Chapter 4
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When Austin lifted his head again, his face was filled with panic, despair, and pain.
“H–How did this happen? I’m sorry, Bella. I thought you were lying out of jealousy and had a C–section ahead of time. I didn’t know our son was dead. I-}}
His little sorry act only rubbed me the wrong way.
If he cared at all about me or our child, he wouldn’t have left us to tend to a pregnant dog.
In a hurry to host my son’s funeral service, I had no time to waste. I brushed past him to get
away.
Autumn had been by my side the whole time. We were stepping into the car.
Aaron caught up to us, his face flushed. “I’m sorry, Autumn. I was wrong before. I-”
“You’re an idiot!”
Without looking at him, Autumn slammed the car door shut.
We took a ride to the cemetery.
Kirsty and the shaken brothers arrived soon after.
I furrowed my brows at their presence.
However, today was my son’s burial, and the last thing I wanted was for his final moments to be disrupted.
I held my tongue.
Kirsty walked up to his grave and started bawling her eyes out.
“It’s unfair that a child has to pay for an adult’s mistake. I feel sorry for you, child. Rest assured, though. Your brother, Toebeans, will carry a part of you and live on, knowing your father’s love.”
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Chapter 4
Toebeans was the name of the puppy she had given to Austin.
My head was pounding like a drum.
Smack!
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Springing to action, I slapped Kirsty in the face. “You’re the reason my son is dead. Why must you show up here to torment him? Have you no shame?”
Autumn grabbed Kirsty by the hair and yanked her away. “Get lost! You’re not welcome
here.”
Crying from the pain, Kirsty turned to the brothers in desperation.
Aaron, no longer grieving, jumped in to pull Autumn away.
Suddenly, guilt and regret lost their hold on Austin as he angrily pushed me. “Have you lost
it?”
Weak from the postpartum hemorrhage, I tumbled to the ground.
Austin panicked and tried to help me up.
Autumn, one step ahead of him, held me, her face flushed red.
“I thought you were heartless when you were too busy delivering puppies to care about your wife and baby. Bella barely made it out alive, and now you’re getting physical with her.
I didn’t know you were abusive too, Austin. Unbelievable!”
Austin stammered, “I–I didn’t mean to. You were mean to Kirsty, and I just snapped.”
He turned to me. “It’s my fault that I didn’t rush to help you and our baby, but Kirsty has
done nothing to you. She’s innocent. I can overlook the fact that you and Autumn have always been jealous of her, but why are you taking your anger out on her?”
Aaron sighed. “It’s my mistake that I didn’t provide the medicine when my nephew needed
- it. But Autumn, you and Bella shouldn’t blame Kirsty for it. What did she do to deserve
this?”
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Chapter 4
Kirsty covered her swollen face and wailed, “It’s okay. They’re upset. I won’t hold it against them.”
Then, she passed out.
Austin and Aaron caught her before she could fall.
“Kirsty!”
“Kirsty!”
Austin carried Kirsty away, not even staying for his son’s funeral.
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Aaron shot one lingering, resentful look at me and Autumn, cursed under his breath, and
left.
Autumn saw red. “How could I be so blind to fall for this idiot?”
I smiled bitterly. “I’m no better.”
Not wanting to talk about the brothers, we carried on with the funeral.
However, Austin and Aaron wouldn’t leave us alone.
They cornered us at the cemetery gate as soon as the funeral was over.
Austin grabbed me and snapped, “I understand that you lost your child and nearly died, but
you shouldn’t take your anger out on the innocent. Kirsty doesn’t owe you anything. Come with me to her place right now and apologize.”
Aaron stood in Autumn’s way, his expression stoic. “You too.”
“What’s your problem?”
Autumn whipped her hand across his face.
I pulled out a stack of photos from my bag and threw them in Austin’s face. “Take a good look! Now tell me, is your little lover really that innocent?”
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