Chapter 14

Carly left the church, feeling much better. Hope didn't have the power to hurt her;if she thought she could drive her out of Salem with vindictiveness, she obviously didn't know her at all. If anything, she would simply rise higher above the ashes. Starting right now.

Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed a number from memory.

'Hi babe.'

'Hey you. How's the trip so far?'

'Going on well. Looks like I'll be in Salem sooner than I thought.'

'I'm glad to hear that.' Carly said her voice steady. 'Because I want us to pick a wedding date, if that's okay with you.'

Silence at Tony's end. Then, 'Really? I thought we decided to have a long engagement.'

'Well, I can't think of any good reason to delay it. I really want to marry you. I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't, now would I?'

'I guess not. If you're absolutely sure; what say we get married in a month?'

'I say yes.'

'I'll be over soon so we can talk about this some more, okay? Love you, Manning.'

'I love you too. Come soon.'

Carly hung up, closing her eyes in deep thought. She was doing the right thing; sweeping the past behind her. Tony loved her; he was her future. And… she vowed, he was going to get the best of her.

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'Have you lost your mind?' Kayla exclaimed. 'What the hell were you thinking?'

'I was so angry at the things she was saying that it just came out!' Hope said defensively. 'I just wanted to hurt her, shut her up.'

'Damn it, Hope; you shouldn't have said that, not that! Bo and Carly tried so hard to have a baby; it really tore her apart when they couldn't. That was hitting way below the belt!'

Hope paced her living room, disconcerted. 'Okay, I screwed up. What am I going to now; she's going to tell Bo and he'll skin me alive.'

'Well that's something you don't have to worry about, Carly's not going to tell him.'

'How can you be so sure about that?'

'Trust me; if there's one thing Carly Manning's good at, it's keeping a secret.' Kayla said drily. 'She's a very proud woman; she'll definitely keep this to herself. The worse she could do is telling Adrienne.'

Hope groaned. She and Justin's wife did not get along; Adrienne was cold and rather rude to her these days; whether because Carly was her friend or Justin's former feelings for her, she had no idea.

She truly felt ashamed of what she'd done after what Kayla revealed but Carly's words had really stung; making her out as a spoilt brat pampered by everyone and accusing her of deliberately setting out to harm Bo and the others, all together making her feel small and the feeling hadn't been pleasant at all. She could only hope that Kayla was right or all hell was going to break loose.

They both started when the doorbell rang; Hope went to answer it. It was Lexie.

'Lexie, hi… what are you doing here?' Hope asked as Lexie stepped past her. Lexie's striking face wore a grim look.

'Is something wrong?' Kayla asked.

'Yes, there's something wrong, your sister in law here.'

Hope's chest sank. 'What do you mean?'

Lexie faced her best friend squarely. 'Hope, you and I go way back but I still got some regard for Carly, enough to come here to tell you to lay off her. She's one of the best physicians in the hospital and I don't want anything or anyone affecting her work.'

'Lexie…'

'Which means…' Lexie's voice rose, 'any problem you have with her, try and keep it to yourself for once. You and Bo are back together, case closed! '

'You don't understand the situation,' Kayla butted in. 'Bo's threatening to leave Hope for Carly.'

That threw Lexie off guard. 'Excuse me?' she glanced at Hope. 'Is this true?'

Hope sighed, spreading her arms. 'We're back to square one. Bo's obviously still in love with Carly and I don't how to salvage it this time.' Except she probably had by a vicious lie, which was still making her cringe.

'You can't blame Carly for every little problem you have with Bo, their break up was in mutual agreement.'

'So was his breakup with Billie and look what happened.' Hope retorted.

'Carly has no right coming between them like this and I plan to straighten her out as well.' Kayla vowed coldly.

'You aren't going to do anything; you leave Carly alone. She's not after Bo, because she's seeing someone else and they are getting married.'

Kayla raised her eyebrows while Hope was speechless. 'Are you serious?'

'If you don't believe me, the green rock on her finger's enough evidence. She told me as soon as she got in from New York. She's moved on and God knows it was hard for her.' She turned to Hope again. 'So for God sake, stop using her as your damn whipping boy and settle your differences with your husband! Good bye.'

With that, she left; slamming the door behind her.

'Oh God…' Hope sank on the nearest chair. 'I'm such an idiot!' she covered her face with her hands.

Kayla swallowed her shock at Lexie's news. 'Don't be too hard on yourself, it was just a stupid impulse on your part.'

'And cruel and so uncalled for! She's going to tell Bo to spite me; she gets her happy ending and I get divorced.' Hope's tone was bitter. 'Or maybe she's using her engagement to force Bo to make up his mind real quick. I'm not buying this, Kayla, not for one minute.'

Despite what she'd said about Carly to Bo; Kayla couldn't believe it either.

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Gus had managed to hear Carly say, "I killed my unborn child" before being sent away by a stern nun who caught him hovering near the confessional. Waiting patiently outside the church he was able to hear her phone conversation and couldn't wait to give Madam his report.

Vivian was full of spiteful glee. 'So… the saintly Dr. Manning has a demoralizing skeleton in her closet, an abortion!'

'It seems so Madam, I wasn't able to hear more than that, I'm afraid.'

'No, my dear boy; you hear more than enough to crumble Carly's world once and for all.'

'What's the plan, inform Dr. Carver?'

Vivian waved her hand impatiently at the suggestion. 'It was performed on her; not her performing it on a patient; Lexie Carver won't see it as a basis to revoke Carly's license. I have to find another way of using this delicious piece of information.' Vivian paced about. 'She resented Bo Brady that much to actually get rid of his bastard… it is true about hell having no fury than a woman scorned.' She snorted. 'My oh my Carly… so that's what you did during your time away. I wonder what your precious Italian would say…'

She suddenly laughed, delightedly. 'But of course!'

Gus looked at her in askance. 'What is, Madam?'

'Don't you see? This won't be something she would've told her fiancé. Carly's all about secrets, Gus. If I tell Bo Brady, he wouldn't care less since he's back with his wife; he'll probably just be glad he had a narrow escape! But Tony Delfino… let's see if he'll come to Carly's defense when he finds out about this.'

Gus nodded. 'How do you intend to tell him?'

Vivian's smile was vindictive and spread right across her face. 'Once you find out when and where they are getting married, this will make a perfect wedding present for him. When they're about to take their vows, I will drop this bombshell. Let's see if she'll have a husband or any friends remaining then.'

It was the perfect plan.

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Bo couldn't wait to see Carly again; the time she'd spent out of town had seemed like an eternity. Isabella's stern words had lit a fire under him; he wasn't going to rest until he got her back again and really put things right; make up for the months of pain and loneliness. He wondered when she will return from New York; he had a lot to say to her.

He ran into Adrienne outside the Pub; she visibly stiffened on sighting him. 'Bo.'

He sighed at the cool manner she greeted him. 'Come on Adrienne, must we keep doing this?'

Adrienne shrugged. 'The situation between us isn't my fault.'

'There is no situation between us.'

'Other than the fact that I lost any respect I have for you; no thanks to you breaking Carly's heart. Thank God she's found a man who really knows what he wants.'

'Carly's still in love with me.'

Adrienne let out a contemptuous snort. 'So sure of yourself aren't you?'

'That's right.' Bo said firmly. 'She's mine and I'm going to have her back; as soon as she gets back from New York.'

'She and Melanie are already back… whoa there!' she added as a delighted smile appeared on Bo's face. 'You might as well know this now, Carly and Tony and engaged.'

And instantly, the smile vanished at her words. 'What?'

'You heard me. Tony proposed to Carly and she said yes.'

'I don't believe you.' His voice was tight, his brown eyes flashing. 'She can't marry that guy, she just can't!'

'Well why not?' Adrienne spat angrily. 'Did you expect her to keep crying her heart over you, Bo Brady? She deserves better than nursing a broken heart or watch you humiliate her by cuddling up to your wife!'

'Hope and I…'

'Your marriage is none of my business but Carly's very much my business; she's in love, she's happy again and you are to leave her alone!' Adrienne said sharply. Any doubts of Carly really wanting this marriage was dispelled after Melanie's call about Hope's visit. Bo was so cynical and two faced; she could barely tolerate him right now.

'Carly's in love with me.' Bo said stubbornly, getting over the shock. 'No one else but me; we are meant to be together. Tony Delfino's nothing but a damned security blanket.'

'YOU ARE A MORON!' Adrienne cried. 'Get the message once and for all, Bo; she's moved on with her life, she's wearing Tony's ring- she wants nothing to do with you! What woman would stay faithful to a guy who did nothing but jerk her around, who forgot all about her and she had to face losing…' She stopped immediately, biting her lip at her blunder.

'What?' Bo asked, eyes narrowed. Again the " losing"; third time in a row. 'What are you talking about?'

'Nothing.' Adrienne made to pass him but Bo barred her way. 'Nothing my ass! What do mean by that. What did she lose? Tell me!'

Adrienne glared at him. She wasn't Steve Johnson's sister for nothing. 'Yell at me as long as you want I am not telling you a damn thing. I've got more loyalty for Carly than for you; or your so called wife! Get the hell out of my way!'

Bo stood there, staring after her; his mind working furiously. First Melanie, Izzy then Adrienne… what were they talking about?

Carly's pain was far worse than yours…

Hasn't she lost enough?

This isn't not forgiving you, I can't forgive you.

As though a picture flashed before him, the image of the little girl in his dreams came to mind. She looked exactly like Zach… no not quite, there was something different… What? What?

His blood ran cold as realization hit him; the difference was the hair colour… it wasn't black like his; it was…. Chestnut brown!

'Oh my God…' he whispered. Her hair colour matched Carly's…. Gwyneth was their unborn child!

No, no… that's crazy; if Carly was pregnant, she would have told me! He argued with himself. She would tell me; no matter how angry she was!

He also remembered something, she'd taken a two month leave of absence; a woman in her position would've left town; keeping the child away from him, that is if his suspicion was true. Why a leave of absence instead of leaving town all together?

A horrible thought came to mind and he shook his head, refusing to believe she would stoop that low just to punish him. 'No…' he said savagely. 'Oh hell no….'

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After spending some time by herself in the park where she had a good cry, Carly phoned Melanie to assure her she was fine and that she was going home, she wasn't on call and there was plenty of time to tell Daniel and Jennifer; if Lexie hasn't told them already.

As she was about to open the glass doors of her building, a pair of hands grabbed her from behind and roughly spun her round, making her shriek.

'How dare you?' Bo shouted, shaking her hard. 'How dare you think of marrying another man without telling me about my child!'

'Let go of me!' Carly struggled angrily.

'You ran out of town because you were pregnant, weren't you, weren't you!' he shook her again. 'What did you do to my child? What?'

Carly couldn't believe what he was insinuating. Freeing an arm, she slapped him hard on the cheek; pushing him away from her. On top of his wife's cruel announcement he was pouring the ultimate insult on her.

'You think… you actually think…' she was trembling with rage. 'You son of a bitch- you think I had an abortion?!'

'Why the hell did you really leave town then; for two whole months?!'

'To get the hell away from you; to save myself!' Carly shouted back. 'And I didn't have an abortion; it was a miscarriage- A MISCARRIAGE! I lost our baby because of YOU!'

Bo could only stare at her speechless and then, to Carly's horror, began to weep loudly; covering his face with his hands.

Anger gone, Carly walked up to him. 'Bo…' she whispered.

As soon as he felt her soft hands touching him, Bo pulled Carly against him; burying his head against her neck and for a long time they cried in each other's arms.