Alysa POV:
Leo was a premature baby, born two months early, weighing barely five pounds. His early arrival was a direct result of Cassidy's escalating manipulative behavior. My high-risk pregnancy had already been a source of constant anxiety. The doctors had warned me against stress.
Just weeks before Leo' s premature birth, Cassidy had staged what Kevin called her "most severe breakdown yet." It happened at our house. Kevin, against my pleas, had insisted she spend the day with us. He said I needed to "understand her struggles." Cassidy sat on our couch, making passive-aggressive comments about my pregnancy, touching my belly without permission.
"Oh, a baby," she had sneered, her eyes glinting with a malicious sort of amusement. "I hope it doesn't take all of Kevin's attention. Some people just aren't built for that kind of competition."
I was nine months pregnant, exhausted and vulnerable. Her words cut deep. Kevin, oblivious as ever, had merely chuckled, telling her, "Cassidy, you're being silly. Alysa knows how much I care about her."
Then, without warning, Cassidy had pulled a small, sharp knife from her purse. She slashed her own wrist, a shallow but shocking cut. Blood welled up instantly. I screamed, stepping back in horror. A spray of crimson splattered onto my face, hot and metallic. The shock, the sudden violence, sent a jolt through my entire body. I stumbled backward, the room spinning. Cassidy collapsed to the floor, feigning unconsciousness. At the same moment, a searing pain ripped through my abdomen. My water broke.
Kevin didn' t hesitate. He rushed to Cassidy, cradling her head, screaming her name. He completely ignored me, bleeding and collapsing, my life and our child's life in danger. His only focus was on his "emotionally fragile" ex-girlfriend. He scooped her up, his face a mask of terror, and carried her out the door. The image of him leaving me there, covered in her blood and my own, while he carried her away, burned itself into my memory.
I was falling. Just as my knees buckled, strong arms caught me. Julian. He was there. He must have seen everything. He had been a quiet observer, perhaps waiting to speak with Kevin. He didn't say a word, just scooped me up. His movements were swift, decisive. He carried me to his car and sped to the emergency room. The doctors told me later that Julian' s quick action, his immediate response, had saved both me and Leo. If he had waited, if he hadn't been there, neither of us would have made it.
Julian saved us. It was no wonder that in my moment of utter despair, with Leo crying from hunger, Julian was the first person I thought to call. He was the one who consistently showed up when Kevin abandoned me.
My phone buzzed, a sharp vibration against my leg. A notification. It was from the group chat Kevin had insisted I join-"Kevin's Circle of Support." Cassidy, of course, was its primary recipient.
Cassidy had posted a photo. It was a meticulously arranged plate of gourmet pastries and a steaming mug. The caption read, "Kevin knows just how to cheer me up after a tough night. Feeling so much better thanks to his unwavering support. He truly is my rock."
I stared at the picture. My eyes fixated on a hand in the corner of the frame, gently holding Cassidy's mug. It was Kevin's hand. His wedding ring gleamed on his finger.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Kevin had promised to make me breakfast in bed after Leo' s birth. "Anything you want, babe. You earned it." That promise, like so many others, was now a hollow echo. His loving gestures, once reserved for me, were now copied, pasted, and delivered to Cassidy.
Then Kevin commented on her post, for all our mutual friends to see. "Anything for you, Cass. You're so brave. My heart aches for what you go through." My heart aches. He used those words for her, a public display of affection more intimate than anything he had shown me in months.
My own heart ached, but not for Cassidy. It throbbed with a raw, ugly anger that burned like acid. What about my heart, Kevin? What about me, lying here, eight days postpartum, with our premature son starving, because you are too busy being her hero?
I saw dozens of private messages pop up. Friends offering belated congratulations, checking in. I pressed my lips together. I closed the app. I would not give Kevin or Cassidy the satisfaction of seeing me desperate or reacting publicly. I would not allow myself to be humiliated further.
