Chapter 7
I shook my head. “I won’t go back with you, and I won’t believe any more of your lies.”
“You don’t need to make any promises to me. Once the baby is gone, we’ll get divorced. Whatever you do with others after
that has nothing to do with me!”
“Impossible!” David shouted. “Nora, you want to abort the baby? You want a divorce? I’m telling you, it’s not happening!”
“Give it up! I’ve already spoken to the hospital. No one here will perform an abortion for you! You’d better just come back
home with me quietly.”
I screamed, “David Brooks, you’re insane! Get out!”
As I pushed David out of the room, he braced himself against the doorframe. “Nora, just stay here and rest for a couple of
days. I’ll take care of those women and then bring you home.”
As soon as David left, I packed my things, planning to switch to another hospital.
There are plenty of hospitals. If this one won’t do it, I’ll find another. I refuse to believe David can control everything.
Just as I finished packing and was about to check out, the door to my room burst open.
It was Karen Bennett, the secretary I’d seen cuddling with David in his office.
Her hair was disheveled, and her makeup was smeared. It looked like she’d been crying.
“Do you need something?” I started to dismiss her.
I
But Karen glared at me viciously. “You low–life, you old hag, you plain Jane. Have you looked in a mirror? How dare you
try to compete with me for a man.”
“You’re only so brazen because you’re pregnant with Mr. Brooks‘ child, demanding he fire me, aren’t you?”
“I heard you’re making a fuss about getting an abortion? Perfect, I’ll give you a hand. Let’s see what you’ve got left to
compete with me, you old woman!”
“I heard your health isn’t good? Well, I’m doing this child a favor. Who knows if it would be sickly when it’s born. You
should be thanking me!”
As she spoke, she lunged at me.
My body felt clumsy. I tried to dodge but couldn’t move fast enough. She knocked me to the ground.
“You bitch! Why don’t you just die? If you were dead, I’d be Mrs. Brooks!”
“And that bastard in your belly! Die, both of you! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been fired, I wouldn’t have broken up
with him!”
“You deserve to die! Die!”
I struggled to throw off the woman sitting on top of me, punching and kicking, but she had me pinned down.
Her fists pounded my stomach again and again.
The pain was unbearable. I let out a piercing scream.
“Help-”
I shouted with all the strength I had left.
I felt a warm wetness between my legs. Through the haze, I saw Karen’s panicked face and her silhouette as she fled in terror.
Here’s the translated version, maintaining the emotional depth and relationship complexities of the original text:
