Chapter 20: Heartless

"Why are you so heartless?" her eyes turn red. "Mom, don't! It's not worth it..." Keith tugged at Samantha's arm. She shrugged Keith's hand, "No! I must settle this today! You've sacrificed a lot for her, but what did she do?!" "She kidnapped your friends! She kidnapped my children! She wants you to suffer! How could you let her be?!" tears flow down her cheeks. Vale pursed her lips. She did nothing wrong. She just abides by her principal ‘an eye for an eye'. What's wrong with that? Keith can hurt her, but she can't? Ridiculous! She sneered, "Aunt, how could this be my fault? Keith hurt me first. I wouldn't have done this if he hadn't insulted me and kicked me out of his house. He even said that he wanted to marry Sherry." "Shut up! You're just looking for an excuse! He said all that, and you believe him? He trusted you but have you ever trust him? Never!" Vale stiffened when her words hit home. "Mom, she's pregnant. It wouldn't be good for them if you do this today. Come on. You can talk to her someday later." Keith tried to persuade his mother to leave. "Until now, you still care for her? This ungrateful, liar, two-faced bitch? She doesn't deserve your love!" Vale shakes her head and turned around to go back inside the house when Samantha spokes, "Why did you take that punishment for her? Why did you exchange your life for her? You endured it for 6 months! Why does God want to take you away before me? How would I live if I lose you too?" Keith felt as if his heart had been ripped out of him. "Mom, stop crying. I wouldn't be able to go peacefully if you keep crying like this." his voice broke as he hugged her sideways. They walk towards the waiting car. Vale watched the mother and son walk away. People who saw them would feel sad seeing their back. Unspeakable pain pierced her heart, and her body couldn't help but shiver in chills when she recalled their words. Keith took the punishment for her. He exchanged his life for her. He endured for 6 months. What did they mean? A sob rang out, and it took her a while before she realizes that it came from her. Her eyes blurred, and hot tears streamed non-stop down her cheeks. She wobbled inside and sat on her couch with difficulty as she cried her hearts out. A sudden kick on her stomach made her whimper in pain. It was as if the baby knows what she had done and wasn't pleased about it. But, she didn't expect the baby to kick her once more. She gripped the cushion beside her as she holds her aching belly. God, it hurts! Sweat dripped down her forehead as she closed her eyes and tried to endure the pain. "Vale? Hey...hey...are you alright?" "My belly hurts..." she opened her eyes and was shocked when she saw him. "...Keith? What-" Without saying anything, Keith carried Vale bridal style and walked out of the door in large strides and towards the car that was waiting outside her house. "To the hospital. Hurry!" "Yes, sir!" the driver immediately opened the passenger seat door before he walked to the driver's seat. Vale gripped Keith's arm as she moaned in pain every now and then. "Hold on." Keith wiped the sweat on Vale's pale face. As a matter of fact, he returned to her house to ask her to ignore his mother's words. Who knows that he would found her in a pained state? If he didn't return... Keith immediately dismissed the thought away. What matters now is her current state. Vale's heart shook when she saw the concern on the man's face, "Keith...tell me...what your mom said-" "Shh... let's talk later..." "We're here." the driver parked the car at the entrance of the hospital. Keith had notified the hospital of his arrival on their way here. A group of people dressed in white were already waiting for him at the hospital entrance. He glanced at the wheelchair that they prepared before stepping inside the hospital, ignoring the baffled look on the doctors face. However, none of them dared to complain because Keith or Kyle Johnson owned the hospital. They chased after the CEO in haste. **** A few minutes after the doctor examined Vale, Keith stood up from where he was sitting and approached the hospital bed. "How are they?" he glared at the team head, Dr Huna. Dr Huna gulped before answering, "She's under a lot of pressure, and this had impacted the baby a lot. She needs a lot of rest and should eat more nutritious food." Dr Huna pursed her lips as she looks at Vale, "You're 8 months pregnant now. Don't tell me you still carry heavy things and walk around like a non-pregnant woman?" Upon hearing Dr Huna's scolding, Vale pursed her lips but was forced to lower her head when she felt the glares from the other side of the bed. Dr Huna sighed and turned to Keith, "Mr Johnson, please take care of your wife and your baby. Also, please tell your baby not to kick your wife's belly too hard. There are at least a few more weeks before the baby will be born. Tell it to be patient." Keith gave Dr Huna a blank stare in return. All he could process in his brain were the words ‘take care of your wife' and ‘baby kick stomach'. Dr Huna prepared to leave the room with her subordinates before she turned around, "Oh and please take care of your emotions. At this point, the baby could sense the emotions of their parent. So...I believe you know what to do." They close the door behind them, leaving the two-person in the room. "Where's Xavier?" Vale was stunned when she heard his question. After all, wasn't he supposed to ask her how she's feeling first? Vale mocked herself mentally. Why would he? Seeing no response from her, Keith fished out his phone and handed it to Vale, "Call him. I'll come back later." He left the room. Vale stared at the phone in her hand in a daze. Why did he ask her to call Xavier? Did he really think that she and Xavier were a thing? Tears flow down her cheeks once more. Does he have no feelings for her anymore?