I sat in the waiting room with one hand resting on my lap, the other slowly rubbing my stomach.
The clinic was quiet except for the soft beeping of machines and the television playing softly in the corner. I was not paying attention to it at first, until I heard a familiar name.
“Silas Cross of the Silvercrest Pack and model Elara Stone spotted at an exclusive auction,” the anchor said.
I looked up. The screen showed Silas and Elara standing close together, quite intimate.
Elara's hand rested lightly on Silas' arm, while Silas looked at her the way a man looked at his wife, full of affection and longing.
They looked like a married couple.
“They look so good together,” I overheard someone beside me say. “They’re the perfect pair!”
“That’s true. I heard they’re secretly married.”
“Really? Gosh, that’s so sweet!”
I kept my eyes on the screen, then lowered my head. I sneered.
Silas had told me this was a business trip. But nothing about what I was seeing looked like business. It looked like two people preparing to walk down the aisle.
I inhaled slowly. I wouldn’t let this matter affect me and my baby.
A nurse stepped out from the hallway. “Ms. Lavender? The doctor is ready for you.”
I stood and followed her inside. The doctor greeted me with a soft smile.
“Any pain or discomfort since your last visit?” she asked.
“No,” I answered. I kept my voice steady. “Just a bit more tired.”
“That is normal,” she nodded. “Let’s check on the baby.”
The gel felt cold against my skin, but I stayed still. The monitor lit up, and I saw the tiny form I had memorized from earlier visits. Then the heartbeat filled the room.
It was steady, strong, and alive.
The doctor nodded. “Everything looks perfect. Your baby is growing well.”
Relief eased the tightness in my chest. I didn’t grow emotional, but something inside me settled. The doctor handed me the printed ultrasound picture. I held it carefully.
This was what mattered now.
After leaving the clinic, I drove straight to Silverstone Enterprises. Seeing the name, I realized Silas had combined his with Elara’s.
No wonder he would rather work than spend time with me.
The lobby was busy. People moved quickly, talking quietly. When the receptionist saw me, her expression shifted.
“Mrs. Cross,” she said carefully. “I’m sorry, but you can’t go in right now.”
“Why not?” I asked, keeping my voice calm even as my pulse quickened.
She hesitated. “Mr. Cross has an important visitor. He requested not to be disturbed.”
I blinked. I didn’t even know Silas was back from his trip.
“I am his wife. Surely he wouldn’t mind,” I said.
She looked uneasy. “I know, ma’am. But he left strict instructions.”
I looked at her, and seeing that she wouldn’t hesitate to block me, I turned away.
But I did not leave.
I walked down the hallway to the hidden staircase that led directly to his office floor. It didn’t take me long to get there.
His office was empty. But from the private room beside it, I heard muffled sounds.
The door was slightly open. I stopped and looked inside.
Silas stood near the bed. Elara was in his arms. They were kissing, slow and familiar. His hand rested on her waist.
She smiled against his mouth.
"The baby is growing well. Can you feel it move?" She asked.
Silas touched her belly and chuckled. "How could it already move if it's only a few weeks old?"
Something inside me went silent.
I lifted my phone. My hands did not shake. I took a picture. Then another.
I placed my resignation letter on his desk and walked out.
In the car, I opened a dummy account and sent the photos to Elara’s husband.
I typed, “Is this your wife?”
My ex-fiancé, Lawrence, had cheated on me and chosen Elara. Now Elara was here to take my husband again.
But I wasn’t letting her have him this time.
At home, I gathered everything Silas had ever given me and placed them in a pile on the living room floor.
I lit a match. The flames spread slowly, then grew, swallowing every trace of him. All the memories we shared, the love I thought would last forever, were now being reduced to ashes.
As I watched the fire climb, my phone chimed. A notification.
Silas and Elara were at a bar now. Lights. Drinks. Bodies pressed close. Elara had posted the photos, captioned:
“The best night with the best man.”
I chuckled and liked it. I hearted every picture and tagged Silas openly. I felt no fear. No hesitation.
Minutes later, Silas called.
“Eris, it’s not what you’re thinking,” he said.
The background was noisy, and I heard Elara’s voice calling for him.
“Really? Then what is that? A friendly picture?” I asked, watching the flames climb higher.
“It was just a dare between friends. It didn’t mean anything. You know that.”
“Of course,” I replied calmly, walking out of the house as it burned.
“I knew you’d understand. I’ll come home tonight. I heard you went to the hospital. Are you si—”
I ended the call and threw the phone into the fire, letting it burn to ash.
Outside, the sky was darkening. Sirens were beginning to scream in the distance.
I placed my hand on my stomach.
And then—
I felt the first sharp pain.
