3#03

3

"Valerie, the chrononautical vessel has departed. It's set to arrive at Liora Cliff's base at midnight in five days' time. Don't miss it."

I hugged myself tightly, finding solace in the thought that in less than a week, I could make my escape. I'd never have to see Rocco again.

The following day, Rocco took me shopping for a new mobile device. I was indifferent, ready to choose any phone randomly, knowing its irrelevance in the near future; after all, such technology was outdated where I was heading.

However, he was insistent. He demanded I have the most cutting-edge and costly model, refusing to budge on the matter.

As my SIM card was being transferred, Rocco briefly excused himself. Upon his return, he was carrying a high-end designer purse, a recent release with an exorbitant price tag.

"A workmate asked me to pick up a present for his partner. Since we were already here, I agreed to help out," Rocco explained, grinning. I knew the real story but remained silent, merely nodding in response.

I had been reluctant to visit Rocco's relatives. Despite our long marriage, we were childless, and his family resented me for it. But as his spouse, avoiding such a gathering would only create unnecessary tension with his mother. Skipping it seemed unwise.

As expected, the moment we were seated, his mother, holding an infant, began her sharp-tongued assault.

"Some people act like they own the place, yet they can't even reproduce. They even have their spouses claim infertility; what's their excuse?"

Rocco's expression hardened, his jaw set, ready to retort. But just as he was about to speak, his phone vibrated with two incoming messages. Without hesitation, he unlocked it and glanced at the screen. From my peripheral vision, I caught a glimpse of the message content.

The display showed an image of Avery in provocative attire, holding a positive pregnancy test, with text beneath it. [Come see me, or I'll terminate it.]

Previously, whenever Rocco's family had mistreated me, he'd been quick to defend me, shielding me from their cruelty. But now, as his mother and sister spent the past ten minutes belittling me, Rocco remained silent. He just sat there, saying nothing.

Trying to hide the phone from my view, Rocco stared at the message for what seemed like forever. When he finally looked at me, his eyes were filled with remorse.

"Valerie, my superior just called. He needs me to deliver a presentation at the office."

He was unaware that I was his superior, and he hadn't submitted any reports to me in ages.

"Go ahead," I replied, my voice steady and composed. "Work is crucial."

He stood up wordlessly, taking the designer purse with him as he left.

The moment Rocco departed, his mother and sister grew even more brazen, their mocking laughter echoing through the room.

"See? Because you can't bear children, Rocco doesn't even care about you anymore."

"Do everyone a favor and leave. If you can't give him what he desires, stop wasting his time. There are numerous women now, eager to have his children since he's caught the attention of a high-ranking executive."

I didn't respond to their jeers. Instead, I drained my wine glass in one long swig, stood up, and offered them a faint smile.

"Don't worry. You'll get precisely what you want."

They wouldn't have to wait long; someone had already assumed the role.

I turned and left, returning to my residence to organize years of collected data, preparing to transfer it to the organization's database. Only four days remained.

Meanwhile, Rocco's mother and sister, misinterpreting his silence as indifference, believed he had grown weary of me. They promptly called him, urging for a divorce, suggesting that my lack of resistance indicated I, too, wanted to end the marriage.

But Rocco's reaction was far from what they anticipated. His anger exploded. He pushed Avery off his lap, hurriedly dressed, and stormed out in a blind rage.

Upon reaching his mother's house, his fury unleashed havoc. He destroyed everything in his path, smashing furniture and possessions. The chaos peaked when he nearly harmed his sister's child, only stopping when his mother fell to her knees before him, begging for mercy.