Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do - Chapter 3: Chapter 3
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Louis's lips curled into an icy sneer.
"Still playing dumb? I know everything—how ten years ago, you—"
Before he could finish, Nicole burst into the room, cutting him off. "Louis, I don't feel good. Take me to the hospital?"
I shot to my feet, desperate for answers, but Louis shoved past me before I could get a word out. Nicole clung to his arm as they stormed away, leaving me standing there, frozen. Frustration burned in my chest, threatening to spill over—but I forced myself to stay composed.
A little later, I headed to the hospital.
The room was quiet except for the steady beep of machines. I sat beside my mother's bed, gently holding her hand.
"Mom, you always said Auntie took her own life because she couldn't bear watching Uncle die from the curse after he betrayed her. That's why you warned me—never marry, never trust anyone to stay loyal."
I let out a shaky breath. "I get it now. I was wrong. But I won't punish myself for someone else's mistakes. I'll be okay. Just wake up soon, okay?"
When visiting hours ended, I wiped my tears and slipped out. But as I crossed the lobby, I ran straight into Louis.
"Following me now?" he snapped, disgust flashing in his eyes.
I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm.
"Elise, I'm talking to you. Are you deaf?"
I yanked free. "If you've got issues, see a doctor. Stop taking it out on me like some rabid dog. You really think I'm here for you? My mother's in this hospital. I visit her every damn day."
The bitterness in my voice surprised even me—but it felt good to finally say it.
Louis froze. His gaze dropped to the tear streaks on my face, and for a second, his tone softened. "I… forgot. I was in a hurry—"
Before I could respond, Nicole appeared, wedging herself between us. She waved an ultrasound report in Louis's face.
"Look, the baby's perfect! See? The nose and eyes are just like yours," she cooed, sickly sweet.
Louis smiled, tender. "Better if they look like you. Then I'll have two little treasures."
Nicole giggled, shooting me a sidelong glance. "Oh, stop. Elise is still here—she'll get so upset."
The old me would've exploded. I would've screamed, demanded answers, made a scene.
Now? Nothing. Just cold emptiness. I turned to leave.
Nicole called after me, sugar-coated venom in her voice. "Elise! Tomorrow's our wedding. You should come—be our emcee!"
I stopped. Turned. Locked eyes with Louis.
A sarcastic smile twisted my lips. "Let me get this straight. You're marrying your mistress… and you want me, your wife, to host? You two really know how to twist the knife, huh?"
Guilt flickered in Louis's eyes before his face darkened. "Elise, don't be like this. You've had me for years. I'm just giving Nicole the wedding she deserves. Why are you so petty?"
I opened my mouth to refuse—but he cut me off.
"You will be there tomorrow. Unless you've forgotten… your mother still needs the Andersons' imported medication."
My fists clenched so tight I barely noticed the wound reopening, blood seeping through my fingers.
Louis had gone all out—Nicole's wedding was even grander than ours five years ago.
The moment I walked in, whispers erupted.
"Elise Jefferson actually showed up? Talk about a forgiving wife."
"Guess those rumors about the Jefferson women were just lies to trap a man," someone snickered.
Another guest laughed. "Tried to curse men into loyalty, and now no one will marry them. Pathetic."
"Still playing dumb? I know everything—how ten years ago, you—"
Before he could finish, Nicole burst into the room, cutting him off. "Louis, I don't feel good. Take me to the hospital?"
I shot to my feet, desperate for answers, but Louis shoved past me before I could get a word out. Nicole clung to his arm as they stormed away, leaving me standing there, frozen. Frustration burned in my chest, threatening to spill over—but I forced myself to stay composed.
A little later, I headed to the hospital.
The room was quiet except for the steady beep of machines. I sat beside my mother's bed, gently holding her hand.
"Mom, you always said Auntie took her own life because she couldn't bear watching Uncle die from the curse after he betrayed her. That's why you warned me—never marry, never trust anyone to stay loyal."
I let out a shaky breath. "I get it now. I was wrong. But I won't punish myself for someone else's mistakes. I'll be okay. Just wake up soon, okay?"
When visiting hours ended, I wiped my tears and slipped out. But as I crossed the lobby, I ran straight into Louis.
"Following me now?" he snapped, disgust flashing in his eyes.
I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm.
"Elise, I'm talking to you. Are you deaf?"
I yanked free. "If you've got issues, see a doctor. Stop taking it out on me like some rabid dog. You really think I'm here for you? My mother's in this hospital. I visit her every damn day."
The bitterness in my voice surprised even me—but it felt good to finally say it.
Louis froze. His gaze dropped to the tear streaks on my face, and for a second, his tone softened. "I… forgot. I was in a hurry—"
Before I could respond, Nicole appeared, wedging herself between us. She waved an ultrasound report in Louis's face.
"Look, the baby's perfect! See? The nose and eyes are just like yours," she cooed, sickly sweet.
Louis smiled, tender. "Better if they look like you. Then I'll have two little treasures."
Nicole giggled, shooting me a sidelong glance. "Oh, stop. Elise is still here—she'll get so upset."
The old me would've exploded. I would've screamed, demanded answers, made a scene.
Now? Nothing. Just cold emptiness. I turned to leave.
Nicole called after me, sugar-coated venom in her voice. "Elise! Tomorrow's our wedding. You should come—be our emcee!"
I stopped. Turned. Locked eyes with Louis.
A sarcastic smile twisted my lips. "Let me get this straight. You're marrying your mistress… and you want me, your wife, to host? You two really know how to twist the knife, huh?"
Guilt flickered in Louis's eyes before his face darkened. "Elise, don't be like this. You've had me for years. I'm just giving Nicole the wedding she deserves. Why are you so petty?"
I opened my mouth to refuse—but he cut me off.
"You will be there tomorrow. Unless you've forgotten… your mother still needs the Andersons' imported medication."
My fists clenched so tight I barely noticed the wound reopening, blood seeping through my fingers.
Louis had gone all out—Nicole's wedding was even grander than ours five years ago.
The moment I walked in, whispers erupted.
"Elise Jefferson actually showed up? Talk about a forgiving wife."
"Guess those rumors about the Jefferson women were just lies to trap a man," someone snickered.
Another guest laughed. "Tried to curse men into loyalty, and now no one will marry them. Pathetic."
End of Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do Chapter 3. Continue reading Chapter 4 or return to Till Death Do Us Part... Or I Do book page.