Page 46 of Love on the Run

Ignoring her, I look to Dr. Ito. “Well, as to that?—”

“She’s been fired, and I’ve been reassigned.” Miranda flips her now long, unbound hair over her shoulder and sits in the one of the chairs crossing one long leg over the other. “It seems everything hinged on you getting pregnant and since that didn’t happen. Things can go the way they should have all along.”

Acid burns my throat. Did everyone know?

“I know we all wished for better news Mrs. Takeda.” Dr. Ito tries to reassure me.

My head bobs like a bobble head. “What’s going on?” I ask the doctor. There is something she’s not saying.

“It not like we can’t try again.” It takes all my lagging self worth to even say the words.But does he want to?Doubt whispers insideously

“Hmm…” The aussie taps her cheek. “See? Does he want to with you though? I had doc here show him what a fecund womb I have compared to your ultra-fragile one. Two miscarriages?” She tsks like she’s reading my mind.

I flinch. My heart thuds. I couldn’t have been pregnant.

“You need to be quiet,” The doctor snaps. “This is doctor-patient confidentiality.”

“Wait.” I hold up a trembling hand. “Are you saying I was pregnant? That I’m miscarrying.”

“It was very early. I only tested your blood to confirm after Mr. Takeda informed me that your cycle started. She reaches for my hand, but I pull it back to my quivering tummy. I’m losing my baby. That’s why that first passing of blood was so much.

My hear hurts. I feel like I’m about to pass out. I move around until I’m sitting in Akchiro’s chair behind his desk. It smells like him. Like I’m safe as I stare at the impassive face of the doctor and the giddy triumph of a mere servant.

“Why didn’t you come let me know?” Dreading the answer before the question is even out of my mouth.

“Mr. Takeda didn’t want you to be upset about this. He said the last miscarriage was very hard on you.” I feel myself absently nodding. Hard? I nearly died but he wasn’t there, and it took a long time for him to forgive me for keeping that secret from him.

I see several neat envelopes. One has Dr. Ito’s severance, bonus and letter of recommendation and some of the other staff.

I pick up the one that has Miranda’s name opening it. It has her bonus and tips. Then there is a lease for an apartment at Midtown. My heart drops, that’s where he kept his mistresses before he met me. And least I thought she was lying there is a medical report inside but not only is about her fertility— it has a clean STD screening, her monthly allowance for food and clothing.

“He says he is giving you this yacht, it like the most expensive one in the world, right?”

“Is that what he said?” I ask the doctor feeling like all kinds of an idiot. Was this his revenge to kidnap me, bring me to my lowest, to make me think he loved me again only to ride out with someone the complete opposite of me?

Would he be that cruel? Yes. Would he plan his revenge to this degree to break me? Abso-fucking-lutely. Well played Mr. Takeda. You got me, I fell for it. He put the I love you cherry on top like a master chef.

There is a soft knock on the door, and the steward steps in. “You transport is here. Dr. Ito, Ms. Miranda.”

Both women move to leave. I hand them each their packages. I give them a wry smile. “Feminism at it’s finest.” Faces bloom with shame as they leave.

“Hey,” I look up to the bright smiling face of the girl who will soon know my husband as well as me. “I left something for you in the toilet roll.” She says the last part with a whisper and wink.

I’m proud of the way I manage to keep it together until I make it back to my state room. It’s not what she said, like the most in important things in the Japanese language she left the most important things unsaid. And Akchiro, despite his protestations yesterday his actions speak louder than what he said. He said, why would he need herwhilehe has me. He never said what happens when he no longer does. The doctor didn’t say we could try again. She must have advised that we don’t try.

I know how important securing the Takeda Legacy is to him but to cast me aside for it? Maybe it didn’t matter until the Aussie girl presented the perfect opportunity. Wow. That dirty motherfucker.

I sit down on the edge of the bed as wave after wave of disappointment crashes down on me. Is he going to take Asa? Jumping up. I rush to the door of the cabin. It’s still unlocked. Why wouldn’t it be? He’s giving it to me, his new lover said.

Part of me recoils at the thought. He would never do this. I tell myself rushing down the corridor. This is not his way and never with me. He’s cruel, even callus to those who’ve wrong him. He kidnapped and held his cousin away from her brothers for years. He’d do anything and who has done more to hurt and shame him than me? He’d want to see my face when he did it like when I woke. He likes his retribution up close. Maybe he can no longer be bothered.

“Stop it, Flower. You’re spiraling.” I snap to myself knowing if I rush in and Asa sees me like this he will get upset. He’s so in tune to my emotions.

“Okay,” I say, taking several deep breaths, clearing my mind and resetting my heart.

I pull the door open— to an empty room. Everything making up my son’s playroom has been wiped to a clean slate. And ordinary suite. No toddler play mats, no life size stuff animals, learning materials. All of his must haves are gone. I walkthrough hoping I’m wrong. When I get to my son’s actual bedroom, I take in the massive bed replacing where his smaller toddler bed was just yesterday.

My throat closes as I walk over to his closets and step inside them, every shelf is empty. I walk inside and — nothing.

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