Chapter 3.2

ORIGINAL CONTENT OF D.C. BLU. DO NOT COPY AND/OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS CRUEL. PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL.

3.2

“Just because you were a horrible father doesn’t mean I’d be a bad mother!”

“Have you seen your genetic code? Your mother was nothing but a glorified baby factory and you followed in her footsteps to be a fucking incubator! Don’t tell me you think you can actually be a mother when your own mother refused to be. I didn’t want you or Molly, so where do you think you’ll get these parental instincts? Face reality and stop dreaming. Once those babies are born, I don’t want to hear anything else about children, Bailey, Molly, anyone else. We had a deal, you honor it.” The door slammed as he left her shaking…

Cody stared out the window of the estate’s mansion to the large garden below. She barely registered the rows of flowers and bushes as her mind continued to play their last encounter over and over in her head. His words had cut her so deep that she didn’t think she could breathe at that time. And he didn’t even stay around so she could cuss or hit him. That had been over a month ago, and Cody felt on edge ever since. When she tried to call him, he wouldn’t answer. He fucking gave her the silent treatment. Again. He had been doing that more and more since she got pregnant.

At first it was only a day or two. Once it was a whole week. But that last time had been over a month. The stress of not knowing if they were still together or not kept dragging on her. The only reason she felt he hadn’t left her is because her bodyguards still followed her. And because Michel gave her updates about his whereabouts now and then. She gave Michel messages to pass the asshole. But he never replied. After three weeks, she stopped trying. What was the point? If he didn’t want to be in a relationship…

That’s when the tiny pains started. She thought it was just gas now and then. But it seems like she was probably aborting the twins. Maybe subconsciously she knew if she got rid of the babies then he’d come back. That…he’d love her again…

But after nearly destroying those precious angels… Cody was pissed. Pissed at herself for letting him get to her like that. She knew he was a selfish, controlling man. She knew his possessiveness. Yet she loved him. And what did it get her in the end? She nearly caused her on death from stress. Val didn’t tell her or anyone the true diagnosis of the doctor, but Tyler had hacked the system and showed Cody the truth. Cody’s blood pressure dropped so low that her heart stopped for several seconds. She nearly died…

A sound brought Cody from her own mind. She turned her view from the garden to see one of the mansion’s personnel setting up a food tray next to her and opening up lids. She was amused at the service. She’d only been in the house for two days, but Donya’s people made her feel like royalty. She never had to ask for anything. Food was served where ever she happened to be. Because the house was so big, there was an attendant that wouldn’t be too far from her to show her around if she got lost. And she got to play cards with Donya every day. The woman was a horrible card shark.

Though Italy was beautiful, she found she missed her friends and Molly. And even Gabe. But according to Donya, he needed some time to reflect.

When Val came to her several days ago while she was still at the hospital and proposed a temporary separation from Gabe, at first Cody was skeptical. Yes, she was angry with him for how he treated her, but she also understood that he was just acting up because of his possessiveness. But according to Donya, he was trying to control every portion of her life, and he was using her emotions and her soft-heart to manipulate her.

Cody never considered that. Yes, she let him get away with a lot of shit, like fucking her in her own office even though he had a rule to not fuck in his own. Or fucking her when she should have been getting ready for a meeting only to end up late. Or sabotaging her contracts with potential clients when she knew she was on the verge of signing them. He even stole her away to some place when she had already promised to go hang out with her friends or family. And that was before the pregnancy.

After the pregnancy, he would say little hurtful things that made her cuss him out. And that damn silent treatment! Not to mention that he wouldn’t even touch her, not even on the hand or kiss those last three months.

Then there was the damn compromise. It was the only way to allow her to have Bailey’s kids. She had made a deal with him that she would give Bailey nine months of her life but Gabe would get three years of devotion where she couldn’t speak to anyone without his permission. At the time, Cody was at a loss. She felt like a damn prisoner because she had already promised Bailey and Tyler she would help them. So, she reluctantly agreed.

She still remembered the previous condition of Gabe allowing her to be friends with Bailey and Tyler… Why was their relationship based on so many fucking conditions? She always had to get his damn permission on every major decision like she was a child. And yet…she loved him.

Cody stopped eating, leaving half her food as she stood up and stretch to keep from thinking anymore. She was tired. So tired.

“Miss, is there anything missing? Do I need to get something else?” The lady waiting on her asked.

“Huh… No, I’m… I need a nap,” Cody said, before turning to travel down the long burgundy carpeted hallway. Her steps seemed so heavy lately. Her heart always seemed to hurt. When she finally got to her gorgeous room, decorated with a Tuscany décor, Cody flopped on the bed, and wrapped the covers around her.

She must have instantly fallen asleep because she didn’t remember closing her eyes, but now she woke up and it was night. Without moving, Cody just stared into the darkness. She woke up alone again. She should be used to it by now. It was going on two months without him.

A tear peaked from the corner of her eye and she quickly wiped it away. She wasn’t pregnant anymore, so why was she still crying? She’d been alone before. She knows what it’s like to not have anyone to talk to. Before the age of seventeen, she was kept isolated for her own protection, so it shouldn’t be a big deal to be alone again. In fact, it shouldn’t be a big deal if Gabe wants to keep her all to himself for three years. What’s three years?

So she wouldn’t get to see her sister or grandmother. There was a time she didn’t even know she had a sister or grandmother. And friends? She went more than three years before without friends. It shouldn’t matter. None of it should matter.

But for some reason the sadness overwhelmed her. Was it because she now knew what it felt like to have people who cared about her? She liked being able to call Matt and laugh. Or call Bailey and just talk. Or fight with Tyler and her sister. And there was now Val who gave her such good advice.

But then she remembered how Gabe used to hold her while they watched the game. Or how he would take her on trips. His kiss. His eyes…

Cody sighed as she wiped the tears from her face not liking the feeling that kept assaulting her. She felt like she was drowning.

“If you ever feel like you can’t handle it. Call me.” She remembered Val saying. So, she did.

“Hey, Cody.” Val’s understanding voice made Cody hug herself as she held back from crying harder.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Cody choked out.

“One part is after birth hormones. One part is the emotional stress of nearly dying. And one part is that you’re going through a bad patch with Gabe.”

“I feel like it’s all my fault,” Cody blurted. “Everything! If I hadn’t agreed. If I hadn’t done it… If I-“

“If you hadn’t made your own decision about your own life, you’d still be safe and secure in his embrace where you’d never be more than his possession,”Val added sounding so understanding and accepting.

“And yet it makes me so angry! I’m monitored every damn second. I should be used to it because its been like that all my life…yet… Fuck, I’m all over the place.” Cody sucked in a pull of air trying to calm the rage inside of her.

“That’s why you need to be away from him for a while. This is a fragile time in your life and you don’t need someone who isn’t going to be supportive or who might make those emotions worse. I got a friend, she’s good with talking to people. Let me get her to contact you so you two can talk.”

“I don’t like therapists, Val.” Cody groaned.

“I know. But you need one. So, talk to her. Or just let her talk. Trust me. She did me a world of good.”

Cody thought of what Val had gone through with her previous marriage. “Gabe’s not like… He isn’t as bad as… Is he?”

Val chuckled. “If you’re talking about my ex, no. He’s definitely not that bad. But your man is possessive. And I think the pregnancy made him a little nuts, but he’s not nearly as bad as Domenic…yet. However, he was total insensitive toward you most of your pregnancy. I find that despicable.”

“Well…he’s never been really good with expressing his emotions.” Cody sighed.

“But did he even try?”

“Sort of… Not really… No, he fucking didn’t.” All eight months while she carried, he didn’t try to understand the mood swings or the babies’ effects on her body. He mostly shut her out. “Do you think it has something to do with him not wanting kids?”

“Really? That’s stupid cause they weren’t his. They were Bailey’s… Wait.”

“What?”

“Do you think Gabe might have been jealous that those weren’t his kids?” Val’s questions made Cody laugh.

“He had two daughters and didn’t give a fuck about either of us.”

“But he had both daughters with women he didn’t love. However, he loves you. Maybe, he’s considered having children with the woman he loves.”

“No way!” Cody shook her head. “He might not consider me his daughter, but I’m still his blood. That’s ridiculous… Plus he’s never mentioned it. He always talks about not wanting kids…”

They both fell silent. Cody started remembering how he stared at her stomach at times frowning…almost murderous. And how he didn’t seem to want to touch her.

“Gabe’s a lot more old-fashioned than I realized,” Cody said as something dawned on her.

Val chuckled. “He’s part Bellini and Sadik. That side of the family is mostly old-fashion.”

“Really?”

“Oh, Cody, I could tell you stories… Or ask Donya. But if you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, the fact that another man’s seed was inside you could have driven him crazy.”

“Yeah. And if that’s the case, he can kiss my ass. Bailey never fucked me. Plus, Gabe didn’t have the balls to admit that’s what was fucking with his head.”

Val chuckled. “Now you sound a lot better.”

“Thank you.”

“But you still need that therapist.”

Cody just sighed.