Chapter 4

I caught Ashley's arm. "I'll come with you. Jessie's your best friend. How could I not go?"

The moment Ashley heard I wanted to come along, panic flashed across her face, and she pushed my hand away. "You just got off work, so you must be starving. Eat first. If anything comes up, I'll call you.

"I don't think it's anything serious anyway. You wouldn't be much help if you came.

"Honey, I'll be back soon. Don't worry too much."

I watched her leave and didn't press her any further.

I opened my phone and checked Jessie's social media. Her latest post, from five minutes ago, was a photo of her on vacation in another state.

Now I was certain. The injured person wasn't Jessie. It was Eddie.

My worst fear had been confirmed, and my last shred of hope was snuffed out.

Ashley and I had been together since school. We were each other's first love, and everyone around us had believed in us.

We should have been a love story for the ages. We should have spent our lives together and grown old side by side.

I never imagined that so many years of love would come to an end so quickly.

Nor did I imagine that after handling so many divorce and infidelity cases, the same thing would actually happen to me.

I still remembered when I first entered the legal profession and started taking on divorce and adultery cases. I'd joked with Ashley, "If you ever cheat on me, I'll make sure you walk away with nothing!

"But I still hope that if you fall for someone else, you'll tell me openly. I'll let you go."

She'd laughed, settled into my lap, and made me a promise. "I, Ashley Steiner, will never love anyone but Joshua Platt for the rest of my life!"

Looking back now, I realized a promise only counts while the love lasts.

Just then, the waiter began bringing out our dishes, interrupting my memories.

I hastily wiped at the corners of my eyes, where the tears hadn't quite fallen.

I looked at the table full of delicious food. I'd been busy all day, and I really was hungry.

What was done was done. It was time to pull myself together and face the separation ahead.

I was in the middle of eating when Brett texted me.

Brett: [Joshua, about the two of them... I think you need to brace yourself.]

I'd braced myself long ago. I told Brett to just say it.

Brett: [Okay. So... they've been together for three years now. Ashley even gave the guy a house and a car.]

Brett: [Every now and then, Ashley goes to stay with him. They've met each other's parents, and, well, it looks like they're trying for a baby.]

I froze, then let out a bitter laugh.

They'd hooked up when Ashley and I had only been married two years? And now, they were trying for a baby?

Ashley was the one who wanted us to be child-free. She was the one who'd made me get a vasectomy.

And now, she was the one trying for a baby with someone else?

What a fool that made me look like.

When I didn't reply, Brett got worried and quickly sent another message.

Brett: [Buddy, where are you? I'm coming over right now. No reason. I just want to keep you company.]

I understood why he was worried. But I would never hurt myself.

As a lawyer, I'd seen plenty of people forgive a cheating spouse in the name of love. Without exception, every one of them ended up losing both the person and the money.

As for me, I was going to get the compensation I deserved and make sure neither of them had an easy time of it.

I called Brett. "Come quick. We're going to catch them in the act."

Before long, we found the hospital Eddie was in.

In the hospital room, Eddie lay with his head in Ashley's lap. "Babe, you're already pregnant. How much longer are we going to keep pushing back the wedding?"

I kicked open the half-closed door. "She hasn't divorced me yet. How is she supposed to marry you?

"Instead of rushing her about a wedding date, you should get on your knees and beg me to hurry up and finalize our divorce!"

Ashley jumped at the noise and hurried to put some distance between herself and Eddie.

Eddie shot the guilty-looking Ashley a confused glance, then turned and glared at me viciously.

"What are you doing here? What kind of fantasy are you living in? My babe, married to you? She's never even been married!

"But this works out perfectly! Ashley, you have to choose today. Him or me?"

Eddie shifted around a few times, then moved forward and wrapped his arms around Ashley.

In an instant, every eye in the room was on Ashley.