ログインNavie stood her hands holding her swollen belly. The air was heavy with the scent of lilies and the faint hum of people, paying their respects. Her mother’s casket rested before her, draped in pristine white, and her heart ached as if a part of her had been ripped away.
Reid stood beside her, hands clasped stiffly in front of him. He looked the part of a grieving husband but inside, every fiber of him resisted. He only come because her mother’s death would’ve made headlines if he didn't. Because the press would have given him a hard time. ,
”Reid Andros didn’t stand beside his grieving wife.”
He had a company to inherit, and his public image mattered a lot right now.
He had never loved Navie. His father had forced this marriage upon him, he planned to make her bear his heir. That heir was the only thing he truly cared about; once he secured his father’s company, the divorce would follow.
His eyes, stormy and unreadable, flicked toward Navie as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. She looked fragile, broken but then he felt a pang of concern. He looked away instantly.
She’s just carrying the heir. That’s all that matters. Not her feelings. Not her pain. She means nothing to me.
He shifted, uncomfortable with her sorrow, and thought of the business meeting he had in the next twenty minutes and the he would leave. Perfect.
Suddenly, he felt a pair of piercing eyes shooting daggers at him, he turned to see his father glaring at him. Reid looked away instantly, he already caught the message in the glare.
He exhaled sharply, hesitant and slow, he put his arm around her, rubbing her arm in comfort.
Navie got taken aback with the gesture, it brought fresh tears to her eyes. Reid would never. His touch felt like a shelter in the blazing sun. She melted and laid her head on his chest. Instinctively, Reid relaxed and wrapped his other arm around her. Every doubt of his emotions left and he felt his guard go down involuntarily. Their moment cut short when Reid's phone rang.
His phone buzzed. He exhaled sharply and lifted the device to his ear.
“Where are you?” Bianca demanded, her voice soft and lost.
“I don’t know the way. You need to come get me.”
He gritted his teeth. Perfect. Just what I needed.
“Fine. I’ll be there in five,” he replied, already plotting the fastest route. He had no intention of letting Navie know where he was going. But Navie already saw the caller ID and froze. Bianca’s name on the screen made her chest tighten. Her mind raced: Why is she calling Reid? What does she want? But then again, she tried to convince herself that Bianca is just her husband's friend.
Minutes later, the funeral ended. People lingered to offer condolences, but Navie felt empty. Reid already gave a polite nod to her acquaintances and stepped away. He had not return since.
Then came the message from Bianca. Navie’s phone buzzed in her hand. She glanced at it, her stomach twisting. “Come to the parking lot. We’re here.”
She went out of the cemetery, she gripped the railing of the building's steps as she made her way down. Her mind raced with possibilities, why was Bianca calling her to the parking lot and she said "we".
We? Is she with Reid?
Her feet froze at the edge of the driveway. Ahead, the scene awaited, something she could not yet comprehend. The sunlight glinted off the polished surfaces, casting sharp reflections across the asphalt.
But nothing could outshine the scene before her. She blinked, trying to process the world around her, every nerve screaming.
Her chest tightened. Her breath caught. And then, a sudden sense of impending disaster hit her. The kind that made the skin on her arms prickle and her stomach churn.
The next moments would change everything.
Navie stopped breathing.
For a moment, everything blurred, the faint chatter from the distance, even the ache in her chest, all of it melted into one crushing silence.
Bianca and Reid stood close. Too close.
Bianca's hand curled behind his neck, drawing him down. His hand was on her waist. They kissed out there in the open without any shame. He didn’t see her. He didn’t even turn
He just left, slipping into his car and dove away.
And Navie… she couldn’t move.
Her heart pounded, her vision dimmed, and a sharp pain tore through her abdomen. She clutched at her stomach, gasping.
No. Not now.
But the pain spread fast, waves of agony breaking through her body. Her knees buckled, and she staggered backwards. She whimpered and leaned painfully against a nearby car, her breath came out in sharp takes. Bianca rushed to her.
“Oh dear,” Bianca said softly, crouching down. “You don’t look so good.”
Navie tried to speak, but the pain stole her breath. “Why…?”
Bianca tilted her head, her tone almost kind. “You shouldn’t have come so fast, Navie. Some things are better left unseen.”
A tear slipped down Navie’s cheek. “You—”
“Me?” Bianca smiled faintly. “I didn’t steal him. He just came back to where he belongs.”
Navie shook her head weakly, clutching her stomach tighter. “You’re lying…”
Bianca sighed, brushing imaginary dust from her skirt. “You really believed he would love?” Her voice lowered.
“He told me himself. Reid doesn't love you and he never would.”, she spat, her words laced with venom.
Navie’s breath hitched. Bianca turned two before her, darkness began to blur her vision. Her eyes closed as she lost consciousness. Bianca stood up and glared down at her.
“You should’ve taken the car I sent that day,” Bianca added, eyes glinting. “At least that would have been faster than this.”
Bianca straightened, her smile calm and flawless. “Don’t worry. Reid won’t remember you for long.”
And then she turned, leaving Navie trembling on the cold asphalt, pain rolling through her body like fire.
“Navie! Are you okay? Are you okay?”, Bianca yelled, her face etched in worry. Then she burst into malicious laughter.
Her head snapped to one side before turning back to him, her glare as sharp as ever.Reid sat on the bed with the bowl of hot soup cradled carefully in both hands. He took another obedient sip, then another, his eyes flickering up to the furious woman standing over him every few seconds.Her arms remained crossed tightly over her chest.She didn't say a word.The silence was somehow more terrifying than the yelling.When he finally emptied the bowl, he lowered it carefully onto his lap.Jacintha stretched out her hand.“I hope you finished every drop.”“Yes, ma'am.”She took the empty bowl from him without another word.“Good.”“Now get some rest. And leave my house first thing tomorrow morning.”Reid let out a quiet breath.“Yes, ma'am.”He eased himself farther onto the bed, pulling the blankets over his shoulders before lying on his side, facing her.The moment his head touched the pillow, another violent shiver ran through him.His teeth clicked together.His breathing came out sl
She rushed forward and caught him.Her arms went around his back. His skin was ice. So cold it shocked her, even though she had known, she had known—he would be cold. But she had stupidly hoped he would be fine. The way he shivered, it almost ran that ran through her body. Heck, he was so cold.Some of the maids stepped forward. Hands reached out, ready to help, ready“No.”The word came out sharper than she intended. The maids froze.“Someone prepare hot soup,” Jacintha said, still holding Reid protectively. “Bring it upstairs. To his room.”She shifted his weight against her. He was heavy—heavier than she remembered. But she didn't let go. She wouldn't.“Which room, Ma'am?” someone asked.“The blue room. The one at the end of the hall.” She paused. “And turn on the heater before we get there.”Then she began to walk.The stairs were the hardest part.Reid couldn't lift his feet properly. He stumbled on the first step, then the third, then the fifth. Each time, Jacintha caught him.
Jacintha didn't remember going out of her room.One moment she was standing in the middle of her room, trembling, one hand pressed over her mouth. The next, she was through the door and flying down the hallway, her robe flowing behind her.The stairs appeared beneath her feet before she registered taking them. She moved fast, too fast for to check how many steps she took at a time. Her hand slid along the banister, cold wood against her palm. Even the banister knew how cold it was outside. She took the last four steps in a single breathless rush.The maids were still gathered at the living room windows. They were speaking in hushed, worried whispers. Their backs were turned, their foreheads nearly pressed to the glass. They were so engrossed, by watching the man outside kneeling in the storm that not a single head turned when their mistress flew down the stairs behind them.Jacintha didn't notice them either. Her eyes were fixed on the kitchen door. She turned left, feet almost float
Reid's body had stopped feeling the cold around the ninety-minute mark. That was when the shivering stopped and something worse took its place—a numbness that spread from his fingers up his arms, from his knees up his thighs. His skin was pale and wrinkled, pruned by the endless water. His hair clung to his forehead. His eyes burned. But his mind was clear. Clearer than it had been in years. He thought about the first time he saw Jacintha. Not the wedding—he barely remembered the wedding. The first time. A garden party. She had been laughing at something someone said, head thrown back, sunlight catching the edges of her hair. He had thought, She'll do. Not She's beautiful. Not I want to know her. She'll do. He thought about the look on her face when she realized he didn't love her. Not all at once—it hadn't been a single moment. It had been a thousand small moments. A thousand small deaths. The way her smiles became smaller. The way she stopped reaching for his hand. The wa
The rain had stopped being rain two hours ago. Now it was a solid wall of water, falling with the kind of violence that threatened to break down every house. Jacintha lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She had counted every crack in the plaster. Every shadow cast by the single lamp she left on. She repeated every lie she told herself in the past two hours. I don't care where he goes.Her own words echoed back at her, mocking.She turned onto her side. Then her stomach. Then her back again. The sheets twisted around her legs, making her further uncomfortable.Sleep in the gutters for all I care.She pressed her palm against her forehead. Her skin was warm. Too warm. Despite the heavy rain, despite the cold, she was sweating. Not sweating from the adjusted room temperature but from worry. Thunder rolled across the sky, low and growling. The window rattled in its frame.She turned again.The thousandth time. Maybe the thousandth and first.Her window faced the compound.She knew
“You want to know what I would do?” He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. Then he sighed, tilting his head ever so slightly. “Gosh, Jacintha. You will be the death of me.”Jacintha squinted her nose and eyed him from head to toe, “Get out.” She seethed. The wind whistled outside, cold wind blew across the room. He glanced at the window.“Are Vida's windows closed? She might be feeling cold.”“Don't change the topic.” She scoffed as she stepped forward. Her fingers closed around his wrist before he could step back.Firm. Not gentle.Reid looked down at her hand, then up at her face.“Are you cold? Do you want a hug?” He asked jokily. She didn’t answer. Her eyes locked with his as she pulled him closer. “You.” Her eyebrows went up.“Just follow me, okay?” An obvious fake smile spread across her face.He stumbled a half-step forward, more out of surprise than resistance, catching himself with an exhale that almost became a laugh. “Jacintha—”She turned, dragging him with her out of the







