Chapter 2

Through the small window in the door, Audrey saw Everett kneeling on one knee beside Brielle's bed, his ear pressed to her rounded belly.

"Has the baby been giving you a hard time?" he asked gently.

Brielle laughed. "I'm just pregnant. Why are you so nervous? You've been there for everything, from my first prenatal appointment to every checkup and prenatal class. You haven't missed a thing. Anyone would think this was your full-time job."

Audrey bit down hard on her lip. For the past six months, she had gone back and forth between the clinic, the hospital, and home all by herself.

Whenever she felt especially sick, she would ask Everett if he could come to the hospital with her.

His answer was always the same, his expression stern.

"My rescue work is too important. I can't afford to let my guard down for even a second. You knew what you were signing up for when you married me. As my wife, you need to be able to handle things on your own."

So it wasn't that he didn't have time to take care of someone. She just wasn't the one he wanted to take care of.

Inside the room, Everett's phone buzzed. He smiled and put the call on speaker.

"How's my daughter-in-law doing? Did the earthquake scare you? I just sent you fifteen grand to spend. Rest up and take care of yourself."

Audrey gave a bitter smile.

That was Diane.

Just yesterday, Diane had complained about how much the pregnancy was costing and accused her of wasting Everett's money. And now she was casually giving Brielle fifteen thousand dollars to spend.

Audrey's eyes felt dry and sore, but she couldn't shed a single tear.

Then Brielle noticed her outside the room and smiled, waving at her.

"Honey, you have no idea how much Audrey's been through. She had to endure more than a thousand fertility shots before she finally got pregnant. Then when she was in danger, she called her husband nine times, and he never picked up."

Everett met her eyes and frowned slightly, silently warning her not to say anything she shouldn't.

Audrey stood outside the door, watching the two of them look every bit like a loving couple.

The pain from her wound had faded into numbness. Her heart felt the same, as if it had hurt so badly it had gone numb too.

Brielle seemed to notice the tension between them.

"Honey, do you two know each other?" she asked cautiously.

Everett avoided Audrey's gaze, his voice cold.

"We've only met once. I rescued her before."

Only once.

Audrey repeated the words silently to herself.

Seven years ago, at their wedding, Everett had laid down three conditions.

First, he was a search-and-rescue captain. His time belonged to people trapped and waiting to be rescued, and Audrey wasn't to bother him without good reason.

Second, the fifteenth of every month was his day off. That was the only day they would sleep together, and she wasn't to ask for more.

Third, every cent of his salary would go to charity.

If Audrey couldn't accept those terms, the marriage was off.

Audrey herself had once been one of the survivors Everett rescued. She understood the demands of his job, so she had agreed without hesitation.

"I agree."

After they married, she took care of Diane and handled everything at home by herself.

Even after she became pregnant, she still went to every prenatal appointment alone.

People had warned Audrey to pay attention to where Everett spent his time and energy. That was usually where his heart was too.

But Audrey had always laughed it off.

"Any man might cheat, but Everett never would. He keeps his word. He's the most dependable man I know."

She had believed that until today.

Everett rose and grabbed Audrey by the arm, eager to get her away from Brielle.

In his haste, he didn't notice that his hand had closed over the wound on her arm.

Blood began seeping through the gauze, and Audrey's voice shook with pain.

"It hurts! Let go of me!"

Everett didn't listen. He only quickened his pace.

Audrey stumbled after him. Every step pulled at the wound on her lower abdomen, sending burning pain through her body.

Everett pinned her against the wall near a stairwell exit, frowning.

"Didn't I tell you Brielle's pregnant and not well? I told you to stay away from her and not upset her."

"Everett, I was pregnant too. But because you chose Brielle, I lost the baby, and the doctors said I might never be able to get pregnant again. Don't you have anything to say to me?"

Everett stepped outside and lit a cigarette, irritation written all over his face.

"I told you before we got married. Being the wife of a search-and-rescue captain means enduring loneliness and making sacrifices."

He exhaled a cloud of smoke, briefly obscuring his expression.

"The surgery's over anyway. Just leave the hospital today. And stay away from Brielle for a while."

Audrey watched him turn away.

Before going back inside, Everett put out his cigarette and waited until the smell of smoke had faded from his clothes. Only then did he return to Brielle's room.

When it came to Brielle, he was thoughtful enough to make sure she wouldn't even have to smell cigarette smoke.

Audrey gave a bitter, self-mocking smile. Holding a hand over her wound, she slowly made her way back to her room.

As Audrey passed the nurses' station, a nurse called out to her.

"Ms. Vance, billing still needs to speak with you about your stay."

Audrey instinctively reached for her pocket.

In seven years, Everett had never given her a cent toward household expenses.

The costs of her pregnancy had already stretched her finances to the limit.

She forced a smile. "No, thanks. I'm checking out."

The nurse looked alarmed. "You just had major surgery. How can you leave now? The other pregnant woman rescued with you was only shaken up, and her husband is already arranging a private suite for her. You should stay under observation a little longer too."

Audrey clenched her fist, her nails digging into her palm.

"No, thank you."

After checking out of the hospital, Audrey did two things.

First, she applied for an out-of-town assignment that would begin in two weeks.

Second, she took the divorce papers and went to file for divorce from Everett.