Bittersweet Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page B

January 25th. The couple became engaged in the spring of the previous year, but postponed their wedding due to Mr. Westman’s trial schedule. The new Mrs. Westman is a doctor at Boston General, an orthopedic specialist. They make their home in Beacon Hill. The Zellers will hold a reception for the newlyweds in the coming weeks.
     
    Alison ran to the bathroom and vomited, unable to keep herself from the raw emotions that spilled forth. She was shaking and knew she had to get out of the office. At that moment, her secretary walked into the restroom and heard Alison retching, asked if she needed help.
     
    Alison washed up and said she obviously was either sick or had food poisoning. Callie went to get her purse and jacket, but Alison walked back to her office to be sure her computer was off and not focused on the news she had just read. Callie called a taxi for her and Alison was home within half an hour. 
     
    She was in shock, couldn’t stop shaking, and ate nothing more than chicken noodle soup that evening. When she could finally bring herself to look at it again, she found the newspaper piece she’d printed and stared at it.
     
    The son of a bitch. That was all she could think. What a son of a bitch. He was engaged to another woman the whole time he was here, even when he said he loved her. How could he? 
     
    She showered and tried to wash him away, but it’s not that easy. Finally, knowing she had to deal with it eventually, she phoned Brenda and told her what was going on.
     
    “Ali, I am stunned and so sorry. I really am. I thought he was above that sort of thing, thought he was different. I know that probably sounds patronizing, but I also know you thought the same thing of him. How are you handling things, seriously?” 
     
    “Bren, I am still in shock, but I’m not sure if it’s because of knowing this or because he hasn’t phoned once to tell me to basically drop dead. Not once during those weeks did I have a clue that someone else was on his mind, that he was connecting to anyone else. We were together hours and days on end, without him as much as sending a text message, unless he was doing it in the bathroom. But we were even together in the bathroom a lot of the time. That’s what makes it more confusing.”
     
    “I can understand that. Especially since you said you met every night after he was finished in court and left together in the morning, so it’s not as if he was having a separate rendezvous with someone else.” 
     
    Brenda lit a cigarette, knowing Alison hated to hear her puffing away.
     
    “We can second guess until we are blue in the face and it doesn’t do any good. What is is … he’s married. That’s what is. He went away for the holidays with his family, I never heard word one from him again, and then he got married to the woman he’s been engaged to for almost a year. The woman he never mentioned, not once, not even as a past fiancé or friend.”
    Alison stopped, knowing she had said all there was to say.
     
    “Can I do anything for you? I love you and am so sorry, you know that. You deserve the best and I’m sorry this is how it turned out. I do feel terrible about it even though I know it isn’t my fault.”
     
    “No, Bren, it’s not your fault. Not at all. And thank you, but there’s nothing you can do but continue to be my friend, okay? I need that now more than anything.” 
     
    “It’s yours without the asking. I am here if you need anything. Let me know when you’d like to get together for dinner or such, okay? Stay strong.”
     
    “Thank you, Bren. I love you for caring. Thank you.”
     

Chapter Seven
     
    A few days later, Alison knew that she was pregnant without even looking at the calendar to keep track of her period. She was as regular as clockwork and suddenly was faced with a situation that never before entered the lexicon of her thinking let alone her life.
     
    She bought a home pregnancy test but it was negative, yet she knew