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NathanielI stood at the kitchen window long after Amelia’s car disappeared from view.I could still see her sitting beside me at breakfast, her fingers wrapped around mine while she asked me if I was cheating on her. There had been so much trust in her eyes when she asked that question, even beneath the fear. And I had lied to her.Not because I had slept with Blake, or because I wanted Blake back; I had lied because I was afraid of what Amelia would think if she knew where I had really been. The realization left a bitter taste in my mouth.I had always believed that protecting the people I loved meant taking problems off their shoulders before they ever reached them. I made the decisions, dealt with the consequences, and kept the mess to myself. But this time I had made the problem worse.I had sneaked out of my own bedroom in the middle of the night like a man with something to hide, gone to my ex’s apartment, allowed myself to be manipulated by a lie, and then come home with a r
AmeliaThe salon was exactly what I needed that morning.After the strange night I had endured, I had been looking forward to spending a few quiet hours doing absolutely nothing except taking care of myself. Nathaniel had insisted that I should not rush around, and although I had teased him about sounding like my doctor, I had secretly appreciated the concern. My spa appointment had been booked for weeks, and I had no intention of letting whatever was going on with him ruin it.I lay comfortably on the facial bed with a towel wrapped around my hair while the beautician worked gently over my face.The soft music playing in the background, combined with the faint scent of lavender and the quiet hum of conversation from the other women in the salon, made it easy to relax.I closed my eyes and tried to empty my mind.For the first few minutes, I managed it.Then I heard a woman speaking on the phone somewhere behind me.“I’m telling you, some men are just unbelievable.”I smiled faintly
AmeliaI woke early the next morning and lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling as the events of the previous night slowly returned to me. Nathaniel had sneaked out of our bedroom after he thought I was asleep.He had been gone for hours, and when he finally returned, he had brought Mercer home with him, along with a story about a bar, a drunken fight, and an explanation that neither of them had managed to make particularly convincing.I turned my head and looked at Nathaniel. He was still asleep, one arm resting across the pillow where my head had been. His face was peaceful, completely unaware of the questions that had kept me awake for most of the night.I quietly slipped out of bed, pulled on my robe, and stepped into the hallway. I needed to check on Mercer, possibly find out what was going on. When I reached the guest room and opened the door, I immediately noticed it was empty. The bed was unmade, the blanket thrown back as though someone had gotten up in a hurry, bu
AmeliaI had barely managed to sit upright when I heard the front door close downstairs.Nathaniel was gone. The realization that my husband had left me alone in the middle of the night stirred a fear I desperately didn't want to acknowledge.The first thought that came to my mind was the one I was most afraid to entertain.Was he cheating on me?My heart raced, and I couldn't tell if it was fear or anger. This was not happening, not while I was pregnant with his twins.I immediately pushed the thought away.Nathaniel loved me. He had spent months proving that. He had stood beside me when I needed him, supported me through everything, and never given me a reason to doubt his love.But then why had he sneaked out of our bedroom in the middle of the night?I had watched him sneak out of our bedroom after he thought I was asleep, heard the soft rustle of his clothes, the careful steps across the room, and finally the bedroom door closing behind him.I had waited for him to come back. At
Nathaniel.I sat behind the steering wheel for several minutes without starting the car. My hands stayed tight around the steering wheel, my jaw clenched as everything that had happened at Blake’s apartment replayed in my head.I could not believe how foolish I had been. Blake had lied to me. She had told me Ethan was having a seizure just to get me there, and I had fallen for it without questioning a single detail. I had rushed to her apartment in the middle of the night, leaving Amelia asleep in our bed because I thought a child who might be mine was in danger. And for what? A trap.I leaned my head against the headrest and closed my eyes. What the hell had I been thinking? I could not even bring myself to be angry at Blake yet. I was too angry with myself.The worst part was knowing I could not simply go home and pretend nothing had happened. If Amelia was still asleep, I might slip into bed and avoid explaining anything until morning. But what if she was awake? What if she was wa
Blake.It was a cold night, the kind that felt wrong to spend alone. I would have loved to go to a bar or a club and find someone to satisfy the hunger burning under my skin, but Ethan was already asleep, and it was too late to call a babysitter. Since I could not go out, someone would have to come to me, and the only person I could think of was Nathaniel.I could picture him lying in bed with his wife curled against his warm body. The thought made me furious in a way I refused to admit out loud. That should have been me. I reached for my phone, scrolled to his name, and hesitated. A dozen different thoughts ran through my mind, each one designed to pull him away from her and into my apartment. I dialed, but the call rang out. He might already be asleep. I kept calling anyway. After the fourth unanswered attempt, I nearly gave up, then decided to text instead.I typed a message and sent it before I could change my mind.Ethan is having a seizure.My thumb hovered for a second bef
Rain continued pouring from the sky while Amelia sat collapsed on the pavement outside the house she used to call home.Her hair clung to her face.Her clothes were soaked through completely.But she barely felt the cold anymore.The older woman standing beneath the umbrella looked deeply uncomfort
Amelia stared at the divorce papers like they were written in another language.The words blurred through her tears until she could barely make them out anymore.DIVORCE AGREEMENT.Her hands started shaking instantly.“No…”Daniel leaned back in his chair with terrifying calm.“It’s over, Amelia.”
By the time Amelia stumbled out of Carter Enterprises, she could barely see through her tears.Rain poured heavily from the sky, cold droplets soaking through her clothes within seconds, but she barely noticed. Her entire body felt numb, hollowed out from the inside.Daniel’s words kept echoing in
The house still smelled like Noah.Amelia noticed it the moment she stepped out of her bedroom, and the realization hit her so hard she had to steady herself against the wall.Strawberry shampoo.Chocolate cereal.The sweet powdery scent of the baby soap Noah still insisted on using even though he







