Countdown to "I Do" novel Chapter 16

**Midnight Roads Unseen by George Orwell**
**Chapter 16**

With a hesitant hand, Leo extracted a small, unassuming bottle of medicine from his bag, its label worn and faded. But before he could even register its significance, Ella snatched it away from him with a swift motion, her eyes gleaming with a mix of determination and excitement.

As she scrutinized the instructions, a satisfied smile spread across her lips, and Leo felt an involuntary urge to voice his concerns. “Are you really certain you want to make Adrian sterile?” he questioned, his voice laced with unease. “This is a banned drug, Ella. It inflicts severe, irreversible damage to the body. Don’t you fear that he will despise you once he discovers the truth?”

Leo was a doctor, someone Ella had crossed paths with during her travels abroad, and now he found himself back in the country alongside her. The drug was notoriously difficult to procure; he had gone to great lengths to obtain it, and the thought of being implicated in something so dangerous sent a shiver down his spine.

Ella, however, merely chuckled, her confidence unwavering. “Once I set my mind on something, no one can deter me!” she declared, her tone brimming with conviction.

“Once the child is born, I will definitely administer the drug to him. Trust me, even if he finds out, he loves me so deeply that it won’t matter to him,” she continued, her voice steady and resolute.

“He loves me unconditionally, willing to give me anything I desire. A slight physical side effect—being unable to have more children—is a small price to pay. I’m carrying his child, and I don’t even care that he once shared a past with Isabella. What more could he possibly find to be unhappy about?”

As she spoke, a contemptuous sneer curled her lips, completely dismissing the depths of Adrian’s affection. To Ella, deep affection was a tool—both utterly useless and incredibly advantageous. She could wield Adrian’s love to manipulate situations to her benefit.

With a firm grip, she clutched the medicine bottle, a sense of satisfaction coursing through her veins. Her plan was meticulously crafted, just waiting for the opportune moment to unfold. After tucking the bottle away, she noticed the panic etched across Leo’s face. Leaning in, she buried her head against his chest, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Don’t fret, Leo. I would never do anything to hurt you. Once my plan comes to fruition, it will benefit both of us. Adrian loves me; he won’t look too deeply into this. Just relax!”

Leo nodded, his smile tinged with bitterness. “I hope that’s true,” he replied softly, the weight of uncertainty hanging heavily in the air. The two of them held each other tenderly, seeking comfort in their shared moment.

“Ad… Adrian… please, let me go…” she pleaded, her tone hoarse and ragged, like a bellows gasping for air. Large, glistening tears streamed down her cheeks, splattering onto Adrian’s hands, but he remained unmoved, his expression hardening with overwhelming hatred.

“Ella, I fucking hate you!” he roared, his voice raw and filled with anguish. “I sacrificed so much for you, and to you, I was nothing more than a trophy to flaunt. I endured it all.”

“You abandoned me when I was crippled, when I was at my lowest. I tolerated that too. You saw me rise again and expected me to discard Isabella’s child and give you her kidney. I put up with everything, all because I loved you!”

“But how did you treat me? What did you truly think of me? Just your most convenient tool?” His voice trembled with fury. “I’m a living, breathing person! I have a heart, and I can feel pain too. Ella! Must you be so cruel?”

Adrian’s words echoed in the room, a raw declaration of his suffering, as he unleashed the tempest of emotions that had been pent up within him for far too long.