Kate Gilbert clutched her pregnancy report as she watched Charles Roulstone from across the rooftop of Gilbert General Hospital.
She was over the moon.
She was going to have a baby!
Would that make him look at her differently?
Naw, she was reading too much into it.
Charles shot her a frosty look, "Kate, our marriage was purely business. You got your baby, that's what you wanted, wasn't it? What else do you need?"
"Charlie, you know what I'm after," her voice was brittle. "I just have some news you might wanna hear. I'm positive you'll..."
"Why would anything about you be considered good news?"
Interrupting Kate, Fiona Johns cut in, "Quit playing detective, Kate! Charlie couldn't even look at you after you manipulated him into sleeping with you by blackmailing him with Gilbert and Roulstone Industries!"
"And now you're using your life as leverage? You've gone off the deep end!"
Fiona sidled up to Kate, making a show of tripping and twisting her ankle.
Charles came running over, gently encouraging, "Fiona, watch your footing. You don’t wanna hurt yourself."
Turning on Kate, he admonished, "Are you out of your mind? How could you do this to her? She's carrying a baby!"
"Charlie, it wasn't my fault!..."
He cut her off, "I'm telling you now, Kate. You better not pull any stunts with Fiona! Else I'll make your life a living hell!"
Kate's heart ached at his words.
She spent two years as a Mrs.Roulstone and yet she felt like a ghost in her husband's eyes.
Their forced union had robbed him of his shot at true love with Fiona.
Charlie had made his promise to his folks, swearing he would never see Fiona again, but here she was, in their town, Riverdale!
Carrying his child no less!
Mustering some courage, Kate confronted him, "Charlie, what are you trying to say?"
"Oh, I guess I forgot to mention," Fiona interjected.
After scrolling through her phone, Fiona revealed a series of wedding photos, striding towards Kate with an unhindered pace, "Have a look at these, our wedding photos from last week."
As Kate took in the images, she felt her heart drop.
These had been taken when she had been suffering from her worst bout of morning sickness. She had tried reaching Charlie, hoping he could take her to the hospital.
But he brushed her off, claiming to be busy, and asked her to handle it with the butler.
Now it all made sense, his excuse of 'being busy' was a cover for taking memory snaps with Fiona.
Ignoring Fiona's taunts, Kate turned her focus on Charlie, "Three months ago, when you went on that business trip to New Zealand, did you meet her there?"
Ready to respond, Charlie gave Kate a harrowing look.
Before he could, Fiona smugly revealed, "No. Charlie did go on business. But after, we jetted off to Maldives together."
While playing with her belly, she let the implication of her actions hang in the air.
Kate married Charlie the same year he took control of Roulstone Industries.
When he'd denied her a wedding photoshoot, she rationalized that he was busy.
Now, she knew he had time, he just didn't want to share it with her.
His time was reserved for Fiona.
Kate crushed the report and turned to Charlie, "You've always wanted out of this marriage, right? Now that you've got the photos and Fiona's having a baby, you have my blessings."
Charlie squinted at her, Is she playing games?
"You're the one saying it, Kate," he retorts.
"All there's left to do is sign the papers, I'll have my lawyer send them to you," Kate scoffed.
Fiona was thrilled. Hoping to cement Charlie's commitment, she cradled her belly, "Charlie, I think...my stomach hurts"
Instantly, Charlie shifted his focus.
He scooped Fiona off her feet, promising "Fiona, don’t worry. I'll rush you to a doctor.
As Charlie ran off with Fiona looking tense, Kate felt her heart crumble, making it hard for her to breathe.
Her impending divorce was nothing compared to feeling replaced.
"Seeing as he loves her so much, let's not give each other a hard time," Kate thought.
She quickly dialed her lawyer, "I want a divorce. Yeah, I mean it. Get the papers ready. I'm on my way.”
Gilbert Law Firm.
After signing the divorce papers, Kate requested the lawyer, "Once Charlie signs, my parents should know."
"Miss Gilbert, where will you be heading?" the attorney asked, sensing something amiss.
"I'm planning to go overseas for a bit," Kate disclosed, "You needn’t worry, I just need a change of scene. I won't do anything stupid."
Once she left the firm, she headed straight towards the airport.
Hardly had she hit the city outskirts when a cavalcade of black cars waylaid her.
The men smashed her car window, hauled her out, and bundled her into one of their cars!
They tied her hands and feet and put on a blindfold. Kate could only scream, "Who sent you?! If it's about the money, name your price!"