Chapter 7

[ Addison ]

The violent sound of tires screeching around the corner wakes me as my body jerks upward, slamming into the backseat with so much force that I feel I might be sick.

Inhaling deeply, the scent of mold and stale cigarettes makes my nausea worse. Swallowing bile I fight not to throw up, my stomach churning as we hit another bump.

“Oh look who’s awake,” a familiar voice coos. Twisting my head, I see Evelyn sitting in the car, not bound like me. She’s not gagged, her face untouched. She looks fresh, almost jubilant. What is she doing here?

Where’s Jayson? Where’s my son? Was he hurt?

“Looking for Jayson?” she smirks, ripping the tape from my mouth. A tear rolls down my cheek as the tape pulls at my skin.

“Where’s my son?” I cry, glaring at her. “What did you do to him? He’s just a child!”

“He’s fine,” the driver interrupts curtly. “He’s at home.”

Evelyn pulls out her phone and shows me a picture of Jayson playing with the nanny. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

“Where are you taking me?” I demand, my gaze flicking between Evelyn and the driver. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because you’re in the way,” Evelyn’s sweet tone disappears, replaced by something darker. “Thank you for keeping Michael company while I was gone. But now I’m back. Did you really think he loved you? He only wanted you because you remind him of me.”

Her words hit like stones, not because they’re lies, but because there’s a hint of truth.

“And now,” she smirks, placing a hand on her stomach, “I’m pregnant. Michael won’t let anything happen to our baby. I’ll prove it tonight. He’ll choose me over you. He just needs a little push.”

Michael cheated on me? With Evelyn? All that love, all those sweet words when I found out I was pregnant, vanish in an instant. He’s been seeing her all along.

My phone—someone once told me if you whisper to it, you can call the police discreetly. I tilt my head toward my back pocket and whisper, “Call the police.”

Evelyn doesn’t notice. I pray they’ll hear everything and come for me.

She’s holding her phone up, balancing it with her perfectly manicured nails. She presses a button and speaks into it. “Michael, hurry! They’re going to kill me!” she sobs convincingly, before hanging up and giving me one last smile.

Is this some twisted game to her?

The drive is long, and I have no idea where we are, though I can hear the faint sound of the ocean. I pretend to sleep, watching Evelyn from half-closed eyes. She acts different when she thinks no one is watching, sweet and flirtatious with the driver. Her smile stretches as she squeezes his thigh. He says something low that I don’t catch, and she giggles like a teenager.

“When this is over,” she whispers, “Michael will pay. He has enough money to save his child, even after I take my cut.”

The man smiles affectionately, bringing her hand to his lips as he pulls over. Evelyn pulls him into a passionate kiss, and I try not to gasp. She’s in on this whole thing. Probably sleeping with the kidnapper.

“Now tie me up,” she says, extending her hands to him. “Make it look real. Michael needs to believe I’m in danger.”

This can’t be happening. I trust Michael. He’s too smart to fall for this. He’ll rescue me. I know he will—Evelyn is wrong. He loves me and this baby.

Please hurry, Michael.

A few moments later, we arrive at a cold, dim warehouse. Evelyn and I are strapped into chairs side by side, chained to a pillar.

Suddenly, car brakes squeal outside, and lights flash through the windows. Hope swells in my chest. Thank God! Michael made it. If he can just give these men what they want, we’ll be okay.

The door slams open, and Michael rushes toward us. “Micha—”

His name dies on my lips when I see him kneel in front of Evelyn, pulling her into his arms. It’s like I’m invisible.

“Evelyn!” he sobs. “Thank God you’re alive.”

“Stand back, Mr. Stone, unless you want to watch both of your women die!” a voice calls from the shadows.

“Michael!” I cry, desperate. “Help me, please. I don’t feel well…”

He turns toward me, his eyes widening as recognition slowly sets in. “Addy? Why…”

“Why don’t you ask Evelyn?” I start, but my words are cut off by a smack from one of the kidnappers. Blood dribbles down my chin, and Evelyn watches with a smirk.

“Both of them will be gone in a flash, Mr. Stone,” the kidnapper in the shadows reminds him.

Michael shouts at the men holding guns above us. “What do you want?!”

The kidnapper laughs, stepping into the light while another man pulls Evelyn’s hair, revealing her neck. She screams, and Michael turns back to her.

“We don’t want your money, Mr. Stone. We want you to make a choice. Choose one woman to save.”

A silver knife presses against Evelyn’s neck, drawing blood.

Michael’s lip trembles as he looks between us. “That’s not a fair choice,” he says softly. “I can’t... I won’t choose.”

The kidnapper sighs, growing bored. “You have thirty seconds, Mr. Stone.”

Evelyn’s voice shakes. “Michael, my stomach hurts... it hurts so bad.”

Tears mix with blood as she trembles. My heart breaks.

“5…4…3…2…”

The man I thought I could trust looks at me with sad eyes. “I’ll be back,” he whispers. “I just need to take Evelyn to the hospital. I’ll return… I’ll—”

I don’t hear the rest as a sob rips from me, the agony of betrayal searing through me.

My husband chose to save his first love over his wife. I close my eyes, realizing that he never truly loved me.

Now, I know I’m done with him.