6. Come Back

Dominic

My phone had been buzzing non-stop in my pocket, the vibration so persistent it felt like it was drilling into my thigh. Liam turned to me again, giving me that look like he couldn’t understand why I was still ignoring it.

“Dude, at least pick up and let her know you’ll come visit as soon as the honeymoon is done,” Liam said, his hand flying in the air as he sat sprawled on the chair in my hotel room.

“Leana won’t listen to that right now. In fact, she’ll want me to take the next flight back to Italy,” I said, changing into my casual outfit, dragging the zipper of my jacket up before reaching for the bottle of Jameson on the table. I uncapped it and poured a shot into the glass, the sound of liquid hitting the glass echoing a little too loudly in the silence between us.

“Now I truly pity your situation—a pregnant fiancée and a new bride.” He shook his head slowly, throwing his head back in loud laughter.

His words stabbed me harder than I expected, even though I knew he was just being an asshole again. Still, they landed like blows to the gut. I cupped the last shot of my drink in my palm and gulped it down in one go, the heat burning down my throat and hitting my stomach.

What ridiculous situation was this? I honestly hadn’t thought it would be this hard. After all, it was only supposed to be for twelve freaking months. Just twelve. That was what I kept repeating to myself every day, but right now it already felt like a lifetime.

The phone buzzed again, and this time I knew I couldn’t keep ignoring it. With a long exhale, I let my thumb slide across the green icon. The screen blinked, and the countdown indicated the call had been connected.

“Babe… why were you not taking my calls?” Leana’s voice broke through the speaker, thick with sobs. My heart ached immediately, the kind of ache that made breathing hurt. “Don’t—don’t tell me you’re already agreeing with your stepfather to leave me and our baby for a business marriage.”

Her words twisted the knife already lodged in my chest.

“Hey sweetheart, that’s not possible,” I said quickly, but even as the words left my mouth, I wasn’t sure if they were true anymore. I shouldn’t have let this shit go this far in the first place. I should have put a stop to it when I still had the chance. “Listen, you know I love you and that will never change. I already explained to you that in six months I’ll begin the process for the divorce, and by the twelfth month, we’ll be together. I’ll come see you and the baby as often as I can, okay?”

My voice played off the phone like I was trying to reassure her, but the truth was, I was trying to reassure myself. Engraving those words into my head felt like the only way I could survive this mess. God, I felt pathetic. Pathetic for hurting the woman I love, for being here instead of with her.

“I wanna see you, Dominic,” she whispered softly.

“You can turn on FaceTime,” I said quickly, needing to see her. I brought the phone closer to my face and switched over to video.

Her blonde hair filled the screen, strands sticking to her wet cheeks. Her lashes were clumped together from crying, and her plump lower lip was caught between her teeth, like she was chewing on it.

“You’re not in a suit?” That was her first question when she saw me. Her eyes narrowed. “Are you alone in there? Is she with you?”

I flinched at her tone, then forced myself to smile and leaned back in the chair, resting against it.

“Well, it wasn’t a wedding with you, so why would I still be in the suit? And no, it’s just Liam here,” I answered.

We got engaged five months ago. I had wanted us to get married immediately, but Leana had an ongoing project. As a model and actress, she wanted to secure her career before diving into marriage, and I respected that. I was fine waiting. But then weeks ago, we found out she was three weeks pregnant.

“I really regret not agreeing to marry you when you asked,” she muttered, her voice small but heavy. “Your parents wouldn’t have pushed you into this shit if we were already married. Now I have to wait a whole year to have you. It’s painful, Dominic.”

I dragged my hand through my hair, frustration mixing with guilt. “No need for that, sweetheart. I’m always yours,” I told her.

She turned the camera slightly, showing her belly as if to remind me—remind both of us—that she and the baby were waiting for me.

A knock on the door pulled my attention away from the screen. The door creaked open, and my mother stepped in. Her perfume reached the room before her voice did.

“Son, you have to drive Ava to her place. Her mother requested she go home to pick up what she needs for your honeymoon. So, go to her,” she said, her eyes flicking from me to Liam, whose gaze had been darting between my phone and my face the entire time.

“Hey Liam, thank you for today… please excuse him for a few minutes, okay?” my mother added before stepping back out. The door closed softly behind her, leaving the faint trail of her perfume lingering.

“Honeymoon?” Leana’s voice shot through the phone like a bullet. “The fuck is going on, Dominic? Why the hell are you going on a freaking honeymoon with that bitch?”

Ah, damn it. How the hell was I supposed to explain this without making it worse?

“It was purely their idea, baby. It’s just going to be a boat cruise and some travel. Doesn’t mean I’ll be with her all the time. Besides, my parents won’t be there to monitor us, so don’t overthink it, okay?”

Liam snorted, taking a long sip of his drink, probably to avoid bursting into laughter. The jerk thought my entire life was some kind of tragic comedy. His best friend tangled in a web of lies and betrayal, and all he could do was laugh.

I forced a smile at Leana, trying to look calm so she wouldn’t suspect anything.

She finally backed down, though her eyes still looked clouded with hurt. Not long after, her manager appeared in the background, calling her for something, and she ended the call. Relief flooded through me immediately, like a weight sliding off my chest for the moment.

“Jeez, your life right now is worth more than any movie in the cinema, dude,” Liam said, shaking his head. “The only thing I didn’t have was popcorn.”

“Asshole,” I muttered, glaring at him. “I’ll make sure you choke on it. Give me the car key. I need to go meet Ava. Ah, her mother said she was mostly addressed as Madelyn.”

I slipped my shoes back on, stood, and grabbed the keys from his hand.