alex about this! Help me cover it up and stay with me when I get the abortion, okay? I can’t let the child suffer in pain in the future!”
Grief–stricken, River looked at Paige. “Shouldn’t you let Alex know about this?”
“No!” Paige refused firmly. I’m begging you, River. Don’t tell him!”
“He’ll learn about your abortion sooner or later.” River didn’t stop trying to persuade Paige. “Your misunderstanding with Alex will get worse if you keep it a secret from him and if he learns about it in the future.”
“Yes, I want that to happen!” Paige lost her mind and yelled, “What right do I have to be with him now? I’m infected with AIDS! I have AIDS! I’m afraid of disappointing and watching him get it with me!”
River felt sorry for Paige and asked, “Are you going to suffer through this alone?”
“I’m reaping what I’ve sown.” Crying, Paige smiled helplessly. “I’m begging you, okay? It’s the first time I’m begging you, River… Just grant my wish, please…”
“Have you ever thought of the possibility that Alex might be willing to accept you?” River asked.
Paige replied, “I won’t give him the chance because I can’t persuade myself, and I really love him very much.”
Paige cried more vigorously.
Exhaustion overwhelmed River at the sight of Paige’s despair and grief. She tried to ask herself if she would choose to be with Noah if she were to bump into the same kind of situation.
But she gained the answer without much deliberation.
She wouldn’t do so, and she would try all means to make Noah stay away from her.
River would never drag him into the abyss with her even if she were to suffer alone in the darkness.
Taking a deep breath, River gave in. “Okay, you have my word. But you must promise me not to give up on yourself, and you must get treatment.”
Besides, she would help Paige find the cause of the latter’s infection–she wouldn’t just let them off the hook.
“Okay.”
Alex called Paige at 5:00 p.m. because the latter hadn’t come back for a long time.
Unexpectedly, he couldn’t reach her after a few calls. Hence, his anxiety drove him to phone River.
After a while, River picked it up.
Nervously, Alex questioned, “Is Paige with you, River?”
River glanced at Paige, who was unconsciously lying on the hospital bed because of the anesthesia.”
Yes.”
“Where are you guys? Why aren’t you back yet?”
After a deep breath, River said, “Come to the hospital now.”
Half an hour later, Alex rushed to the ward speedily.
A bad feeling grabbed his heart when he saw Paige lying on the hospital bed quietly. “What’s wrong with Paige?”
River kept her head down. “Ask her yourself when she wakes up.”
“But…” Alex asked in confusion, “Weren’t you with her? Don’t you know what happened?”
River looked up at him. “Keep quiet and let Paige rest more.”
“River!” Alex gasped. “What are you hiding? Did you stay at the hospital all day? Paige lied about going shopping, right? What happened? Just tell me!”
Paige slowly opened her eyes and spotted Alex, looking anxious. His presence brought Paige pain and grief. She longed to express herself but held back. Weakly, she touched her flat belly, unable to convey the turmoil within.
Paige’s belly was hit with excruciating pain, signaling the loss of her child. She suppressed her grief.
looked at Alex, and called out, “Alex.”
Turning at the sound of Paige’s weak voice, Alex rushed to her bedside and bent over. “Yes, I’m here.
What’s wrong, Paige? Tell me, okay?”
Paige gnashed her teeth. “Alex…”
“Yes?”
“Let’s stop seeing each other.”
A fatal blow struck Alex.
Flabbergasted, he met Paige’s eyes. “W–What did you say?”
Paige repeated herself, “Let’s stop seeing each other.”
Alex forced a smile. “Are you messing with me, Paige? It’s not funny. Just tell me if you’re ill and don’t worry about tiring me out. I’m willing to do anything for you and the baby. You-“
“The baby is gone,” Paige interrupted Alex. “You don’t have to do anything for me anymore because Ive aborted the child.”
Alex’s face stiffened upon hearing that. He stared at Paige in disbelief as blood drained from his face.”
What did you say?”
“How many times do I have to repeat myself?” Paige sounded weak and aloof.
“No…” Alex panicked, looking at Paige’s belly. “No, you’ve got to tell me why… Why?” It was extremely difficult for him to catch his breath.
“It’s because you’re very annoying. You always pester me all day as if you’ve got nothing else to do. You are clingy and disgust me.”
River closed her eyes firmly as she listened and looked away because she couldn’t bear such a scene.
“No…” Alex said helplessly. “No, that’s not true. I’ve got things to do, but I just want to be with you until this pregnancy is over… Paige, you’re lying, aren’t you? Is today April’s fool? Why do you want to play such a prank on me?”
Palge stared at Alex. “Look. You always behave this way and are unwilling to accept the truth. I’ve already repeated myself, but you still can’t believe it. You’re really very annoying…”
Consequently, Alex’s eyes slowly turned red. “No, that’s not it, Paige. Tell me it’s all a lie! Don’t look at me this way. Tell me the truth. I’m begging you! Stop joking about this!”
Alex’s trembling voice lingered in the ward. Immense helplessness and terror grabbed his heart.
Paige was heartbroken and couldn’t take it. Hence, she turned aside and stopped looking at Alex. “I’m not joking. It’s all over now. Just go.”
Alex swallowed hard. “It’s not funny, Paige. Stop putting up a show, okay…”
“No, I’m not!” Paige clenched her hands under the blanket and met Alex’s flustered gaze again.
“Let me repeat myself one last time!” Paige took a deep breath. “I aborted your child this afternoon! It’s simply because I don’t want to be with you anymore! You disgust me to the core and make me feel like I can’t do anything else in my life except be with you!
“Do you know how annoying you are, Alex? Can you stay far away from me? You disgust me!”
Her cruel words hurt Alex and drained him of energy.
Still, his stiffness disappeared instantly as he glued his painful eyes on Paige.
“Is that why you aborted the child?”
Paige answered firmly, “Yes!”
Alex suddenly snorted.
“You terminated my child for such a ridiculous reason! You’re something else, Paige!” Alex’s eyes glowed red. “You claimed you felt insecure when I wasn’t around but called me annoying when I was.
“The child did nothing wrong and was about to come into existence! How heartless can you be? If you disliked the child, you could have given birth and let me raise him. What position did you put the baby and me in? Why did you do that, Paige?!”
Holding back tears, Paige looked away and bit her lips hard.
However, Paige’s cruel and distant attitude seemed to make something click in Alex’s mind.
He burst into laughter. “I get it now. My mother was right. You didn’t want the child because it wasn’t mine, right? You cheated on me and made me the father of someone else’s child. Isn’t that it?”
Despite Alex’s accusations, Paige remained silent.
Alex lost control, grabbing Paige’s arms and pulling her up onto the bed.
“Say something!” he roared. “Explain! You’re usually talkative! Why are you silent now?”
River intervened, “Alex, calm down! You can’t treat Paige like this. She’s vulnerable!”
“Fuck off!‘ Alex angrily pushed River away, causing her to fall to the floor.
Paige narrowed her eyes, glaring at Alex. “Why did you hit River? Are you out of your mind?!”
“Yes, I am!” Alex fumed with anger. “Tell me why you did this! Why did you do this to me? Speak!”
Similarly, Paige screamed, “Haven’t I made myself clear? Leave, Alex. I don’t want to see you!”
“Why are you doing this?” Alex punched a cabinet. “Why did you do this to me?”
Paige couldn’t bear to see Alex in pain, nor could she control her emotions as she cried. “No reason. I’m just fed up! Just go. Leave!”
“Fine… Great!” Alex turned pale, and his lips trembled. “I’ll remember this, Paige! I’ll hate you forever, and I’ll never forgive you!”
With that, Alex stormed out, slamming the door.
424
The loud slam shattered Paige’s heart. She pushed aside the blanket in tears and rushed to River, who was in pain.
Squatting down, she hugged River tightly. “I’m sorry, River. I’ve wronged you.”
Suppressing the pain, River hugged Paige. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Don’t cry.”