Chapter 2

Estelle’s POV

His back was to me in the doorway and I could see how tightly he gripped the doorknob. He was waiting for my answer.

Then I thought about Lyndsey’s name flashing on his phone screen seconds after we’d signed those papers.

The pregnancy test was sitting right there in my purse on the counter. I could grab it, show it to him right now, and make him see.

But what would that change? He’d already decided I was a liar. He’d already chosen her.

“Nothing,” I said quietly.

He turned partway around. “Nothing,” he repeated, and his lip curled up. “What good news could you possibly have anyway?”

Then he was gone. The door slammed and I flinched hard, my whole body jerking.

I stood there for a long time after he left. Maybe five minutes, maybe twenty. The silence pressed down on me until I couldn’t breathe right anymore.

Finally I made myself move. I walked upstairs and pulled my suitcase down from the closet shelf. Dust scattered everywhere and I coughed, my throat already raw from crying.

I packed fast, grabbing clothes, toiletries, anything I’d actually bought myself. I left behind everything he’d given me, the expensive creams, the cashmere sweater from Christmas, all of it.

Twenty minutes and I was done. Three years of marriage fit into one suitcase.

I dragged it downstairs, the wheels squeaking loudly in the empty house. At the front door I stopped and looked back once.

I bit down hard on my lip and walked out.

My car was in the driveway—Harrison always took the garage. I threw the suitcase in the trunk and got in the driver’s seat.

My phone was in my purse. I pulled it out and called Daisy.

The drive to her apartment took forever. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tight they cramped.

Daisy buzzed me up immediately when I rang her apartment. She opened the door before I could knock, took one look at my face, and pulled me inside.

“Oh my god, Estelle.” She grabbed my suitcase and set it by the wall, then steered me to her couch. “Sit. What happened?”

I told her everything. The cake, the photo, Harrison’s accusations, the divorce papers, Lyndsey calling him right after. The words kept spilling out and I couldn’t stop them, couldn’t hold anything back.

“That absolute bastard!” Daisy jumped up and started pacing. “A fake photo? And he just believed it? After three years?” She spun around. “Estelle, I’m so sorry. This is completely insane. How could he do this to you?”

“His ex called him,” I said dully, staring at my hands. “Right after we signed. Lyndsey.”

Daisy’s eyes went wide. “Wait. You think—you think he wanted this? That he set up the whole thing just to have an excuse to leave?”

“I don’t know.” I shook my head slowly. “Maybe. The timing was too perfect. And he didn’t even try to believe me. He just…he wanted it to be true.”

“That’s sick.” Daisy sat back down next to me and grabbed my shoulders. “Listen to me. You’re going to be okay.” She took a breath. “What are you going to do now? Do you have a plan?”

I didn’t answer right away. My hand drifted down to my stomach, pressing lightly against the flat surface.

“I’m pregnant,” I said.

Daisy’s mouth fell open. “What?”

“That’s what I was going to tell him tonight.” I looked up at her. “But I didn’t. And I’m not going to.”

“Estelle—”

“I’m keeping it.” My jaw clenched. “The baby. I’m going to have it and raise it myself. I don’t care how hard it is.”

Daisy stared at me for a long moment. “Are you sure? You don’t have to do this alone. Have you even confirmed the pregnancy?”

“I took a home test this morning. But no, I haven’t been to a doctor yet.”

“Then we’re going.” Daisy stood up and grabbed her purse. “Right now. Let’s go to the hospital and make sure everything’s okay.”

I let her pull me to my feet. “Okay.”

The hospital waiting room was crowded when we got there. We sat for almost an hour and Daisy held my hand the entire time, chattering about nothing important. I knew she was trying to distract me and I loved her for it even though I couldn’t focus on a single word she said.

Finally they called my name and we went back to the exam room. During the ultrasound, the tech suddenly stopped.

“What?” I tried to sit up but she put a gentle hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” she said quickly, smiling. She turned the screen so I could see it better and pointed at two distinct shapes. “See this? And this right here?”

“You’re having twins,” she announced happily. “A boy and a girl.”